Juan Diaz update

By Michael Campbell

30/11/2005

Juan Diaz update

It is now confirmed that WBA Lightweight Champion Juan Diaz will only have one title defense during the 2005 calander year.  After mandatory challenger Lakva Sim, dropped out of the 12/15 Goosen promoted FoxSports card, Diaz's manager Willie Savanah suggested the 12/16 GoldenBoy promoted Telefutura card versus Javier Jauregui (WBA ranked #8 at 130lbs).  Don Chagrin from GB, and Carl Moretti from Main Events worked to make this happen, but with such limited amount of time could not work out the sponsership money to warrant a world championship fight.  Moretti leans toward a Diaz-Sim fight in January on a Goosen FoxSports date, however, the Diaz camp now finds the date change unacceptable, refuses the Goosen-offered contract, and requests a purse bid from the WBA for the fight ASAP.  Savanah suggests Main Events insert Juan Diaz on their Gatti-Damgaard or Vargas-Mosley PPV cards.  As for Nate Campbell's offer to step in last minute to replace Sim, Campbell's promoter, One Punch Productions doesn't bring a TV date or fight card offer to the table to consider.  They suggest fighting on Gooseen's card, which is already filled now by Glen Johnson and Andre Ward.  Juan continues to swim regulary, lift weights, and train lightly in they gym alongside his brother and cousin as they prepare for upcoming fights on 1/21 at Coushatta Casino in Louisiana.