Of those fading photographs on the gym wall, a lot of them are of the fighters he trained. Make of that what you will. Joel and Antonio began telling people about the project and many began offering to help for free. We always have a lot of things going on, said Joel Diaz. 11/10/2019 This energy, this level of commitment, is also one of the things that draws fighters to Indio. Since Bazooka won his fight, Diaz is happy. Hell then head to Swansons gym for the day and go back to his facility about two miles down the road for a few more hours before heading home. "But he kept hitting me behind the head.". Nothing escapes Joel Diaz who occasionally glances around the gym and notices Diego De La Hoya, the younger cousin of boxing great Oscar De La Hoya. The small Palm Springs Airport will get so crowded it'll be difficult to walk through. Coach Diaz is one of the top boxing trainers in the world who has worked with many top boxing and MMA fighters. Monroe St Indio CA 92201. "I'm your dad. Ive seen my dad train fighters my whole life, Joel Diaz Jr. said, but I havent seen that happiness, that comfort, that peace, that look in his eyes until now. Elite boxers began showing up such as Terence Crawford, Omar Figueroa, Lucas Matthysse and others. Golden Boy Promotions, which has a business relationship with the Diaz brothers and many of the boxers who train with them, has offered help as well. At its best, it's a low frequency hum. "Vamos Tito!" Advertisement. How a gym in California's Coachella Valley became an international EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK: "Joel Diaz: A Hard Knock-Life" Documentary by Box-am Box-pro . 445 East Florida Ave. 2nd Floor. The other to keep track of his day. Barrios turned professional in 1996 and went 14-0 before a DQ loss after which he went 25-0-1 with 1 no decision. Even the fancy gas stations get their share of the dangerous little creatures. A couple of significant fights took place last weekend, but Manny Pacquiaos knockout win over Lucas Matthysse for the WBO welterweight world title heads the list. Acosta laughs along. Needing a space to traintheir boxers, including professionals and young amateurs, Joel and Antonio moved their operation to KBX Fitness, the North Indio gym of UFC featherweight Cub Swanson and his brother, Steve, also a mixed martial artist. Order Online. In the fifth round, Marquez sustained a cut on his forehead from an accidental head butt. But also, you can see up close what devotion looks like and learn how to overcome obstacles that would break less hearty souls. EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK: "Joel Diaz: A Hard Knock-Life" Documentary by "One day, I'll make money," he told her. "Work! ref: Rudy Battle Alfred Buqwana 110 . HBO will televise. And yet, the professionals, who aren't from here, will return because, despite the heat, they come to train with Diaz. Just about everything planted here came to life: watermelon, grapefruits, dates, squash, radish and cabbage, to name a few. Step it up Vergil, he shouts to one of the fighters Vergil Ortiz Jr., a welterweight from Dallas, Texas. Between rounds, Diaz keeps teaching. He's worked with his younger brothers, Antonio and Julio, as they captured world titles. "You're going to lose your eye," the doctor warned. World champions and contenders fight along with boxers early in their careers, risking it all for a shot at their dreams. The Coachella Valley has long been an area where the center inflatable garden slide of activity is Palm Springs. Diaz shouts between sneaking looks at two clocks. Even more ironic was that two Inland Empire fighters were forced to fight 2,000 miles away instead of in California. Theres some freedom from that and there can be a lot of good energy from that.. Find him on Twitter: @Andrew_L_John. Yet, against Barrios, he had proven without a doubt that he possessed the heart of a warrior. While Diaz was reluctant to accept any offers, many have insisted. But most promotion companies were not interested. the doctor asks when he arrives a few minutes later. Mercito Gesta vs Joel Diaz Jr Full Fight Replay | Boxing Video Joel Diaz fought for the IBF world title against South Africa's Phillip Holiday in 1996 and lost by decision. Fifty years ago here, around the time when a farmworker's average life expectancy was 49 years old, the Coachella Grape Strike's picket lines turned violent. Bennett claimed that the slender Mexican fighter had not proven worthy of contesting for the championship