By Cliff Rold

It is not uncommon for a fighter to turn professional in their teens, approaching twenty years as a professional by their early 30s. It is less common among US-based fighters in this era.

Houston’s Juan Diaz (41-4, 20 KO) always seemed happy to play the uncommon role. A professional at 16, Diaz was an early fixture on television. Eventually, he would unify three major titles at lightweight before losing three of five fights from 2008-10.

Following a rematch defeat to Juan Manuel Marquez, who bested him in the consensus choice for Fight of the Year in their first encounter, Diaz walked away.

He was just 26 years old.

Speaking with Diaz, the former lightweight titlist was asked why he chose to walk away from the ring. “I was burnt out. I was tired of the training, the hard fighting. I needed to just relax, get away, and enjoy my time off.”

Almost three years passed before he did what most fighters do no matter the age when they hang them up. He took his gloves off the wall and got back in the ring. Saturday night (UniMas, 11 PM EST), he continues the second leg of his comeback with his second start of the year against Cesar Vasquez (27-3, 16 KO).

Since returning the to the ring, Diaz is 6-0 with three stoppages but it hasn’t been without hiccups. A rotator cuff injury put him on the shelf or all of 2015. Nine months of rehab followed surgery and that leaves less time to spare as he chases a single goal.

Diaz wants to be a champion one more time.

“I felt young enough that I could become a five-time world champion,” he said, counting the WBA, WBO, and IBF titles he once unified and an IBO belt he won after that. “After two and half years of layoff, that fire that made me a world champion, that same fire came back and lit up inside of me and made want to fight again.”

Diaz wasn’t idle during the years away. The young fighter who once talked about maybe going to law school became an entrepreneur, opening several businesses. Being a businessman wasn’t the same as being in the hurt business.

It did have its perks.

“The most exciting thing that I was doing when I was a businessman was going to lunch with my customers and ordering a delicious dessert. Having a few laughs, how much business they were gonna’ throw my way, how much business I was going to do for them, and having delicious dessert; that was the highlight of my day and my meetings…which is totally different than having your hand raised in front of 2-3000 people chanting your name.”

Surprisingly, Diaz has returned to the weight where he captured glory. Typically, fighters who resume after a long layoff find themselves up at least a weight class from where they left. Diaz has returned comfortably to the class where he was always most at home.

“I’m not a big guy; 5’6 and a medium sized build. I don’t eat a lot. Even when I was retired, I had a lot of snacks throughout the day. I didn’t really gain a lot of weight. The heaviest I got was 150, which is still only 15 pounds way. When I started training, the weight just came off. Naturally, I walk around at 142, 143, and that’s my weight. It wasn’t hard for me to lose the weight. It’s hard for me to gain weight.”

While the weight may be easy to take off, the one thing no fighter can take off is age. Diaz, even if he still looks like the “Baby Bull,” is no babe anymore. He’s not feeling any creep from age just yet and sees some advantage in the experience that comes with being 32. “I’m able to see the punches coming, I’m able to react a lot better than in my first few fights back. I feel 25 or 26 years old.”

Assuming he gets by Vasquez this weekend, and given his stated goals, Diaz’s name and style will move him towards a bigger fight. Will that bigger fight be by way of a young opponent looking to make a name or will it be for a title? There has been speculation about an eventual showdown between Diaz and developing young talent Felix Verdejo.

Diaz has heard the speculation and surveys the scene broadly.

“Here are my two main goals. First would be to become a world champion. The other option is to be in big fights, fights that will produce a big purse. If Felix Verdejo is either/or, either the fight is for a championship or it’s a big purse fight, I’m willing to take on the challenge.”

Verdejo, at least for now, doesn’t have a title. The lightweight title scene features two UK products in Terry Flanagan (WBO) and Anthony Crolla (WBA), as well as Montenegro’s Dejan Zlaticanin (WBC). The IBF belt is currently vacant. Diaz isn’t too picky about where he would like to see his opportunity arise.

“I would take on any of those champions because they’re champions. When you’re going after the champion, it doesn’t matter who it is. You want whoever the champion is.” That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a preference. “Honestly, the most interesting fight would be Anthony Crolla because of his style and my style which would make it a fan friendly fight that all the fans and people all over the world would enjoy.”

For a shot at Crolla, Diaz is prepared to travel. “I know that right now I’m not the champion. I’m the one that has to prove myself. If I have to go to the UK and fight, then so be it.” 

Diaz knows, no matter how young he feels now, that there is only so much of a window for him to maximize what’s left inside him. “My style of fighting takes a toll on your body so I can’t do it forever. I can’t fight for another five or ten years. As a man, 32 years old, I’m young but as a fighter I’m already borderline to being a senior citizen in the sport. I want to become a world champion, defend my title a few times, and retire a champion.”

If he can meet his goals Diaz would be happy to return to the dessert table (aside from the occasional cheat day he gets now).

“Being a world champion is something not a lot of people get in this world. It’s an honor and a privilege to be a world champion. Everything tastes a lot sweeter when you’re a world champion.” 

Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene and a member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com