By Ryan Maquiñana

When middleweight prospect Brandon Gonzales tore his hamstring and was forced to pull out of his Jan. 20 ShoBox-televised clash with fellow unbeaten Caleb Truax, it opened the door for rising junior lightweight Joel Diaz Jr. to take the slot.

Diaz (6-0, 5 KOs), a 19-year-old slugger whose penchant for constant offense and relentless pressure makes him one to watch, will take the show to the Palms in Las Vegas, where he faces another undefeated all-action fighter in Guy Robb (7-0, 3 KOs) of Sacramento, Calif.

Before making the trip to the Nevada desert, the young up-and-comer from Palmdale, Calif., who has reeled off four consecutive first-round knockouts spoke to BoxingScene.com and promised that the Showtime viewers would be in for something special on Friday night.

BoxingScene.com: How did you hear about that news that you would be fighting on Showtime in the ShoBox series?

Joel Diaz Jr.: I didn’t expect it.  I was supposed to fight on another card in Woodland Hills, [California,] and when I got the call last Wednesday, I had to take it.  It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.  Since I started fighting, I’ve always wanted to be on T.V.

BoxingScene.com: Guy Robb makes exciting fights.  He will give as good as he gets, and with your style, it should make for an intriguing matchup.  What do you know about him?

Joel Diaz Jr.: Well, to tell you the truth, I really don’t know nothing much about this guy except he’s 7-0 with 3 knockouts.  He’s 5’6’’ so he’s shorter than me.  My dad has seen him and is working on the strategy, so he and my trainer Hector Vallardes will take it from there.  Working with Hector is great.  He’s taken me in like his own child.

BoxingScene.com: What do you look for in the limited time you do observe a fighter on film?

Joel Diaz Jr.: I watch him for a couple rounds to watch the basics on how he is with his hands and his feet, but for the most part, my team will handle everything else and we work on it from there.

BoxingScene.com: For the fans who haven’t seen you yet, what can you tell them about your style?

Joel Diaz Jr.: I’m going to do my best and show what I’ve worked hard for.  I’m a brawler.  If people want to box with me, I can do that.  I condition myself to go the whole distance, but if I can wear this guy down in the first couple rounds, I’ll do it.

BoxingScene.com: Your last fight was against a veteran like Manuel Sarabia, and like your last three opponents before him, you knocked out Sarabia in the first round.  With a streak like that, and what appears to be a more competitive fight with Robb coming up, how do you stay focused in terms of not falling in love with your power?

Joel Diaz Jr.: I’m not going to keep thinking I can finish these guys off in the first round.  We train for every situation.  If we have to go the distance, I’ll be ready.  Either way though, if he comes forward, I’m expecting a really exciting fight.

BoxingScene.com: You’re currently promoted by Boxing 360, and they also work with a fellow prospect from your hometown of Palmdale in middleweight DonYil Livingston.  So far, they’ve been pretty active in getting you fights since they turned pro.

Joel Diaz Jr.: Yeah, that’s cool we’re both with [Boxing] 360.  They’ve been keeping me busy and on my feet.  After my last fight in Sacramento against Sarabia, they had a couple more fights lined up for me in 2011, but opponents kept pulling out.  I don’t blame them.  This is a tough business and a tough sport.  But even if we don’t have fights lined up, we keep training to stay ready.

BoxingScene.com: Anything else you’d like to tell the fans before your fight on Friday?

Joel Diaz Jr.: Keep looking out for me.  I’m trying to do something with my life, and I promise that I’m not letting my talent go to waste.  Check me out on Twitter @jdstayphat.

Ryan Maquiñana is the boxing correspondent for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Advisory Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his blog at www.maqdown.com, or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.