Don King hosted a press conference today in Chicago attended by Juan Diaz and Julio Diaz formally announcing their lightweight world championship unification match (WBA, WBO, IBF) at Sears Centre in nearby Hoffman Estates, Ill., on Oct. 13.

Both proud Mexicans were respectful of one another, but said and reiterated the fight is of tremendous personal importance to each of them.

Diaz vs. Diaz Press Conference Quotes
Wednesday, Aug. 29 – Mi Tierra Restaurant in Little Village – Chicago

Juan Diaz: “I think this will turn out to be the fight of the year and maybe the fight of the century because both Julio Diaz and I want to win so bad.  They will have to take me out of the ring on a stretcher for me to lose this fight.

“This is going to be a great, action fight.  I’ve got a bull’s-eye on my head.  Everybody wants what I have.  Many consider me to be the best lightweight boxer out there so everybody wants to fight me.

“Both of us have the first name of Diaz.  We had no choice when we were born.  It’s just the name our parents gave us, no matter how much people want to make of all that.

“In February, Julio asked me to put my books down to fight after he became the IBF champion.  In April, I picked up the WBO lightweight belt by defeating Acelino Freitas to go with the WBA championship I have held for a long time.  Now is the time for a unification fight.

“We are getting very close to having an undisputed lightweight world champion.  I give all my respect to Julio Diaz but on October 13, I will be the one leaving the ring with three of those world titles.

Julio Diaz:  “I’ve been asking for Juan Diaz for a long time.  This is something that has been important to me and I didn’t want to let it go.  He is the biggest star in the lightweight division today.  He’s undefeated, a unified world champion with the WBA and WBO belts.

“I’ve won some big fights.  I am a two-time world champion and the current IBF champion but I haven’t gotten the attention that Juan has.  I want what he has and I’m coming to get it.  I want to be a unified world champion.

“Juan and I have a lot in common.  We have the same last name and I see his parents cry when he goes in the ring just like mine do.  We’re also both Mexican warriors.  We will put on a great fight and the best man will win.”

8-29-2007