Joseph Diaz Jr. can graduate to contender status with victory over Jayson Velez
OAKLAND, Calif. - If a boxer is talented enough in his amatuer days and makes it to the Olympics, medal or not, his stock rises when it's time to turn pro.
For the U.S. Olympic boxing squad, it's been slim pickings when it comes to accolades. No male has claimed Olympic gold since Andre Ward in 2004. Deontay Wilder, the WBC heavyweight champ, won a bronze medal at the 2008 Games and is one of the best fighters competing today to come from the American Olympic system. In fact, he's the only American to win any medal since Ward.
Errol Spence, perhaps the best prospect in boxing, is stepping up to the big leagues with an April 16 assignment against Chris Algieri. Joseph Diaz Jr., Spence's teammate on the 2012 team, has his chance to shine Saturday.
The Mexican-American will make his HBO debut (9:45 p.m. ET) with a 10-round featherweight fight against Jayson Velez in the co-feature to Ward-Sullivan Barrera from Oracle Arena in Oakland.
"I want to show everybody that I can be the next big thing in boxing," Diaz, a baby-faced, diminutive 23-year-old told Paste BN Sports moments after stepping off the scale at Friday's weigh-in. "I can show them my skills, my abilities and just how I can overcome and overwhelm these top contenders."
Velez (23-1-1, 16 KOs) isn't a top contender, but he is by far the best opponent Diaz will have faced and is a proper opponent for Diaz's first step-up bout. The Puerto Rican is coming off a loss to another Golden Boy Promotions prospect, Ronny Rios, and isn't ranked in the top 10 at 126 pounds by BoxingJunkie.
Velez has challenged for a world title before, though, and should Diaz (19-0, 11 KOs) blow by him, will pick up valuable experience as he continues toward his goal of taking over the featherweight division.
"I want to win all the belts," said Diaz, a resident of Downey, Calif. "I want to showcase that I can be the No. 1 guy at 126. Once I started beating these contenders and make my way up there, then hopefully I can get a world title shot and fight for all the other championship belts at 126 and be the main guy at 126 pounds."
Golden Boy matchmaker Robert Diaz says Diaz could be ready for a title shot before the end of 2016, provided Saturday goes as planned, of course.
"I'm very outgoing, I talk a lot to fans, I give back to the community," Diaz said. "I have all the skills inside the ring."
Diaz can cement the transformation from prospect to contender with a statement victory over Velez.
(Photo of Diaz by Tom Hogan/Roc Nation Sports)