Professional boxer who trained in Coachella dies in car crash
Cesar Diaz was poised to take the boxing world by storm, but all that ended on Friday night when he lost control of his car and crashed in Palmdale, about 40 minutes north of Los Angeles. His girlfriend in the passenger seat was injured but is recovering.
“Cesar Diaz had a great resume in the amateurs. Everybody knows him, he was a top amateur fighter,” said Joel Diaz, Cesar’s boxing manager.
Joel Diaz is Cesar’s boxing manager. Cesar would sometimes train at the Boys and Girls Club in Coachella.
Joel’s last message to Cesar was on Thanksgiving, they were texting about upcoming fights starting the beginning of next year.
“He gave me a big message saying that ‘Coach happy Thanksgiving, God bless you and your family and thank you so much for everything you do for me’ and that was it. It was his last message,” Joel said.
Joel Diaz found out about the crash Saturday morning when he talked to Cesar’s trainer on the phone.
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“He couldn’t speak, he just told me ‘we lost him’ and I said what are you talking about we lost him we lost who? ‘Cesar,'” Joel said.
A young boxer, 7 and 0 in the ring with 6 knockouts taken before his prime.
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“Losing a great person like Cesar Diaz, a great athlete, a very humble kid, now putting yourself in a situation with the family, it’s really really hard,” Joel said.
Other members of the fighting community are sending their condolences, like local UFC Star Cub Swanson who knew Cesar Diaz.
In a statement Swanson said, “I know he was young and talented it’s terrible to hear that he is gone.”
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help pay Cesar’s family pay for funeral expenses. You can donate here.
