Joseph Diaz arrived at Thursday’s press conference 30 minutes early, and if pre-fight press conferences are an indication of how his camp went, then things are promising. 

Diaz, who meets Oscar Durarte on Saturday (April 27) at the SaveMart Center in Fresno also has a new coach, Christian Guevara.

Diaz (33-5-1, 15 KOs) faces Duarte (26-2-1, 21 KOs) with a new team behind him roughly two months after his last loss but Diaz admitted boxing is becoming fun for him again.

The 2012 U.S. Olympian, who also held the IBF junior lightweight title, is in an important fight on Saturday. 

“We get along in a lot of perspectives, like how we see life, which helps out a lot,” said Guevara of the new partnership. “It almost feels like a brotherhood. We can just talk to each other without having to question some things.”

Guevara will be the main voice in Diaz’s corner and will be opposing a legend in Robert Garcia. Though it is the fighters who fight the fights, the trainers help motivate and strategise through scenarios and Diaz sang the praises of Guevara.

“He is a very good person,” Diaz told BoxingScene. “We covered all the bases in there – going back to how I used to fight – going back to loving boxing and enjoying it.”

Diaz, after his disappointing loss to (Jesus Antonio) Perez, initially stated that he didn’t want to return quickly, but he is back in the ring three months later. The quick comeback is a positive sign for Guevara. 

“What [the quick return] shows from that is, he is hungry and motivated,” said Guevara. “I think it is a positive thing from the perspective that he is in shape, he is coming right back to work. I see it as a positive.”

Diaz has hit a rough period in his career but is now with a coach who has worked with Luis Nery and Luis Alberto Lopez (as a chief second) and is looking to revive his career.