Not just them, but everyone here. I appreciate what people are doing. 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. Inside there's a plaque from when Garcia was mayor, listed beneath "Lee Espinoza Coachella Valley Boxing Club." COVID-19: Antonio Diaz's Indio boxing club moves outdoors to California THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON Diaz leaves for San Antonio where he'll join his brother. We begin with Joel's enforced retirement and the ups and downs that followed, before looking at his experiences as a trainer, taking us up to his current bunch of fighters. This is what Diaz does throughout the day. 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. Way too many distractions. In a couple of months, the heat will be so unbearable those who can buy their way out will. The Brazilian boxing hero retired in 2007, but came back in 2012 and schooled and KOd the cocky Michael The Brazilian Rocky Oliveira. "No, you don't have to go," the man tells him, "Only if you want to." With the fight over, he saw a doctor about his right eye that'd been giving him problems. And because of that, this place also has a long history of farmworkers fighting for their rights. 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 . The gym is clattering with noise from the various boxers working in the different stations. In the murals around downtown Coachella, like the one showing endless rows of fields along with the words, "Lucha Sin Fin." event bout wiki. Hes almost there, said Joel Diaz. He put them in his truck and they drove the long way home out by the fields. Divisional rankings: Where do Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia land after their megafight? 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. Coles performance, said Matt McGrain, was astonishingly bad, an opinion echoed by many other boxing writers. Joel and Antonio began telling people about the project and many began offering to help for free. 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. Mercito Gesta vs Joel Diaz Jr Full Fight Replay | Boxing Video He'd scream and yell. We always have a lot of things going on, said Joel Diaz. Step it up Vergil, he shouts to one of the fighters Vergil Ortiz Jr., a welterweight from Dallas, Texas. At its best, it's a low frequency hum. How to Watch Joel Diaz Jr. vs. Mercito Gesta Fight Live - Now Boxing Joel Diaz fought for the IBF world title against South Africas Phillip Holiday in 1996 and lost by decision. Diaz says, then immediately corrects himself. A painter offered to paint the inside for free and others offered to handle the plumbing at no charge. And it sometimes translates to the actual, literal fight that is presented to us when we grow up in places like Coachella.". he screams inside the 6,995-square-foot gym. The type of place that looks as if the things happening there are kept secret. Now seven casinos have opened their doors in the desert region and most of them have held boxing cards at one time or another. Hes comfortable. As a couple, one of Mucino and Acosta's goals was to be world champions at the same time. Raise your punches a little higher.. 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. Hed sit, often by himself, in the early stages of the project drawing designs from his ideas for the space. That's where Diaz and his brother Antonio (or Too, as he's commonly called) trained. The demand for labor followed. Click below for an exclusive look at the first trailer for Joel Diaz: A Hard Knock-Life by Newman Studios. Speaking of casinos, it was the arrival of casinos that opened the door for professional boxing cards in the Coachella desert area. Even if they share just a few words of a common language, they understand each other. A well-known figure in the Coachella Valley, many have approached Diaz and asked how they can help. 234: Once-in-a-Generation Mega Fight: Tank Davis vs King Ry Garcia, Cordina-Rakhimov Might Steal the Show this Saturday, Avila Perspective, Chap. Over the past few years the benefits of desert training are evident in the overwhelming success of those sweating and grinding in the sweltering desert gym in Indio. It's one of the desert's last major tourist events before the population plummets in the summer. "Mr. Diaz," the doctor said, "you can't fight anymore." Located about 128 miles east of Los Angeles and 95 miles north of the Mexican border, the Indio Boys and Girls club gym is roughly in the middle of nowhere unless you like golf. "Work! Until last year, Joel Diaz hadnt given much thought to building his own boxing gym. 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. One of the more crowded gyms, Indio Boys and Girls Club, has blossomed into a powerhouse. Waiting for his time just like a scorpion in the desert heat. Not far from an abandoned gas station with a fading sign for cold beer and cheap motels with pools that've been filled in with sand and covered. 