In an era where nearly every major fight is preceded by tension-filled press conferences complete with obscenities, malicious stare-downs, and various other terms of disparagement, it almost seems foreign to witness two combatants engage in courteous and complementary adulation for one another.

When lightweight champions Juan and Julio Diaz engage in their highly anticipated unification bout this Saturday at the Sear Centre in suburban Chicago, a war of words will not serve as an appetizer to the fistic feast of leather that will be handed out that night in the ring.

Both fighters have made it a point to reiterate their admiration and respect for each other's accomplishments while humbly stating their desire to emerge victorious at the end of the night. 

"I think this will turn out to be the fight of the year and maybe the fight of the century because both Julio Diaz and I want to win so badly," WBA and WBO lightweight champion Juan Diaz would tell the gathered media at a press conference in Chicago last month.

It should come as no surprise that Juan Diaz would give such a politically correct answer given the political aspirations of the young Houstonian.  It is no secret that the 24-year old Diaz is already planning his life after boxing. 

Currently enrolled as a full time student at the University of Houston-Downtown, Diaz is scheduled to graduate in December of 2008.  Once he graduates, his plan is  to apply for entrance into law school with the ultimate goal to one day become a major political figure in his native Houston so that he may help those in need.

Such poise and tact, in spite of his perceived youth, have made Diaz a darling to the local media as well as earned endearment in the heart of those who would normally condemn someone who earns a living by punching a fellow man repeatedly in the face.  

Juan Diaz burst onto the boxing landscape after he won the WBA lightweight title from its previous owner, Lakva Sim, in front of his hometown fans back in July of 2004.  Since then, 'The Baby Bull" has been carefully moved and matched as his handlers made sure that their prized charge would not wilt under the lights of more prestigious fights.

Team Diaz's carefully calculated gameplan paid dividends this year when Diaz would pound the hard-hitting Brazilian Acelino Freitas into submission over eight rounds to add the WBO lightweight title to his already impressive resume.

While many in the press recognize the veteran Joel Casamayor as the lightweight champion of the world, a case can be made that Juan Diaz should in fact carry that honor given his possession of two of the four major sanctioning bodies' titles.

Of course, a case can also be made that the titles bestowed by the sanctioning bodies are worth less than the leather they are made of. but that is a discussion for another day.

All this brings us to this Saturday's unification bout with IBF lightweight title holder Julio Diaz.  The winner of this intriguing match-up will boast three of the four titles and both fighters have already made mention of a desire to battle WBC lightweight titlist David Diaz upon victory. 

Of course both Joel Casamayor and Nate Campbell may have issues with this declaration, but again, such is an argument best left for another day.

Still, it is unification that is on the mind of Juan Diaz as he expressed in a recent press conference.

"We are getting very close to having an undisputed lightweight world champion.  I give all my respect to Julio Diaz, but on October 13th, I will be the one leaving the ring with three of those world titles."