Robert Diaz has spoken for the first time since parting ways with Golden Boy Promotions.
The matchmaker, who has worked for Oscar De La Hoya’s promotional company for 15 years, cited “some differences” before his contract expired.
Speaking on the Boxing Life Stories podcast, Diaz said:
Asked whether he could see himself working with Golden Boy in the future, Diaz added: “Absolutely, on my side there’s no bad blood. If I continue in boxing, which I believe I will because the passion and the love and the support I’ve been receiving from all over is there, absolutely. I have no problem.”
Diaz pointed out that he had always been happy to work with anyone for the right fights, having been involved in promotions with Don King, PBC, Matchroom, Top Rank and others.
Are Oscar and Diaz still friends?
For how long?
“Since last year, since December.”
Has he been tempted to reach out?
“I wish him nothing but the best to him, his family and everybody at Golden Boy.”
Diaz has been viewed as an integral part of the Golden Boy machine and he’s also been seen as more than a De La Hoya acolyte, but a right-hand man. Robert felt De La Hoya had struggled in life after boxing the way many athletes do partly because of the loss of the identity.
“[Any boxer] Misses the walk to the ring, the adrenaline and the applause of the fans. When a fighter is so used to getting all this love and attention, and all of a sudden, it starts shifting to someone else, ‘Wait a minute, I want it back.’ I think that’s the most difficult part,” Diaz explained, looking at the pitfalls sports stars face.
De La Hoya’s post-boxing battles have been well-documented, and Diaz admitted it’s not always been easy to have the former champion’s back through everything.
“It hasn’t been easy, but it’s been challenging, it’s been fun, obviously I’m no longer part of that anymore but, again, it’s part of that dream, because I would never have dreamt that,” Diaz said, of the wild journey that took him from being a fan of Marco Antonio Barrera to working on some of the biggest fights of a generation. “It came natural, it came out of the heart. I wouldn’t change it. It was challenging and it was tough but it was fun and it was another chapter and experience banked for the future; once you’ve been through that fire, nothing can scare you or slow you down.”
Does he still worry about Oscar?
“Absolutely,” Diaz said. “All I can say is I wish him all the best, happiness, health and longevity.”
