By Ryan Burton
Lightweight Juan Diaz is going to drop back down to lightweight after his two-fight experiment close to the junior welterweight limit. He talks about what he calls a flat performance versus Paulie Malignaggi and how he wants to go back to lightweight where he has experienced a lot of success as a world champion. A rematch with Nate Campbell and Juan Manuel Marquez are some of the fights he is eyeing for 2010. This exclusive interview can only be found at Boxingscene.com.
BoxingScene.com: First off Juan give us your thoughts on the fight.
Juan Diaz: Well it was a disappointing fight for me. It definitely wasn't one of my best performances to date. I thought that I didn't do what I was supposed to. I felt a little stiff during the fight. Usually I am an aggressive fighter and I found myself waiting too
much. I think my biggest problem was I would get to Paulie but I wouldn't let my hands go. That was one of the big problems that I had in this fight. I would get in there but I wouldn't let my hands go.
BoxingScene.com: I think I saw that you threw a total of eighty punches in the first two rounds. That was very non Juan Diaz like.
Juan Diaz (interupting) Yeah you're right. During training camps you have your good days and your bad days. As a boxer when I step in the ring I am always afraid and wonder what am I going to have. Am I going to have a good day or a bad day? In the past few fights I have been having good good days. For the past three years I have been having good days but for some reason on Saturday I just couldn't pull the trigger. I felt sluggish. I felt like it just wasn't me in there.
BoxingScene.com: So it was more you and anything Paulie was doing?
Juan Diaz: Yes I think that that night I beat myself. Usually I am able to dig deep down inside of me and just punch. I know how to punch. That is one of my biggest strengths. When things are not going well I just punch. On Saturday night I just couldn't let my hands go.
BoxingScene.com: Paulie landed some clean shots especially in the 6th round. It seemed like you were stunned a little bit. Did it really hurt you or did he catch you off balance?
Juan Diaz: He kinda caught me off balance because he snuck that up jab in there and he caught me. He tried to jump on me like I was really hurt but I guess he saw I wasn't because he started clowning instead of really jumping on me. I was hoping he would jump on me. I did get a little stunned but not seriously hurt.
BoxingScene.com: You just had two fights close to junior welterweight limit. Are you looking to go back down to lightweight?
Juan Diaz: I am definitely not going to fight at junior welterweight again. I am going to go back down to lightweight. I feel like I have better chance there against the stronger guys. If you look at Paulie's career we know he has always been the smaller guy when he fights. In these two fights he looked like the much bigger guy. I feel that my size and fighting skills would be a lot better at lightweight instead of junior welterweight.
BoxingScene.com: Is there anyone in particular you are looking to fight at lightweight?
Juan Diaz: We have Juan Manuel Marquez who would be my number one pick. There is also Michael Katsidis and a lot of other great fighters in the lightweight division.
BoxingScene.com: What about Joel Casamayor or a chance to avenge your loss with Nate Campbell now that it looks like he is signing with Golden Boy?
Juan Diaz: You have Joel Casamayor and Guzman as well who is under Golden Boy. There are a lot of big names out there I would definitely love to fight. There are two guys out there that I haven't beat that I have fought and Marquez and Campbell are those guys. I would love to avenge either one of those losses.
BoxingScene.com: Do you have a target date for when you want to get back in the ring?
Juan Diaz: As of right now I do not. I think that once the holidays are over my manager (Willie Savannah) will get on it and sit down with me and the whole Golden Boy staff and see when they have a date for me.
BoxingScene.com: Would you like your next fight to be at home in Houston?
Juan Diaz: Well after all the controversy with the first fight with Malignaggi and all the talk about the judges I really wouldn't want to fight in Houston. I feel that once a fighter comes down to Houston to fight against me everyone is going to assume that the judges are going to be against him and show me favoritism. Instead of helping me it might hinder me with the judges and the referees. If its up to me I am not fighting in Houston. It all depends on what my manager and Golden Boy want to do.
BoxingScene.com: So you think because of all the scrutiny the judges might look to take points away from you because they don't want to be looked at like they are showing you favoritism?
Juan Diaz: Exactly. I had my good run here in Houston. I loved it. Especially because I don't have to travel anywhere. The last 3 or 4 fights have been here in Houston but before that they were all out of town and I don't mind travelling out of town.
BoxingScene.com: Do you have a message for the fans?
Juan Diaz: I want to thank the fans for their support in 2009. It hasn't been one of my better years but I look forward to moving back down to the lightweight division and conquering that division like I once did. I hope that the fans have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
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