though the tall Mexican wielded an undefeated record of 28 wins with 24 coming by knockout. I appreciate what people are doing. Reminders of that past are everywhere on the valley's east side, in schools and parks named after Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. And so, it's back to yelling commands and instructions. Decades ago, when this part of Coachella, the city -- right next to Indio -- looked abandoned, the building housed a crumbling boxing gym. Car share apps charge $40 for a two-minute ride to the festival grounds. "They're putting all their ideas together and creating their dream gym.". He nods as he smiles and makes a fist too. "When I got here, I started sparring with men," she says. Bradley was groomed by the Diaz brothers into a professional style that was pleasing to boxing fans in the Southern California area. He was big and tall and had a beard. He tells a boxer what he wants by showing it with his own body, moving his legs as if he's evading punches. he sings. Whatever sense of peace they find, it comes from knowing they've done all they can to prepare. That amount shocked him, considering $5,000 was the most he'd been paid until then. Mucio walks beside him. Around the turn of the 20th century, the Colorado River was diverted, and water flowed into what was barren desert. I want to be a great champion, said Munguia. Palmdale's Joel Diaz, Jr. (26-2, 22 KOs) and San Diego's Mercito "No Mercy" Gesta (32-3-3, 17 KOs) hosted a media workout today ahead of their 10-round lightweight fight on Thursday, April . In English it means "fight with no end.". There were so many fighters, in 1996, the city built Espinoza a 9,000 square foot gym and named it after him. The reach for glory finally within their grasp. The crowd was divided between Brazilian fans and those from Argentina. Joel Diaz sounds like a drill sergeant and constantly harangues the various boxers to continue the intensity of their drills. Boxing pound-for-pound rankings: Did Gervonta Davis make the top 10? Velasco fought courageously and as well as he could, noted Hauser. Too says at that point, in his early teens, he just wasn't dedicated enough. Back in April when middleweight titan Gennady GGG Golovkin was seeking an opponent to replace Saul Canelo Alvarez who was facing suspension for performance enhancement drug use, it was the 21-year-old from Tijuana who volunteered his services for a May 5th date in Las Vegas. But Im really excited for (Joel and Antonio) to get their own place and to do it the way they want to do it. Once they learned about how Diaz built his life in America as a Mexican immigrant, they wanted to know more. He's showing fighters how to pivot their feet to maximize their leverage. Antonio Diaz works with Vergil Ortiz Jr. inside one of the boxing rings on movement and punching accuracy. DAZN will show Joel Diaz Jr. vs Mercito Gesta tonight exclusively around the world.. "We're waiting for the doctor.". Photos: Indio boxing gym of world-renown trainer Joel Diaz nearing So he made the best of it, and built a life with his wife and four kids. Word was spreading that there was something going on in that desert gym in Indio that was making champions. In the beginning of round 12, Freitas was able to score an early knockdown, and as Barrios stood up on wobbly legs and Freitas went straight at him and with a couple more shots, Barrios was clearly in bad shape and badly discombobulated and the fight was stopped. The anonymous architect of In Boxing We Trust, a web site that went dormant in 2010, wrote this description: Near the end of round 11, about a milli-second before the bell rang, Freitas landed a ROCK HARD right hand shot flush on Barrios chin. In the summer the heat hits like a smack in the face yet it doesnt stop the various gyms from filling up with eager wanna-be fighters. Joe Joyce vs Zhilei Zhang Full Fight Replay April 15, 2023 ; It's not a serious cut -- a notch above a paper cut, on the meaty part of the palm closest to the thumb -- but it hasn't stopped bleeding. He purchased the building as an investment property about 10 years ago. Joel wanted to become world champion, but of course, that didn't happen either. