Undefeated super bantamweight contender Jorge "King" Diaz of New Brunswick says he has had no problems adjusting to new trainer Joe Grier ahead of his March 26 showdown with unbeaten USBA 122 pound champion Teon "The Technician" Kennedy of Philadelphia, PA at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.
"It's been a very productive camp, pure gold," said Diaz, who is promoted by Union City-based Pound for Pound Promotions and managed by Pat Lynch and Sal Alessi. "I went from good hands to greater hands."
The matchup between the 23-year-old Diaz - a two-fisted banger with a flair for dramatic endings and a record of 15-0 (9 KO) - and the 24-year-old Kennedy - a technically-gifted boxer with total command over his craft with a 16-0-1 (7 KO) record - has the potential to steal the spotlight from the world championship main event between former Cuban Olympic gold medalist and current WBA/IBF featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa and Mexico's Jorge Solis, which will be televised by HBO's Boxing After Dark.
Grier, who previously trained junior middleweight Yuri Foreman to a world title, had worked with Diaz briefly as an amateur and said that the transition prior to his biggest test as a pro has been seamless.
"Everything is working out well," said Grier. "He's a very motivated young man and he's really looking forward to proving himself to everyone. Jorge wants to be up there with the top dogs. I just know he's a perfect specimen to become a world champion.
"This fight is a perfectly made match. It's a tossup and its going to be a tough fight. Neither one of the camps is taking it for granted."
Under Grier, Diaz has sparred close to 90 rounds in preparation for this matchup against boxers from New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Philadelphia. Diaz knows he must prepare to be at his best to not only win the fight, but put the entire sport on notice.
"This fight is a slingshot to get me to the next level," said Diaz. "Come March 26, I'll be like Charlie Sheen - winning!"
Diaz is coming off a thrilling ten round victory over former title challenger Emmanuel Lucero in October, while Kennedy stopped Alex Becerra in ten rounds in September.
The 12-round Diaz vs. Kennedy clash is part of Top Rank's "Featherweight Fury" card, which will also feature Diaz's stablemate Glen Tapia in a six-round middleweight matchup.
Tickets are $200, $100, $50 plus applicable fees and are available at the Boardwalk Hall Box Office or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or online at ticketmaster.com
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Good Luck Lil' Bro!!!
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