Raise your punches a little higher.. Everything that was originally in the building was taken out to the trash except for a table and chair that he kept as a reminder. 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. In the second fight on the card, another one of his fighters, Grant Flores Jr., is warming up for his second career fight by stretching and jumping around. Joel and Antonio began telling people about the project and many began offering to help for free. There will, of course, be speed and heavy punching bags, treadmills, weight machines and free weights along withan area with a padded floor designated for wrestling, martial arts and other activities. Divisional rankings: Where do Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia land after their megafight? Diaz said that he's rarely seen a boxer who works as hard as Flores, who is as dedicated to the gym and to the sport. Controversy has dogged Laurence Cole for well over a decade. Waiting for his time just like a scorpion in the desert heat. It was a high-crime area, known for drugs and prostitution. 81719 Doctor Carreon Blvd. Heavy bags, speed bags, weights, chin-up bars and two boxing rings are all used simultaneously by the different boxers. It's Friday and that means it's sparring day for his pros. To make the hurt worse, he was one round short of qualifying for California's boxer pension. Kenshiro Teraji TKOs Late Sub Anthony Olascuaga; Inoue Wins Too, Avila Perspective, Chap. Mexican migration increased. Diaz is back in the dressing room and back to joking with Gracia. "Work! Of those fading photographs on the gym wall, a lot of them are of the fighters he trained. But I was like, Wait, I have a building. 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. Contreras and Sinnett, residents of Omaha, were singled out for their scorecards in the match between lightweights Thomas Mattice and Zhora Hamazaryan, an eight round contest staged at the WinnaVegas Casino in Sloan, Iowa on July 20. Back then, to raise funds for travel, Lee sold raffle tickets where the prizes were pigs and cows and TVs. "Even when he's dead, he's still fighting.". 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. The best known is Dmitry Bivol. Migrant workers come each year to the desert region to pick crops: primarily dates, grapes, peppers, and citrus fruits in the area. A painter offered to paint the inside for free and others offered to handle the plumbing at no charge. Indio Joel Diaz Boxing Academy. Even if they share just a few words of a common language, they understand each other. Live. The documentary is co-produced by Joel Diaz, his son, Joel Diaz Jr., along with former UFC fighter & Coachella Valley native, Cub Swanson and his brother, Steve Swanson. 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. Bethany Mollenkof for ESPN. Coles agency is purportedly in the top two nationally in writing these policies. The curtains part and the crowd chants Acosta's name. Diaz, 48, said he plansto open the gym up to the community for a grand opening in September. he screams inside the 6,995-square-foot gym. It's a stepping stone to potential greatness in the profession. Another loss to Rosado, and the only thing to learn from it might be that his potential isn't as high as they all thought. "I'm going to call the doctor," says Larry Ervin, an inspector with the California State Athletic Commission. Hes enjoying everything right now, and he wants everyone who trains and visits there to have that same feeling.. Mercito Gesta vs Joel Diaz Jr at Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio Filipino boxer Mercito 'No Mercy' Gesta will take on twice beaten Joel Diaz Jr in a 10 round Lightweight bout. "They'll spend weeks and months here and a lot of money, which is good for our economy and our communities. He's showing fighters how to pivot their feet to maximize their leverage. His chief second bullied him into coming out for another round. He simply moves, resets and continues yelling. Later, Freitas tarnished his image with a No Mas against Diego Corrales, but he had gone down three times and knew there was no way out. "Vamos Tito!" Its a small venue near East L.A. and the fight was attended by numerous boxing celebrities such as James Lights Out Toney, Mauricio El Maestro Herrera and Gennady GGG Golovkin. 