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com. Trainer extraordinaire Joel Diaz looks on as two boxers engage at his world-renowned gym in Indio, California. Indio Joel Diaz Boxing Academy. Flores is 18 and has boxed since he was 7 years old. Hes comfortable. Laurence Cole (pictured alongside his father) was singled out for his behavior as the third man in the ring for the fight between Regis Prograis and Juan Jose Velasco at the Lakefront Arena in New Orleans on July 14. But it's just not the reality of the working families.". In two rings beside each other, there are two fights going on at the same time. When Im not here, thats gonna be a legacy that is gonna stay behind because its the story of my life. It's a welcomed distraction from the importance of this fight. Bob Bennett, the Executive Director for Nevada State Athletic Commission, denied allowing Munguia an opportunity to fight Golovkin for the middleweight titles. He hopes the facility, which he wants to name Indio Athletic & Youth Center, will one day be a part of his legacy in the valley. Motivated because he'd discovered what he was good at, even if, when he first started, he'd come home with his shirt full of blood. Boxing Pro 21 bouts date w-l-d last 6 result; 1997-04-26: Jose Luis Montes: 9 17 0: Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio W-TKO. But Cole insisted that the match continue and then, after another knockdown that he ruled a slip, let it continue for another 35 seconds before Velascos corner mercifully threw in the towel. Garcia tucks in his shirt and gives him a small squirt of water. Joel Diaz "I told him when he came to the gym [last week], 'The problem is not you. No loss is good, but Diaz says he's learned from it. Boxing trainer Joel Diaz is building his own gym in Indio after 18 years at Indio Boys & Girls Club Andrew L. John Palm Springs Desert Sun 0:00 0:24 Until last year, Joel Diaz hadn't. "No, it's OK," Gracia says, trying to keep the doctor away. He built his camp from the ground up, starting with a twice-burned-down building he bought ten years ago for $230,000 dollars. He was hurt, and at this point it looked like it might be over. But Diaz said he couldnt be more excited about eventually having a training facility of his own, after 18 years of training boxers, including several world champions, at the Indio Boys & Girls Club. We dont have any women for her to spar so she spars with the men.. They'll run their daily miles and their feet will feel as if they're on fire. The first step toward history begins on Saturday when he faces former world champion Smith who was dethroned by another Mexican named Canelo. The documentary will be available very soon on a streaming platform, no date for release has been specified at this time. Were going to do that with this gym.. Antonio Diaz & Indio Boxers in L.A. | MyBoxingFans - Boxing News His manager asked me what I thought of his last fight and we agreed, said Diaz of Vargas. His job was irrigation. Diaz, 47, said he expects the new gym to open in March. But he likes it. He would fight one more time before retiring as a fighter and continuing as a trainer. Everybody would win, I would lose," Too says. Trainer Joel Diaz to build his own boxing gym in Indio - The Desert Sun Speaking of casinos, it was the arrival of casinos that opened the door for professional boxing cards in the Coachella desert area. Ted Sares is one of the oldest active full power lifters in the world. And because of that, this place also has a long history of farmworkers fighting for their rights. Back to the chaos of the boxing gym where the hungry people fight. Every second is used by the prizefighters. event bout wiki. Theres enough room for two boxing rings, a section with mats for wrestling, treadmills and elliptical machines, heavy bags, speed bags and an area for yoga and other activities. He doesn't go. Diaz says, then immediately corrects himself. Questions ahead of Paul vs. Diaz: Can Diaz box? Trainer Joel Diaz says his work with new charge Avni Yildirim will shock the world when he takes on WBC/WBA super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens in Florida on Saturday February 27, live worldwide on DAZN (except Mexico). With the fight over, he saw a doctor about his right eye that'd been giving him problems. The building will have bathrooms and locker rooms for men and women, a sauna, a private space for ice baths and two boxing rings. 