Mexican contender Iran “MagnifiKO” Diaz stressed that entering enemy territory gives him the extra drive to come out on top of his super flyweight championship clash with Srisaket Sor Rungvisai on 6 October.
Diaz is booked to challenge Sor Rungvisai for the WBC Super Flyweight World Championship in the main event of ONE: KINGDOM OF HEROES, which takes place at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.
It appears to be a daunting task for most boxers to square off with an elite pugilist such as the 31-year-old Thai knockout artist in his home nation, but Diaz is not intimidated by the arduous test in front of him.
“I’m going to Sor Rungvisai’s home, but at the end of the day, in the ring, there will be him and me with a pair of gloves. Nothing more,” he said. “We’re going to test each other, and the one with more hunger and the best preparation will be the winner.”
Diaz pointed out that being an underdog in the scheduled 12-round ring encounter with Sor Rungvisai heightens his hunger to walk away with the green-laced strap around his waist.
“It’s good to be an underdog because it boosts my motivation to win. When you’re an underdog, others believe that you have a small chance to win. But in some instances, some fighters use it as an extra drive in their fights,” he stated.
Diaz’s trip to Bangkok for a world title on 6 October is not his first rodeo against high-profile opposition as his résumé includes resounding victories over two former boxing world champions.
The 28-year-old slugger from Sonora, Mexico first defeated former WBA Flyweight World Champion Hernan “Tyson” Márquez in December 2016, winning the bout on all three ringside judges’ scorecards against his compatriot.
Meanwhile, Diaz took on Panama’s Luis “El Nica” Concepción in September 2017 and once again swept the scorecards at the expense of the former WBA Super Flyweight World Champion.
On each of those occasions, Diaz lacked the experience of his opponents, but he made that count for nothing when his hand was raised.
“I am the kind of boxer who always rises to the occasion. Don’t count me out. I am here to spoil the party,” he quipped.
“They call me the ‘Giant Slayer’ for a good and dangerous reason. I have to go to Thailand and beat Srisaket, and bring the belt I have always dreamed of back home with me,” Diaz added.
Diaz ensured that he will be well-prepared in the title tilt with Sor Rungvisai by pushing himself to the limit in his training camp as he has traveled away from the home comforts of his native Obregón in Sonora into the mountains for high-altitude training.
Although the lack of oxygen in the thin air makes for hard work, Diaz explained that he will feel the benefits to his stamina and cardio when he returns to sea level in Bangkok.
“We are preparing very hard because we are going to face one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. Training in the mountains is something special. Working at low-levels of oxygenation helps you to have more strength and much better physical condition than at sea-level,” he shared.
“I am thankful for my team. We are together in the physical aspect, boxing, and always firmly giving advice,” Diaz continued.
With only a few days to go before the biggest match of his professional boxing career, Diaz did not mince words about his excitement as his dream to become a world champion in the sport is within his reach.
“I believe I deserve to be fighting the champion. I believe this is my time. I am here to win and appreciate my value further as a world-class boxer,” he ended.
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