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. It's where the snowbirds live in million-dollar homes and car dealerships sell Rolls-Royces and Lamborghinis that glisten in the sun. But by the time he got to high school, he'd won 55 of his next 57 fights along with two national titles and knew exactly what he was born to do. Whenever there was a big fight in the Lone Star State, his son was the favorite to draw the coveted refereeing assignment. That his young boxer was able to have the kind of homecoming fight that he. They were looking for new talent and Diaz brought forth some of his boxers, including Bradley. For this indiscretion, Cole was prohibited from working a significant fight in Texas for the next six months. His job was irrigation. At the screening, coach Diaz was enjoying the moment with his friends and family. I've been here so long, and I sent these guys to pick you up.". So this former champ moved it out to the desert, More: Riverside County reports 3,901 additional coronavirus cases, 53 new deaths Wednesday. That, along with intelligence, is how he trains everyone here to fight. More have arrived recently including the first female prizefighter to step in the gym full time in middleweight contender Maricela Cornejo. Explore . Every second is used by the prizefighters. Joel's retina was almost entirely detached. 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. "Mr. Diaz," the doctor said, "you can't fight anymore." A furniture store occupied the space for a time, but it went out of business and the area has in recent years become known for drugs, prostitution and homelessness. Gracia just raises his eyebrows and gives the slight shrug of "I don't know.". The reach for glory finally within their grasp. "I accidentally cut Tito," Gracia tells him as Diaz hands over the small dark bottle with a yellow label. Hes comfortable. The crowd was divided between Brazilian fans and those from Argentina. At the screening, coach Diaz was enjoying the moment with his friends and family. The building, which boasts 10-foot ceilings, is around three timesthe space the Diaz brothers had at the Boys & Girls Club. In boxing and in life, it is always better to give than to receive. Velasco fought courageously and as well as he could, noted Hauser. 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. He and Gracia have known each other for nearly 40 years. 11/10/2019 The bout was televised live on ESPN. You gave somebody too much authority of your life,'" Diaz said. And right now, Diaz is sitting behind the ring's red corner, giving instructions to Leonardo Sanchez, a young southpaw, also from the Coachella Valley, who everyone calls Bazooka. 1996-10-19: Phillip Holiday: 28 0 0: Wembley Indoor Arena, Johannesburg L-UD. 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. Theyve built relationships with several youth boxers whose dads are either plumbers, painters or work with concrete and have offered their services. Too knew about the problem because he'd been Joel's sparring partner and saw how his brother couldn't see the left hook. Diaz teamed up with Yildirim (21-2 12 KOs) late in October 2019 but due to . "WE STARTED WITH THIS," says trainer Librado "Lee" Espinoza, pointing at a yellowed newspaper article taped to the wall of his gym. This used to be a junkyard. 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. Hes so happy.. In the murals around downtown Coachella, like the one showing endless rows of fields along with the words, "Lucha Sin Fin." The last time Pacquiao knocked out a welterweight was in 2009 against Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas. Last May, Bivol beat Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, a boxer many considered the best in the world. These later wins, though against lower level opposition, somewhat softened the memories of the Corrales and Diaz fights, both of which this writer attended at the Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, Connecticut. At the screening, were friends and family of Joel Diaz, along with important members of the community, like Congressman Raul Ruiz. And in the cruel world of boxing, as he sits there and his team stands near, they can hear the voice of the man who just beat them. 2,187 likes. Back at home in Dallas there are too many distractions. But also, you can see up close what devotion looks like and learn how to overcome obstacles that would break less hearty souls. The doctor looks at Acosta's hand as he hears the story. 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. I can imagine what its going to look like when were done.. "When I got here, I started sparring with men," she says. As the fists and shoulders of fighters brush by him, it looks as if their violence might spill over. Coles performance, said Matt McGrain, was astonishingly bad, an opinion echoed by many other boxing writers. One to keep track of rounds. They've been married for two years, splitting their time between Mexico, where she's from, and Puerto Rico, where he's from. He put away every trophy, plaque and medal he earned. Maybe that would help show how much they sacrificed. In round eight, another accidental head butt widened and deepened the gash. DAZN will show Joel Diaz Jr. vs Mercito Gesta tonight exclusively around the world.. So, this is my land, my property. He might see everything, but he can't be everywhere. the doctor asks when he arrives a few minutes later. Suite G. Indio, CA 92201. 