234: Once-in-a-Generation Mega Fight: Tank Davis vs King Ry Garcia, Cordina-Rakhimov Might Steal the Show this Saturday, Avila Perspective, Chap. After a 12 months constructing his personal boxing gymnasium in Indio, doing a lot of the work by himself, coach Joel Diaz is near opening it to the neighborhood. Although Mattice vs. Hamazaryan was a supporting bout, it aired live on ShoBox. And because there was nothing left to do, they all exit the ring and return behind the thick black curtain. Daz, along with two of his brothers, Joel and Julio, are former professional boxers who fought for world titles after being raised in Coachella. The bout was televised live on ESPN. That's where Diaz and his brother Antonio (or Too, as he's commonly called) trained. His gravelly voice, built for teaching people how to fight, makes you wonder whether he has found peace at 50 years old, or whether he's too busy to give much thought to what he lost more than a half-life ago. It reminded me of George Foremans obliteration of Joe Frazier back in the 1970s. This was yet another shocker, but others (including Kostya Tszyu, Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya and even Ali) had done so and the criticism this time seemed disproportionate. Boxing is a sideline for Laurence Cole who runs an independent insurance agency in Dallas. "This is all I know how to do.". Mucio has a fight sometime in June or July, so in a few weeks, they'll return to train again in the Coachella Valley. Its slowly made the transition from training strictly local boxers to international mega stars in this past decade. I want to make history.. On Saturday, June 18th, NBC Palm Springs had an exclusive first look at a documentary on the life of local boxing trainer, Joel Diaz. In Joel Diaz gym Indio CA | esnews ESNEWS 749K subscribers. Mucio comes into the locker room to say a prayer and Diaz gives him some last-minute advice. Kenshiro Teraji TKOs Late Sub Anthony Olascuaga; Inoue Wins Too, Avila Perspective, Chap. Suite G. Indio, CA 92201. Diaz surrenders to New Orleans police after brawl, Paul launches series for up-and-coming boxers, Ramirez to defend WBO title vs. Shimizu in July. "Rosado, Rosado," other boxers tell him. More: Olympics more important than major titles for some women golfers, More: Strong and silly, Sarah Robles of Desert Hot Springs, is off to Tokyo, hoping to lift her way to another medal. His voice rises above the rhythmic sounds of speed bags thumping, above the jump rope slapping the floor, above the grunts of those who sound as if they're fighting for their lives. Another boxer training with them, world super bantamweight champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev, will defend his two titles in March. Diaz is back in the dressing room and back to joking with Gracia. Get a head start on the mornings top stories. The air is full of questions and the quiet confusion of trying to figure out what went wrong and what they could have done different. Indio's Diaz Brothers Have Built a Fight Club on the Coachella Desert Also planned is an area for boxing memorabilia from the history of the Coachella Valley and the boxers whove trained and lived here. If hotel rooms are even available, some will double their usual price. Controversy has dogged Laurence Cole for well over a decade. He dabs away the blood and looks at everyone. The place looked so brittle, everyone worried that if an earthquake hit, it all would collapse. The brutal sun will make the gym in that once-bad place, so hot that in between rounds, boxers will drink their water and stand beneath the air conditioning vents that work best. Antonio Diaz plans to continue working with kids and says one day he may bring professionals back tothe club, even after his brother moves to the new facility. In the murals around downtown Coachella, like the one showing endless rows of fields along with the words, "Lucha Sin Fin." Despite having diminished vision, he sees everything, his single functioning eye darting in every direction. Joel Diaz hosts a pre-screening of his documentary at his boxing gym in Indio, CA. It's a stepping stone to potential greatness in the profession. Vergil Ortiz Sr., the father of welterweight prospect Vergil Ortiz Jr., said he urged his son to choose Indio because of the desert location. It's like a light switch flipped. "Every time I went to a show or to a tournament, Lee would take five, six of us. He put them in his truck and they drove the long way home out by the fields. But those that remain like the focus on boxing and the solitude. 