Make of that what you will. Photos: Indio boxing gym of world-renown trainer Joel Diaz nearing completion Skip to . "His speed, his power and his footwork!" they say. "It hasn't stopped bleeding," Ervin adds. There also will be an area for weight machines and a space at the front desk to purchase merchandiseof the world-famous boxers who train at the gym, including unified super bantamweight champion Murodjon MJ Akhmadaliev, Olympic welterweight silver medalist Shakhram Giyasov, Olympic flyweight gold medalist Hasanboy Dusmatov and Olympic middleweight silver medalist Bektemir Melikuziev. After a year building his own boxing gym in Indio, doing much of the work by himself, trainer Joel Diaz is close toopening it to the community. After seeing those fields, the man drove them home where the Diaz brothers met their mother, sister and another brother. All he had to do was win and he'd fight for a world title. When Im not here, thats gonna be a legacy that is gonna stay behind because its the story of my life. When the anger got too much, he'd drive to the mountains, as if trying to find answers. event bout wiki. But thats boxing. And it sometimes translates to the actual, literal fight that is presented to us when we grow up in places like Coachella.". Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com. When Joel built his gym, Flores' father, a carpenter, did the framing. I've been here so long, and I sent these guys to pick you up.". Future champ hits mitts fast but his nick name is "turtle"? In Joel He said he thinks about that often when hes pushing a broom and putting work into the gym that before last year he never really thought about building. More than a partner, she's Arely Mucio, the IBF flyweight world champion. He and Gracia have known each other for nearly 40 years. At the screening, coach Diaz was enjoying the moment with his friends and family. . We always have a lot of things going on, said Joel Diaz. "Vamos Tito!" How a gym in California's Coachella Valley became an international destination for boxing. Share. Celebrities such as Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra and William Powell had homes here. It's this story of survival that explains why people in Coachella Valley's east side are drawn to him. We dont treat her any differently than we do the men, said Joel Diaz. The brothers have been training boxers over the last eight months at the Indio gym of longtime friend Cub Swanson, a UFC featherweight. Theyve built relationships with several youth boxers whose dads are either plumbers, painters or work with concrete and have offered their services. Across the street from that mural, there's an old fire station on the corner of 6th Street and Vine Avenue. "These guys" were the coyote and his family -- his wife, mother and kids -- who drove them for over a day from their rancho in the mountains of Michoacan, Mexico to an unincorporated part of eastern Coachella Valley. He dabs away the blood and looks at everyone. "Ponle una putiza!" He's sitting in a foldable metallic chair, getting his post-fight medical examination. he shouts at no one and everyone at once. Joel Diaz Training Camp LLC Company Profile | Coachella, CA Explore . Other fighters like Argentinas Matthysse have arrived too and will be living and training in the remote desert gym. He would fight one more time before retiring as a fighter and continuing as a trainer. But not before a full day of training. Beginning in 1999, it has showcased acts as diverse as Guns N' Roses, Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar. Dedication was never a problem for Joel. Mercito Gesta vs Joel Diaz Jr Full Fight Replay | Boxing Video It's like a light switch flipped. At its worst, a yell of desperation. After10 years, its now paid off, Diaz said. Sincetheir typically rigorous training schedule has been a little slower over the last year because of how the pandemic has reduced the number of fights in the sport, the Diaz brothers have had time to spend preparing the new gym, doing much of the work themselves. Flores wins his fight in the first minute. 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. Still beaming over his newfound recognition, Munguia has grand plans for his future including challenging all of the other champions in his weight category and the next weight division. World champions and contenders fight along with boxers early in their careers, risking it all for a shot at their dreams. How a gym in California's Coachella Valley became an international Hes poured his blood sweat and tears, he says, into the project knowing that he was on a deadline. He's 32 years old and wants to be a world champion again. 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. They then cleared out five trailers full of junk and reframed the space, secured the roof and began bringing new material. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 Entravision All rights reserved. EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK: "Joel Diaz: A Hard Knock-Life" Documentary by Now seven casinos have opened their doors in the desert region and most of them have held boxing cards at one time or another. The Boys & Girls Club has been a great place for us for so many years, Antonio Diaz said. The building has remained empty for years. He simply moves, resets and continues yelling. Everything happens for a reason.. JOEL DIAZ STANDS on the ring apron while there's chaos all around him. On Mercito Gesta/Joel Diaz Jr. undercard, Coachella boxer puts on show Kenshiro Teraji TKOs Late Sub Anthony Olascuaga; Inoue Wins Too, Avila Perspective, Chap. With the fight over, he saw a doctor about his right eye that'd been giving him problems. Laurence Cole is the son of Richard Dickie Cole. He lost his first four amateur fights. They also want to provide school supplies for less-fortunate families at the start of the school year and turkeys at Thanksgiving. "I got to get these guys ready," Diaz says. Home. You are overpowered. Freitas went down early from a straight right. Everyone else, including Mucio -- whose voice is hoarse from yelling throughout the fight -- stands around, trying to process the loss. For six days, festival goers from across the country, and world, will pack into the 250 acres of the Empire Polo Club's immaculate green fields. 