Former IBF junior lightweight champion Jojo Diaz has said that becoming a father has improved his mental health troubles.
Diaz lost his belt when he met Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov and came in over the weight limit, and then fought to a draw. The fighter has acknowledged difficulties with his weight and mental health previously, and is now preparing for a lightweight fight with Javier Fortuna.
Speaking to the DAZN Boxing Show, he was asked how life has changed since becoming a father.
“My mind is not wandering off and thinking about, you know, depression, sometimes I still go that route,” he said.
“And I just, you know, I've been practising every single day by trying to just keep my mind mentally strong and keeping my mind mentally focused on what matters the most and what I'm capable of. Doing with my life what actually I'm able to do with my life at that time.
“And now that I have my son by just thinking about him and thinking about what I need to do for him, to provide for a better future, so he won't be struggling growing up like I did.
“Growing up it just motivates me a lot more to wake up every day and to get the job done and to go after what I need to accomplish.”