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. Im about helping the community, Diaz said. They'll run their daily miles and their feet will feel as if they're on fire. What changed? When he got up, he had no idea where he was but his corner worked furiously to get him ready for the final round. Riverside Tamale Fest to Feature Food Competition, Music, Dancing, Felon Convicted of Killing Girlfriend, Fleeing to Vegas with Young Son, Blaze Damages Abandoned Restaurant near Jurupa Valley Animal Shelter, Man Caught with Cache of Super Toxic Illegal Drugs Sentenced, Blaze in Santa Ana River Bottom Quickly Stopped, Felon Suspected in Altercation Outside Motel in Rancho Mirage to Stand Trial, Two Injured When Car Crashes into MoVal Residence, UPDATED: Charges Filed Against Man Suspected in Sexually Motivated Messages with Teen. To save money, so they could buy a house back home on the other side of the border. Mucio comes into the locker room to say a prayer and Diaz gives him some last-minute advice. Diaz teamed up with Yildirim (21-2 12 KOs) late in October 2019 but due to . When Acelino Freitas turned professional in 1995, he streaked from the gate with 29 straight KOs, one of the longest knockout win streaks in boxing history. The small cut on his right palm has long ago stopped bleeding, but that's the last thing on anyone's mind. Diaz, the eldest brother in a boxing family that produced two world champions in brothers. Cole was the third man in the ring for the Nov. 25, 2006 bout in Hildalgo, Texas, between Juan Manuel Marquez and Jimrex Jaca. Too fought too, even though he wanted to go to college, but that wasn't financially possible. 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. Diaz is back in the dressing room and back to joking with Gracia. 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. Now we have water, we have power. Ironically both Mosley and Diaz were from the Inland Empire and ended up training in the same Big Bear training camp. Boxing trainer Joel Daz bought and transformed the space during the COVID-19 pandemic. "A lot of the people are just like me. 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. More than a partner, she's Arely Mucio, the IBF flyweight world champion. Phone: (760) 424-8888. He says this side of Coachella is where fighters come from, and he swells with pride whenever he sees them on television. Hes enjoying everything right now, and he wants everyone who trains and visits there to have that same feeling.. 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. 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. Mexican migration increased. Theyve built relationships with several youth boxers whose dads are either plumbers, painters or work with concrete and have offered their services. He was just 23 years old when boxing took it from him. How a gym in California's Coachella Valley became an international destination for boxing. Recently Diego De La Hoya has emerged as a budding young star who is just about ready to enter the big time. What happens when a boxer kills his opponent? "Joel, do you have adrenaline?" This is our home now, said Antonio Diaz. He was big and tall and had a beard. Women's boxing divisional rankings: Ryan shakes up welterweight division after impressive win, Arrest warrant issued for Nate Diaz after brawl, Sources: Smith-Eubank rematch set for June 17, Gervonta Davis says he's the face of boxing and he's right, Inside fight week for a boxer and his trainer: A miner's vest, a bean dip can and plenty of fruit salad, Bivol no longer an afterthought after beating Canelo -- and lots more superfights are ahead, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. Until he finds out Acosta's bleeding. Watch Mercito Gesta vs Joel Diaz Jr. Live Stream Fight on - Now Boxing Joel worked in construction for years before he became a trainer, and they have a contractor who has helped. "It's fine," he says. Joel was close to delivering on the promise he made to his mother, who didn't want him fighting. Acosta laughs along. More recently, Cole worked the 2014 fight between Vasyl Lomachenko and Orlando Salido at the San Antonio Alamodome. Joel Diaz helping put Indio front - Indio Senior Center | Facebook 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. There were so many fighters, in 1996, the city built Espinoza a 9,000 square foot gym and named it after him. Explore . 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. She looks calm even if her stomach is full of nerves. 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. Joel Diaz Boxing | Indio CA - Facebook he yells at a Mexican boxer, imploring him to attack. Dedication was never a problem for Joel. Across the street from that mural, there's an old fire station on the corner of 6th Street and Vine Avenue. Bethany Mollenkof for ESPN. Hes put in so much work on that place, said Diazs adult son, Joel Diaz Jr. Now, when hes in that building, you can tell that hes at home. Maybe by showing them those fields, that'd help explain why he and their mother left and were apart for so long. In English it means "fight with no end.". 