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). 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. "It hurts me," she says of watching her husband fight. 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. They'll run their daily miles and their feet will feel as if they're on fire. This is our home now, said Antonio Diaz. where the gym will be located. 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. Until then the Diaz boys had been raised by their grandparents. That side is where most of the Coachella Valley's tourist industry is centered. It reminded me of George Foremans obliteration of Joe Frazier back in the 1970s. It's the stomach pain from hunger while trying to make weight. Thank you head trainer Joel Diaz of the Indio, Ca.. 29 views, 2 likes, 0 loves, 1 comments, 1 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Chiropractor Indio, Ca. "This is a bad area." IBA upset by 'rogue' boxing group as U.S. quits, Sources: Anderson-Kossobutskiy to meet July 1. People like 2020 Olympic gold medal winner Bakhodir Jalolov and former welterweight champion (and soon to be Hall of Famer) Timothy Bradley Jr., to name a few. Until then, hes going to enjoy living his dream in the space that he created. Check out more boxing news on video at The Boxing Channel. 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. They also want to provide school supplies for less-fortunate families at the start of the school year and turkeys at Thanksgiving. In about a week from Acosta's fight, the Coachella music festival will start. Arely is Acosta's wife. 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. "The gallo is the bravest animal in the world," Diaz answers when I ask him why the gamecock is in the middle of his gym's logo. He found his purpose in a strange world where he didn't even speak the language. He's talking about where his gym is, on the eastern side of the Coachella Valley. They're kids with parents who are agricultural, construction or service workers. Acosta laughs along. When Joel built his gym, Flores' father, a carpenter, did the framing. After a year building his own boxing gym in Indio, doing much of the work by himself, trainer Joel Diaz is close toopening it to the community. How a gym in California's Coachella Valley became an international destination for boxing. The film not only showcases coach Diazs accomplishments as a professional boxer and trainer but also his fight to build a life for himself and his family. Joel Diaz worked for a while with Lee Espinoza at the Coachella Boxing Club before opening up his own gym. Since they understood the discipline and sacrifices required to make a living from fighting, they became fast friends. One of those guys is Bek The Bully, who'll rematch against Gabe Rosado on April 22. How Indio Boxing Trainer Joel Diaz Helped Dmitry Bivol Secure Victory over Canelo Alvarez. The sudden result stunned the audience. His neighbor owns Indian Wells Glass and Mirror and provided mirrors for the gym. Diaz, 48, said he plans to open the gym up to the community for a grand opening in September. Hes just waiting for his time.. "It's fine," he says. He was fan-friendly and idolized in Brazil. "This is all I know how to do.". But here my son can just focus on boxing and only boxing and sharpen his skills.. Mucio walks beside him. One entire section was filled by Russian supporters and Gassiev did not disappoint in winning by stoppage that night. Even more ironic was that two Inland Empire fighters were forced to fight 2,000 miles away instead of in California. Diaz throws up his frustrated hands. Decades ago, when this part of Coachella, the city -- right next to Indio -- looked abandoned, the building housed a crumbling boxing gym. They all stand behind the heavy black curtain separating the dressing rooms from the ring. "If Arely knew about this, she'd drop you with a punch to the liver," Diaz tells Gracia. 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. 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 . But he likes it. I want to be a great champion, said Munguia. We dont treat her any differently than we do the men, said Joel Diaz. No loss is good, but Diaz says he's learned from it. 