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. Theres still a lot of work to be done, Diaz said, but its amazing the work that weve already put into this. They've sacrificed for all of this. Bethany Mollenkof for ESPN. Joel Diaz said that he is working with his attorney to make the gym a non-profit that will be open to the community and offer programs for kids to provide activities, fitnessand self-defense training. Indio boxing trainer Joel Diaz is 2-0 last week after Tito Acosta's first-round knockout win over Janiel Rivera & Dmitry Bivol Retains WBA light heavyweight title against Canelo Alvarez. Honestly, it makes me happy because at one point, you know, life is short. He'd just gotten paid $20,000, the most he ever made boxing. And because of that, this place also has a long history of farmworkers fighting for their rights. Joel Diaz worked for a while with Lee Espinoza at the Coachella Boxing Club before opening up his own gym. Let us know. How a gym in California's Coachella Valley became an international "We're waiting for the doctor.". Joel is on Twitter @JoelDiazBoxing and Instagram @coachjoeldiaz. Wondering why he'd need the bottle of adrenaline now, Diaz answers with a confused look. Diaz knows it was an accident. By law in Texas (and in most other states), a boxing promoter must purchase insurance to cover medical costs in the event that one or more of the fighters on his show is seriously injured. But when it's time to fight, they train in Diaz's gym, in part because his strong personality reminds them of Mucio's father. Between rounds, Diaz keeps teaching. Hes just waiting for his time.. Diaz said that he's rarely seen a boxer who works as hard as Flores, who is as dedicated to the gym and to the sport. Health Clubs & Gyms. Hell then head to Swansons gym for the day and go back to his facility about two miles down the road for a few more hours before heading home. Mexican migration increased. The reach for glory finally within their grasp. 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. And one could site numerous other incidents where Coles performance came under scrutiny. And though the festival is on the east side, about four miles from Joel's gym, most of the tourists will stay on the west side of Coachella Valley. Maybe by showing them those fields, that'd help explain why he and their mother left and were apart for so long. These later wins, though against lower level opposition, somewhat softened the memories of the Corrales and Diaz fights, both of which this writer attended at the Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, Connecticut. And although Joel has long been considered one of boxing's best trainers, being part of Bivol's team, and Bivol beating Canelo, who hadn't lost in nine years, made people take further notice of what was happening in this boxing gym out in the desert. There will, of course, be speed and heavy punching bags, treadmills, weight machines and free weights along withan area with a padded floor designated for wrestling, martial arts and other activities. Advertisement. 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. One of the more crowded gyms, Indio Boys and Girls Club, has blossomed into a powerhouse. As a couple, one of Mucino and Acosta's goals was to be world champions at the same time. He became a professional boxer. Whether he makes it into the Hall will depend on how much a No Mas can count against one, but he warrants serious consideration when he becomes eligible. 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. Another offered to pay for all the new matting going on top of the concrete floors. How Indio Boxing Trainer Joel Diaz Helped Dmitry Bivol Secure Victory over Canelo Alvarez. After eight months of work, the building remains a work in progress. "This is a bad area." The festival is part of the valley's annual $7.5 billion tourist industry that attracts more than 13 million people a year. 2,187 likes. Now its Gassiev versus Usyk and four world titles are at stake. Instructions are yelled in four languages; English, Spanish, Uzbek and Russian. Maybe that would help show how much they sacrificed. When the announcer reads the judges' scores, the crowd boos. Diaz says, then immediately corrects himself. To save money, so they could buy a house back home on the other side of the border. Find him on Twitter: @Andrew_L_John. 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. And because he doesn't treat her any different than any of his other fighters. Its isolation eliminates distractions. Arely is Acosta's wife. But Diaz said he couldnt be more excited about eventually having a training facility of his own, after 18 years of training boxers, including several world champions, at the Indio Boys & Girls Club. Diaz is back in the dressing room and back to joking with Gracia. 234: Once-in-a-Generation Mega Fight: Tank Davis vs King Ry Garcia, Cordina-Rakhimov Might Steal the Show this Saturday, Avila Perspective, Chap. Ironically both Mosley and Diaz were from the Inland Empire and ended up training in the same Big Bear training camp. Then came the coronavirus, forcing one of boxing's most respected trainers to put a plan into action. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com. "I accidentally cut Tito," Gracia tells him as Diaz hands over the small dark bottle with a yellow label. He says he won the fight and wants a rematch. "Work! That's where Diaz and his brother Antonio (or Too, as he's commonly called) trained. As the fists and shoulders of fighters brush by him, it looks as if their violence might spill over. They aren't sure yet whether they'll go to Mexico or Puerto Rico first. "It's a good way to stay focused on training," Bivol said of using Joel's gym. If he wins tonight, against Angelino Cordova, who has never lost and is five years younger, they want to fight for the world championship next. 445 East Florida Ave. 2nd Floor. More than anything, he looks relieved. "If Arely knew about this, she'd drop you with a punch to the liver," Diaz tells Gracia. His voice rises above the rhythmic sounds of speed bags thumping, above the jump rope slapping the floor, above the grunts of those who sound as if they're fighting for their lives. 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. The Brazilian boxing hero retired in 2007, but came back in 2012 and schooled and KOd the cocky Michael The Brazilian Rocky Oliveira. Migrant workers come each year to the desert region to pick crops: primarily dates, grapes, peppers, and citrus fruits in the area. Boxing Home Schedule Champions Divisional Rankings P4P Historic Bouts Tickets His promoter told him he'd soon fight for millions but that didn't happen. Joel and Antonio began telling people about the project and many began offering to help for free. Ukraines Usyk, 31, made his American debut in late 2016 on a Golden Boy Promotions card that staged boxing great Bernard Hopkins final prizefight. It's not a serious cut -- a notch above a paper cut, on the meaty part of the palm closest to the thumb -- but it hasn't stopped bleeding.

How Much Is Paparazzi Jewelry Company Worth, Jw Marriott Panama Concierge Lounge, Articles J