GL: How has everything gone in training? What can we expect to see from you on Saturday night? It's been a great camp, I put in a lot of hard work and now I'm just ready to get in there and give the fans a great fight. This is a very important fight for me, so the fans can expect to see the best in on my Friday night. Prograis is a good fighter, he's a tough challenge and I look forward to showing the fans what I can do.
GL: What would a victory on Friday night mean to you?
Joel Diaz Jr: "It would mean everything. It would get me in the top ten in the rankings, which is a place I feel like I've belonged for a while now. The problem was not a lot of these guys wanted to fight me so I have to give Prograis credit for accepting the challenge."
GL: The last time we spoke you were fighting Abel Ramos. How did it circle back to Prograis?
JD: "At first it was actually supposed to be Prograis, but he turned it down too. Then Abel Ramos took the fight but he got hurt in training camp so I guess they went back to Prograis and he took it the second time around because he realized that he'd be sitting for a while if he didn't."
GL: What are your thoughts of Prograis as a fighter?
JD: "He's a very good fighter, I honestly think he's one of the top junior welterweights in the world which is why I said this is going to be a tough challenge for me. My goal is to become the world champion, and it's not supposed to be easy when you're looking to fight your way into a title fight. I'm taking this fight very seriously, I know he's a boxer puncher and he feels like he's faced guys like me before. Oh yeah, I saw that interview, but it's my job to show him and the rest of the world that he's never faced anybody quite like me just yet."
GL: Other than victory do you have a prediction?
JD: "Not really. I'm going to be ready for the distance, but I'm also going to be ready to get him out of there if I hurt him. Both of us have a lot of knockouts, but we're both have skill as well. It's going to be a great fight for the fans no matter what happens."
GL: What's going to be the difference in the fight that leads to a Diaz Jr victory?
JD: "My heart. I think I've got more heart than him and I know it's impossible for him to want this win more than I do. I've been working my ass off to get this W and my heart and willingness to walk through whatever he brings is going to be difference in the fight."
GL: Is there anything you'd like to say in closing?
JD: "I want to thank you for the interview, my manager Mike Criscio, my promoters DiBella Entertainment and Jean Pascal Promotions and most importantly the fans."
B
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