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. It became a case of brawler vs. boxer/puncher and when the brawler caught the more athletic Popowho could slip and duck skillfullyand decked him with a straight left in the eighth, the title suddenly was up for grabs. I know you from the heart. He sits on the couch, his face is disfigured and bruised. And because there was nothing left to do, they all exit the ring and return behind the thick black curtain. The thermostat says the gym is 75 degrees, but it feels hotter. "They come from nothing," Diaz says. Another donated an ice machine. Theres so many memories at the Boys & Girls Club, and I hope were all still a part of their annual things because I think what they do is great, Swanson said. See a problem? As the water supply diminishes, some of those golf courses consume up to a million gallons a day. Health Clubs & Gyms. When Tim Desert Storm Bradley arrived as a pro in 2004 he had been passed over by various promotion companies who felt he was too small to fight at the super welterweight class he had participated in as an amateur. So, it is something that we really admire, not just as a professional but as a human being and that is why doing the documentary was something like just an achievement because we already wanted to know more about his life.. But it's just not the reality of the working families.". He couldn't risk losing the money or the opportunity, so he waited until after the fight. He built his camp from the ground up, starting with a twice-burned-down building he bought ten years ago for $230,000 dollars. "Let me go grab my gun," he says, "I'll shoot that thing off.". We dont have any women for her to spar so she spars with the men.. Ive never won any kind of award before in my life, said Munguia at the Westside Boxing Club in the western portion of Los Angeles. Hes poured his blood sweat and tears, he says, into the project knowing that he was on a deadline. When Joel built his gym, Flores' father, a carpenter, did the framing. Questions ahead of Paul vs. Diaz: Can Diaz box? He trains about 20 professional boxers, and with three of them fighting the next day, tomorrow will be busy. "This is a bad area." 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. Russian boxer. 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. In his rationale for calling out Cole, BWAA prexy Joseph Santoliquito leaned heavily on Thomas Hausers critique of Coles performance in The Sweet Science. The list goes on. Joel Diaz Boxing, Indio, California. You are overpowered. HBO will televise. But I was like, Wait, I have a building. 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. Wherever it is, they'll rest and enjoy the things they've denied themselves for months. It's his father's birthday; the victory is part of his gifts. 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. How a trainer in California's Coachella Valley built one of the most important boxing gyms in the world - ESPN Skip to main content Skip to navigation Search You have come to the Philippines Edition, for other ESPN editions, click here. Hence the watch list, which is designed to call attention to egregious errors in scoring by judges and unacceptable conduct by referees.. 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. Whatever sense of peace they find, it comes from knowing they've done all they can to prepare. Arely is Acosta's wife. As one of the more well-respected and well-known members of the Coachella Valley, because of his success in boxing and his friendly yet direct nature, many in the neighborhood already knew of Joel and also have offered to help. "Nobody pushed me, I pushed myself," he says, remembering how he'd wake up to run hours before school. He became a professional boxer. Indio Joel Diaz Boxing Academy. Until then the Diaz boys had been raised by their grandparents. Reminders of that past are everywhere on the valley's east side, in schools and parks named after Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. Acosta walks down the hall, surrounded by about a dozen people. "Honestly, it makes me happy because at one point, you know, life is short. "Put him in the oven and slowly cook him, and when he's done, take him out.". At its worst, a yell of desperation. Honestly, it makes me happy because at one point, you know, life is short. Joel Diaz will be in the opposite corner as his friend Randy Caballero He's 32 years old and wants to be a world champion again. They would be his only defeats in 43 pro bouts. On Saturday, June 18th, NBC Palm Springs had an exclusive first look at a documentary on the life of local boxing trainer, Joel Diaz. Indio District Office. "I'm your dad. KBX Fitness, 82545 Showcase Parkway Suite 107, Indio, CA (2023) "I'd wake up the next day, go home and try finding something to do," he says. To comment on this article at The Fight Forum, CLICK HERE. Joel Diaz sounds like a drill sergeant and constantly harangues the various boxers to continue the intensity of their drills. While wrapping his hands, Oscar Gracia, who helps train fighters at Diaz's gym, accidentally cut Angel "Tito" Acosta, their boxer on the main event. Two months ago Munguia put on a frightening display of raw power in knocking down then WBO super welterweight titlist Sadam Ali numerous times in front of New York fans. 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. Vergil Ortiz Sr., the father of welterweight prospect Vergil Ortiz Jr., said he urged his son to choose Indio because of the desert location. What time is the Joel Diaz Jr vs. Mercito Gesta fight tonight In about a week from Acosta's fight, the Coachella music festival will start. When the anger got too much, he'd drive to the mountains, as if trying to find answers. In his last fight, things were going well.