7 Questions With Joel Diaz - NY FIGHTS Maybe a thousand other things and it would've been different. INDIO - When Joel Diaz Jr., returns to the ring for the first time in seven years, he said he hopes to have his world-class trainer and father in his corner at the Desert Showdown, which. I know you from the heart. It was Mosleys first defense after taking the title from Oscar De La Hoya and was held in New York City. But at the end of round seven he was a thoroughly beaten fighter.. It's the old gym that's now a restaurant, the place where every day he and his fighters swept away plaster and pieces of concrete that fell from the walls. Joel Diaz Boxing Academy, Monroe St, Indio, CA, Health Clubs & Gyms This was improper. "The doctor says if you want to go to the hospital, they can take you," a member of the team translates for Acosta. Coles agency is purportedly in the top two nationally in writing these policies. They make a fist, then give him a thumbs up. Diaz throws up his frustrated hands. The building, which boasts 10-foot ceilings, is around three timesthe space the Diaz brothers had at the Boys & Girls Club. And, like Manny, he did and he also pursued a career in politics. It was panic time in the Barrios corner, as the blood continued to flow like lava, and he was bleeding from his ear (due to a ruptured ear drum). A lot of the boxers are just like me.". Thirsty for liquid, the burning desert absorbed each drop of blood. His chief second bullied him into coming out for another round. Joel's retina was almost entirely detached. It hangs near the old newspapers next to photos of some of the fighters who have visited the gym. The Diaz brothers initially found homeless men and women squatting in the building and asked them to leave. The uncertainty of changing trainers that far into their careers. How a gym in California's Coachella Valley became an international Adjoining states in the west host a number of boxing cards including a world title contest that features a newcomer who, before knocking out a world champion, was erroneously categorized by a Nevada official as unworthy of a title challenge. Way too many distractions. A lot of people want to help, Diaz said. He won another fight in 2015 and though by now he was visibly paunchy, he still managed to go 10 rounds to beat Gabriel Martinez in 2017 with occasional flashes of his old explosive volleys. Not just them, but everyone here. The boxer, a 2016 Olympic silver medalist from Uzbekistan named Bektemir Melikuziev -- everyone calls him Bek The Bully -- nods. He simply moves, resets and continues yelling. Munguia stopped by Los Angeles to meet with the media last week and spoke about Bennett and his upcoming first world title defense. Freitas went down early from a straight right. When I'm not here, that's gonna be a legacy that is gonna stay behind because it's the story of my life. On the western side, it's greener and bluer because of the golf courses, pools and artificial lakes. It was a high-crime area, known for drugs and prostitution. Diaz most notably trained Timothy Bradley Jr, a five-time world champion, and with Antonio as his trainer partner has helped guide others to titles in more recent years before they wereforced out of the Boys & Girls Club last year when it shut down to prevent further spread of the coronavirus. "Put him in the oven and slowly cook him, and when he's done, take him out.". Joel Diaz Jr. is the son of top trainer Joel Diaz Sr. and although his father doesn't work his corner he still carries the family name when he enters the ring. Ironically both Mosley and Diaz were from the Inland Empire and ended up training in the same Big Bear training camp. Joel Diaz worked for a while with Lee Espinoza at the Coachella Boxing Club before opening up his own gym. Its not getting a large amount of attention in my neighborhood but this unification clash between WBA and IBF cruiserweight titlist Murat Gassiev (26-0, 19 KOs) and WBC and WBO cruiserweight titlist Oleksandr Usyk (14-0, 11 KOs) has historic ramifications tagged all over it. In round eight, another accidental head butt widened and deepened the gash. Hes home. And one could site numerous other incidents where Coles performance came under scrutiny. By law in Texas (and in most other states), a boxing promoter must purchase insurance to cover medical costs in the event that one or more of the fighters on his show is seriously injured. It's where the snowbirds live in million-dollar homes and car dealerships sell Rolls-Royces and Lamborghinis that glisten in the sun. This is going to be a popular place for boxers to come and have training camp and be a part of that.. Only a few of those kids will ever be good enough to box in amateur tournaments, but coming from here, all of them will have to fight. The idea that it was easier to show the separation of