LAS VEGAS ? On a personal level, Saturday night?s fight will have significant meaning for trainer Joel Diaz, especially if his fighter Timothy Bradley Jr. is able to beat Juan Manuel Marquez.
As a Mexican-American boxer and then trainer, Diaz grew up admiring Hall of Fame trainer Nacho Beristain, and Saturday night will be his first chance to match wits against his idol.
?Following his career, following his fighters, I was just like any other fan. I wanted to get close to the man and shake his hand, and one day looking forward to being in this position,? Diaz said.
During the promotion, Diaz has referred to Beristain as a wizard and the bible of boxing.
The 74-year-old Beristain has trained some of Mexico?s greatest fighters including Hall of Famers Ricardo Lopez, Daniel Zaragoza and Humberto Gonzalez.
?Coming up as a trainer and following his career with all those great talented fighters, it?s an honor and privilege to share the ring with him,? Diaz said. ?It?s an honor to create a strategy against someone that I have followed. I have a fighter that is hungry to gain that throne. It?s my job to prepare my fighter to beat him. To go in the ring with my fighter and to come out with a win I can go home and say I idolized him and now one of my fighters beat him.?
Diaz?s admiration arises from the fact that Beristain has taken kids off the streets of Mexico City and turned them into champions. For Diaz, that?s what separates Beristain from other Hall of Fame trainers.
Of the many world champions Beristain has trained, the 40-year-old Marquez could be the best. It was suggested that Marquez and Beristain could retire together. Marquez doubts that would happen.
?He?s been around a long, long time. I?ll be long gone, and he?ll still be in that gym. He loves that gym and he lives in that gym,? Marquez said. ?I think I?m just the cherry on the top. He?s had some great fighters. Everyone knows what he?s done with great fighters. Right now it?s my turn. I?m running with him right now, and I think he has the respect of everyone in the boxing world.?
