By Jake Donovan
It was a long road to contention for Felix Diaz, who – even with all the right credentials and connections – was forced to wait his turn in line in order to finally reach this point.
Now that he’s here, the dazzling Dominican boxer has no intention of reversing the progress he’s finally made.
“I’ve waited a long time, I want all big fights from here on out,” Diaz (18-1, 8KOs) insisted to BoxingScene.com of the boxing future he envisions. “I paid my dues in the pro ranks. I suffered a loss under (bogus) circumstances, but I’ve proven that I belong with the best in the world, and that’s who I want to face every time I step in the ring.”
It was that level of determination which led to his immediately agreeing to face Sammy Vasquez on very short notice this past July. Diaz was originally due to square off with Levan Ghvamichava on a PBC on FS1 show, but jumped at the much bigger opportunity that came with sharing ring space with Vasquez in primetime on free to air Fox TV.
The fight was his first since a controversial loss to Lamont Peterson last October, one where he got off to a slow start but appeared to have dominated the former 140-pound champion over the course of the remainder of the bout in Fairfax, Virginia. Unfortunately, his late surge didn’t fall in favor with the ringside judges who were all based relatively close to Peterson’s Washington D.C. hometown, the bout resulting in a controversial split decision in favor of the local boxer.
History threatened to repeat itself in what appeared to be a landslide win for Diaz over Vasquez this past July. It was a career-best performance turned in, and perhaps Diaz’ finest hour since becoming the first and only ever boxer from Dominican Republic – and just the second athlete of any sport from his beloved nation - to win an Olympic Gold medal, running the tables in the 2008 Beijing Games.
The victory celebration was put on hold as Diaz and Vasquez were initially announced to have fought to a draw, a verdict that once again highlighted the officiating issues to continue to plague an Alabama boxing commission trying its hardest to run with the big dogs. A scoring error was unearthed – a point deduction for Vasquez losing his gumshield once too often – which gave Diaz the victory he more than deserved.
Even with a controversial draw, Diaz would have been viewed as a top-shelf welterweight. That the judges got it right allowed him to return home with the biggest win of his career, a glossy highlight for his latest contribution to his old community.
Diaz – now based in the Bronx but born and raised in Santo Domingo, D.R. - recently visited the International School of Santo Domingo in his old hometown, the purpose of the trip to help the neighborhood youth jump out to a strong start to the new school year.
“I was raised poor so I know how it feel not to have a book bag or school supplies,” Diaz reflected of his rough childhood years. “So every year since I turned pro, I promised that I will do my best to help the unfortunate kids in my neighborhood where I was raised.
“I feel giving back to the community is the least I could do to the people that has supported me on my journey.”
What Diaz – who turns 33 in December - would love to next give his adoring public is its next world champion.
“It was my destiny to travel the road I did to get to this point,” acknowledges Diaz, whose career has been plagued by inactivity due to difficulty in landing willing opposition. “But there are no more excuses for not landing big fights.
“The top names, they claimed I was too high risk and no reward. Well, that bulls*** goes out the window. Between my manager Jose Nunez, my adviser Al Haymon and now that we’re rolling with Lou DiBella (with whom Diaz inked a promotional pact in August), all the guys that fight at 140 and 147 that are with PBC, there are no more excuses. Plus others are claiming to do business with Al Haymon, so that should open even more doors.”
High on his hit list is a title shot, whether it comes at welterweight or one division below at super lightweight, where he’d previously spent the majority of his pro career.
“We heard that (unbeaten reigning welterweight titlist) Danny Garcia needs an opponent, that it looks like it won’t be Andre Berto,” points out Diaz. “Vasquez was supposed to be part of that WBC tournament where they gave Garcia his belt. I beat Sammy, so it would make sense to move into that title shot and let (Garcia) earn his right to be called champion.
“If he don’t want it, then I’d love the chance to give Terence Crawford his first loss. He’s the best fighter in the world at 140 now that I’m fighting at 147.”
Diaz insists he can still make 140 lbs. for the right opportunity. The chance to fight Crawford – who established himself as a legitimate two-division lineal champion following his tour-de-force victory over Viktor Postol in July – would qualify.
Of course, there’s an alternative route – one that wouldn’t result in his becoming a world champion but where a win would further raise his profile.
“If my next fight can’t be for a word title then we can do a fight with Adrien Broner,” Diaz wishes out loud. “He threw his name out there for some big fights but none of them worked out.
“Maybe nobody wants to deal with him with everything he’s got going on (Broner is currently facing charges felony charges on assault and robbery from earlier this year. But I’m more than happy to be a problem for ‘The Problem’.
“A win like that, there wouldn’t be any more excuses for the champions to avoid. There shouldn’t be any now, but I’ll keep grinding until I get what I know I deserve.”
Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