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. If he weren't watching men fight, he'd look like an appraiser examining a piece of art. He doesn't go. It happens. Across the street from that mural, there's an old fire station on the corner of 6th Street and Vine Avenue. There's a lump on the back of the right side of his head. The sense of urgency every boxer lives with was replaced by uncertainty. Because of the two dozen elite fighters working in the Indio gym, it always seems to be prepping for an upcoming fight card. Wherever it is, they'll rest and enjoy the things they've denied themselves for months. On the western side, it's greener and bluer because of the golf courses, pools and artificial lakes. As a World Class Trainer, I know by now what it takes to not only be a World Champion, but to be one of the Greats in the sport of Boxing. Golden Boy chairman and CEO Oscar De La Hoya announced the fight, saying: "It has been Golden Boy's home in the Coachella Valley, and we are excited to bring a DAZN fight night that they will enjoy for the first . ON A THURSDAY night in early April, when the valley's mornings and evenings are still cool, there's a growing tension in the last place where Diaz fought as a professional. To know that a kid from Coachella was coaching, Timothy Bradley and so many others to win world championship belts, it just brought a lot of pride, you know? These are the fights away from the bright side of boxing; the big events with big money that attracts people from all over the country. She looks calm even if her stomach is full of nerves. Looking for something to do in a desert where it's easy to get lost. Until he finds out Acosta's bleeding. "Things happened for a reason," he says. The building will have bathrooms and locker rooms for men and women, a sauna, a private space for ice baths and two boxing rings. Freitas went down early from a straight right. I appreciate what people are doing. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com. (Marquez elected to continue and stopped Jaca in the next round.). That gave Diaz a dateto get an abandoned building he owned, whichhad been damaged by a fire, ready to open to his boxing clientele. Everything happens for a reason.. Im going to keep that table here forever.. Joe Joyce vs Zhilei Zhang Full Fight Replay April 15, 2023 ; "Tijuana, linda frontera, cmo te podr olvidar," (or in English, "Tijuana, beautiful border how can I forget you?") Inside there's a plaque from when Garcia was mayor, listed beneath "Lee Espinoza Coachella Valley Boxing Club." he yells at a Mexican boxer, imploring him to attack. Palm Springs Desert Sun Subscription Discount | Subscriber Services, Olympics more important than major titles for some women golfers, Strong and silly, Sarah Robles of Desert Hot Springs, is off to Tokyo, hoping to lift her way to another medal, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Boxing pound-for-pound rankings: Did Gervonta Davis make the top 10? Who has the edge? Work! He's on the main ring, next to the banner with his logo on it, a gamecock wearing boxing gloves, circled by the gym's name: Joel Diaz Training Camp. When the anger got too much, he'd drive to the mountains, as if trying to find answers. More recently, Cole worked the 2014 fight between Vasyl Lomachenko and Orlando Salido at the San Antonio Alamodome. Analyst Steve Farhood, who was been with ShoBox since the inception of the series in 2001, called it one of the worst decisions he had ever seen. "You should tell someone," Too told Joel. People want to know who I am, people wanna know how I got to where Im at, Its gonna be right there.. Other talents have learned from Joel's assertive style of fighting. Yet, against Barrios, he had proven without a doubt that he possessed the heart of a warrior. He nods as he smiles and makes a fist too. Theres still a lot of work to be done, Diaz said, but its amazing the work that weve already put into this. As soon as the doctor says all's well, everyone's able to joke. 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. 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. Bradley won world titles as a super lightweight and welterweight and ultimately became one of the best pound-for-pound prizefighters in the world. 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. Ironically both Mosley and Diaz were from the Inland Empire and ended up training in the same Big Bear training camp. He went on to claim the WBO world lightweight title with a split decision over Zahir Raheem, but that fight was a snoozefest and he lost the title in his first defense against Juan Baby Bull Diaz. The place looked so brittle, everyone worried that if an earthquake hit, it all would collapse. It's his father's birthday; the victory is part of his gifts. We knew that he came like from nothing, no connections, no money, and then after that he had troubles and it wasnt like easy at all for him, says Jorge Newman. In 1987, when the U.S. Supreme Court decided that neither the state of California nor Riverside County could dictate authority over the various American Indian tribes, it changed the landscape