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By T.K. Stewart - When you talk to Juan "The Baby Bull" Diaz, it's easy to forget that he punches other people in the face for a living.
Diaz is polite, articulate and unassuming. He’s accomplished enough over the course of nearly a decade as a prizefighter that he would have a lot to brag about - but that's not Juan Diaz.
You won't find him wearing platinum necklaces, diamond rings, throwing one hundred-dollar bills from balconies or drinking Cristal Champagne in nightclubs.
No, you're more apt to find Juan Diaz studying in a university library or calling somebody "Sir" or "Ma’am" before he opens the door for them.
At age 26, he retains a boyish persona and he's already won three lightweight titles. He’s defended those titles seven times and along the way has managed to earn a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Houston.
By any measure one wishes to use, Juan Diaz has accomplished much in a boxing career that saw him turn professional in a dusty Mexican ring as a pudgy 16-year-old.
After 37 pro fights, he could retire now. He has money in the bank, his faculties, a son and a college education. He has hopes of one day becoming a lawyer so that he can lend legal aid to those less fortunate. His manager, Willie Savannah, even believes that Diaz could one day become the mayor of Houston, Texas.
So with all that he has going for him, why is Juan Diaz still associated with a sport that sometimes reeks like a sewer, and why is he stepping into the ring tonight against Paulie Malignaggi in Chicago? [Click Here To Read More]
Diaz is polite, articulate and unassuming. He’s accomplished enough over the course of nearly a decade as a prizefighter that he would have a lot to brag about - but that's not Juan Diaz.
You won't find him wearing platinum necklaces, diamond rings, throwing one hundred-dollar bills from balconies or drinking Cristal Champagne in nightclubs.
No, you're more apt to find Juan Diaz studying in a university library or calling somebody "Sir" or "Ma’am" before he opens the door for them.
At age 26, he retains a boyish persona and he's already won three lightweight titles. He’s defended those titles seven times and along the way has managed to earn a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Houston.
By any measure one wishes to use, Juan Diaz has accomplished much in a boxing career that saw him turn professional in a dusty Mexican ring as a pudgy 16-year-old.
After 37 pro fights, he could retire now. He has money in the bank, his faculties, a son and a college education. He has hopes of one day becoming a lawyer so that he can lend legal aid to those less fortunate. His manager, Willie Savannah, even believes that Diaz could one day become the mayor of Houston, Texas.
So with all that he has going for him, why is Juan Diaz still associated with a sport that sometimes reeks like a sewer, and why is he stepping into the ring tonight against Paulie Malignaggi in Chicago? [Click Here To Read More]
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