Fresh off his sensational upset victory over previously undefeated and top-rated welterweight Sammy Vasquez Jr. on July 16th, Felix Diaz has signed a long-term promotional agreement with DiBella Entertainment (DBE). The only gold medalist in the history of the Dominican Republic Olympic Boxing team, Diaz, who fights in both the junior welterweight and welterweight divisions, is looking for the biggest names.
“Signing with Lou DiBella means that the team around me just got even better,” said Diaz. “I have the best advisor in the game in Al Haymon and now I have the best promoter in Lou. Lou can turn me into a household name and promote me the way that I should be promoted. I am very excited to join DiBella Entertainment and I can’t wait to get back in the ring with one of the biggest names in the sport.”
“Felix Diaz is one of the best fighters in the world between 140-147 pounds,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “He can compete with anyone at these weights and is capable of beating them. It’s not an accident that Felix is the only gold medalist in the history of his native Dominican Republic. We look forward to working with Felix and his management team as we build him into a recognizable name to all boxing fans while pursuing the biggest and best fights available for him.”
“I am very excited about Felix joining the DBE team. I have known Lou for over 10 years; no one works harder than him. He is very passionate about this sport and his fighters. I know that he will guide Felix in the right direction and bring him to the top,” said manager Jose Nunez.
Coming off a majority decision loss to Lamont Peterson in October of last year, Diaz took the fight against the highly regarded, much bigger, and undefeated Vasquez Jr. on short notice, after Vasquez Jr.’s original opponent Luis Collazo pulled out. Entering the bout against Vasquez as a significant underdog, Diaz took the fight right to Vasquez from the outset and never let off the gas, ultimately winning a unanimous 10-round decision in an absolute war on the undercard of Deontay Wilder’s heavyweight title defense against Chris Arreola. It was a sensational performance by Diaz, which was broadcast live and in primetime on the Fox network.
While Diaz is looking at any and all of the top names in the 140-147lb. divisions, there is one name in particular that he has his eye on.
“I want Danny Garcia,” stated Diaz. “I have made this very clear to my team that this is the fight I want. If Danny wants to avoid me though, then I want one of the other big names out there. Broner, Burns, Porter, Berto, Bradley, Crawford, I like all of those fights. I don’t turn down fights. I have been thrown to the wolves since I first got into this game and I have never backed down from a challenge. I just want to fight the best and I believe that before the end of the year, I will be in the ring with one of the biggest names in boxing.”