Mexican farmworkers, than to explain it, was something that'd been happening for decades. Back at home in Dallas there are too many distractions. "What's going on?" A well-known figure in the Coachella Valley, many have approached Diaz and asked how they can help. It will mean a lot to Joel to finally have a place of his own, though. But not before a full day of training. I would sit at that table and eat, drink, write and sleep, Diaz said. Theyve built relationships with several youth boxers whose dads are either plumbers, painters or work with concrete and have offered their services. Until he finds out Acosta's bleeding. No matter what obstacles get in the way, you have to find a way to get through the hard times and keep fighting to overcome those obstacles., CONGRESSMAN RAUL RUIZ AWARDS JOEL DIAZ WITH CONGRESSIONAL HONOR. Joel Diaz Boxing | Indio CA - Facebook THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON Diaz leaves for San Antonio where he'll join his brother. Directions Advertisement. But here my son can just focus on boxing and only boxing and sharpen his skills.. Indio boxing gymnasium of world-renown coach Joel Diaz nearing This was a roughhousing 39-1-1 Argentinian fighting an equally tough 33-0 Brazilian. Then came the coronavirus, forcing one of boxing's most respected trainers to put a plan into action. Andrew John covers sports for The Desert Sun and the USA TODAY Network. KBX Fitness, 82545 Showcase Parkway Suite 107, Indio, CA (2023) event bout wiki. Find him on Twitter: @Andrew_L_John. Hes still working to complete the entryway and his office inside the gym, off Indio Boulevard, but the rest of the 6,250-square foot space has been transformed from a gutted building to a gym that will soon host current and future world champions. Another donated an ice machine. Joel Diaz regularly shouts booming instructions to fighters across the lengthy gym. Fighters who, for a variety of reasons, reached their level here, among the desert's drab colors, instead of the bright lights of places like Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York. After eight months of work, the building remains a work in progress. Indio District Office. When Mucio fights and Acosta watches, he feels the same. IF YOU'VE HEARD of Coachella Valley -- that place 45 miles long and 15 miles wide, surrounded by the San Jacinto, Santa Rosa and Little San Bernardino Mountains -- chances are it's because of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the yearly music and arts exhibition held every April. "It's a small, surface level cut.". where the gym will be located. This used to be a junkyard. Phone: (760) 424-8888. The community, in turn, has helped Diaz make this project a reality. While the Coachella Valley is a perfect winter escape for those with money, it's also home to some of the country's most fertile lands. See a problem? The type of place that looks as if the things happening there are kept secret. What changed? He'd bought his parents used cars and earned enough for a down payment on a modest house where all nine of them -- five brothers, two sisters, his mother and father -- could live. It's been almost 40 minutes since the sun set on Coachella Valley, and now it's Acosta's turn to fight. Fantasy Springs Casino has a continuous schedule of boxing cards. In his last fight, things were going well. Like Manny Pacquiao, Freitas had a difficult childhood but was determined to make a better life for himself and his family. The curtains part and the crowd chants Acosta's name. As a couple, one of Mucino and Acosta's goals was to be world champions at the same time. Diaz comes from the Palmdale, California area and will be the hometown favorite over the Filipino Mercito Gesta who is based out of San Diego, California. Recently Diego De La Hoya has emerged as a budding young star who is just about ready to enter the big time. And though the festival is on the east side, about four miles from Joel's gym, most of the tourists will stay on the west side of Coachella Valley. She looks calm even if her stomach is full of nerves. After10 years, its now paid off, Diaz said. It's Friday and that means it's sparring day for his pros. Welcome to the world of Mexicos Jaime Munguia (29-0, 25 KOs) the WBO super welterweight world titlist who meets Englands Liam Smith (26-1-1, 14 KOs) at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, July 21. The day after Diaz is gone, Mucio and Acosta will leave too.
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