By Dave Sholler
With a bevy of contractual disputes finally resolved, former lightweight champion Juan Diaz can finally focus on the task he’s most concerned with: reclaiming his belts. Reached Wednesday, the 24-year-old expressed happiness that the drawn out process of finalizing a September 6 bout with Michael Katsidis is finally over. He’s hoping the fight is a starting point for his climb back to title glory.
“I’m happy because now I can finally concentrate on the fight and not whether it’s going to happen,” Diaz, who lost the IBF, WBA, and WBO lightweight titles to Nate Campbell in March, said. “I have been training specifically for this fight for two weeks. Now I can really get going and prepare for getting in shape for a 12-round fight.”
Part of the preparation process for Diaz will be game-planning for a fighter that mimics his own style. In Katsidis, Diaz will be facing a gritty, free-swinging opponent who steadily moves forward. Although Katsidis is coming off a loss to Joel Casamayor in March, Diaz realizes that he is still dangerous. The former titleholder believes the key to victory is adaptation.
“He (Katsidis) is a high-caliber fighter,” Diaz said. “I think that Michael Katsidis is going to do his normal thing and charge forward. If he does that, I’m going to go straight to the body. If I see that he’s the stronger guy, I’m going to go on the outside and use my jab. In the end, I see the ref holding my hand in the air.
“I loved being a champion and now that I don’t have them (titles), it’s a different feeling,” Diaz continued. “Maybe I took being a world champion for granted. “Now I have that hunger back that I had right before I won my first world championship. I want to be world champion again.”
Diaz’s fight with Katsidis will also be his first under the Golden Boy Promotions banner. After a lengthy squabble with his former promoter, Don King, “The Baby Bull” is pleased to officially be with the company founded by Oscar De La Hoya.
“When we signed for the Katsidis fight, we signed a two-page contract instead of 15 pages like with Don King,” Diaz said with a laugh. “De La Hoya sees us all as business partners and wants to see us do well. Don King is at the end of his legacy. He wants the sign the fighters who will make him the most money.”