for good and brought professional boxing to the forefront. Order Online. Many of the fighters showcased at Fantasy Springs Casino and other surrounding casinos come from Joel and Antonio Diazs group and include prizefighters from all over the country and internationally. Trainer extraordinaire Joel Diaz looks on as two boxers engage at his world-renowned gym in Indio, California. "Ponle una putiza!" Im going to put in the work. And I did.. "Let me go grab my gun," he says, "I'll shoot that thing off.". . This was improper. event bout wiki. Russian boxer. Thirsty for liquid, the burning desert absorbed each drop of blood. At its best, it's a low frequency hum. Other fighters like Argentinas Matthysse have arrived too and will be living and training in the remote desert gym. 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. And yet, the professionals, who aren't from here, will return because, despite the heat, they come to train with Diaz. In a couple of months, the heat will be so unbearable those who can buy their way out will. The Diaz brothers initially found homeless men and women squatting in the building and asked them to leave. JoJo Diaz, an Olympian from the Los Angeles suburb of South El Monte, beat Tevin Farmer last February to secure the International Boxing Federation's super featherweight title in Miami. Diaz believes his training camp will be as well. 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. Directions Advertisement. To sacrifice, doing backbreaking work, while being apart from the ones they loved. Joel is on Twitter @JoelDiazBoxing and Instagram @coachjoeldiaz. He'sexcited about it, and I'm happy for him.". Indio Councilman Glenn Miller volunteered his help. The other to keep track of his day. The first time I ever saw Russias 24-year-old Gassiev was three years ago when he made his American debut at the Quiet Cannon in Montebello. As Marquez was being examined by the ring doctor, Cole informed Marquez that he was ahead on the scorecards, volunteering this information while holding his hand over his HBO wireless mike. It hangs near the old newspapers next to photos of some of the fighters who have visited the gym. We had been there 18 years, JoelDiaz said. Back to the chaos of the boxing gym where the hungry people fight. To comment on this article at The Fight Forum, CLICK HERE. When WBA/WBO super featherweight champion Acelino Popo Freitas met Jorge Rodrigo Il Hiena Barrios in Miami on August 8, 2003, there was more on the line than just the titles. Located about 24 miles southwest of Indio, Palm Springs is still home to many celebrities. He'd scream and yell. Joel Diaz worked for a while with Lee Espinoza at the Coachella Boxing Club before opening up his own gym. Joel has given them his phone number and theyve called him whenever they notice any suspicious activity at the building. Another offered to pay for all the new matting going on top of the concrete floors. Diaz, the eldest brother in a boxing family that produced two world champions in brothers Antonio and Julio, worked out of the Indio Boys & Girls Club for close to 18 years. While hes had some help, Diaz has done the majority of the work himself. "Honestly, it makes me happy because at one point, you know, life is short. We dont have any women for her to spar so she spars with the men.. Bradley was groomed by the Diaz brothers into a professional style that was pleasing to boxing fans in the Southern California area. Boxing is a sideline for Laurence Cole who runs an independent insurance agency in Dallas. 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. "But he kept hitting me behind the head.". The brothers plan to bring over a mass of memorabilia at the Boys & Girls Club to the new gym and use the facility as an opportunity to revitalize the area. Find him on Twitter: @Andrew_L_John. As was his career overall, maybe not well enough where he could quit his construction job, but things were getting better. Hence the watch list, which is designed to call attention to egregious errors in scoring by judges and unacceptable conduct by referees.. As he explains it now, a few months after that experience, Joel walked into the boxing gym in downtown Coachella. Reminders of that past are everywhere on the valley's east side, in schools and parks named after Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. He asks if he must go. a voice among the many in the dressing room yells. Antonio Diaz works with Vergil Ortiz Jr. inside one of the boxing rings on movement and punching accuracy. For the curiosity of the media and the fans, someone should come forward with proof of testing. "I'd wake up the next day, go home and try finding something to do," he says. Too says at that point, in his early teens, he just wasn't dedicated enough.