Cayden Griffiths: Lessons in Going The Distance, Fighting on The June 20 Golden Boy Card & More

With established boxing stars like Ryan Garcia and Vergil Ortiz Jr. headlining events nationwide, Golden Boy Promotions has not rested on its laurels and is consistently working to develop the new crop of fighters who could replace the Garcias and Ortiz’s. Enter 20-year-old welterweight prospect Cayden Griffiths (8-0, 7 KOs), who will fight Saturday night at the Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, CA, live on DAZN.

Griffiths, from Harrisburg, PA, but fighting out of Coachella Valley, CA, has been making noise in Southern California since turning pro in June 2024. Griffiths’ journey from Pennsylvania to California began when his mother wanted to leave the East Coast for warmer weather. When Griffiths’ father, originally from Huntington Beach, CA, suggested a move to Palm Springs, the Griffiths family packed up and moved west.

When you speak to Griffiths, he comes off as a mature young man who knows he still has his whole life ahead of him but is solely focused on boxing. So when you ask him who he is, the answer you get is somewhat expected but also welcomed.

“Honestly, I’m just a regular dude who knows how to punch,” Griffiths told FightsATW. “I feel like I’m a pretty normal person. A lot of fighters try to portray themselves as different from everyone else. Nah, my skill set is just throwing hands. For some people, it’s being a plumber, a doctor, mine is just being good at throwing hands.”

Outside of boxing, Griffiths likes to play his guitar, which he’s been doing for “3 or 4 years.” Although he would love to put more time into playing the guitar, boxing takes up most of his time, which isn’t a bad thing.

“I really don’t do much outside of boxing. Most of it goes to training, rest, and recovery. I do play the guitar, and I’ve been trying to learn how to surf, but it’s been hard to find time with training and everything like that.

“Originally, the whole thought process behind it (playing the guitar) was that it was going to get me so many girls (laughs). Nope, it doesn’t. It’s just something that helps me pass the time. I’m just a kid trying to have fun.”

Shifting the conversation back to boxing, in January, Griffiths went the distance for the first time, and it bothered him. It was his first lesson as a pro that not everyone who gets put in front of you will always be stopped.

“In my first six fights, I was just going in there and blasting everyone out because I was physically stronger than everybody,” said Griffiths. “When I got in there with the guy in January, things weren’t going exactly my way with health and stuff like that. I still could have gotten him out of there if I had picked my shots better and set them up. With the opposition I had before, I was able to just kinda throw whatever I wanted. This last guy was tougher, a little more durable, and could take the power shots because he saw them coming. Going the distance for the first time was terrible. I hated it.”

That unsettling feeling stayed with Griffiths throughout his next training camp, as he was determined not to repeat the mistakes he felt he had made that night in January. During that camp, his trainer, Antonio Diaz (brother of trainer Joel Diaz), worked on refining the power and speed of Griffiths’ punches so he wasn’t going for a knockout with every punch. This adjustment was evident in March, when he scored a first-round knockout over Omar Ulises. Although it was a small sample, Griffiths was more patient and set up his shots better, leading to the knockout.

Girffiths credits his continued evolution to his trainer, Antonio Diaz, because they have a special relationship that just works.

“He’s genuinely like a second father to me,” he said. “When I’m in the ring, Antonio and I share the same brain. He and I are so synced up. I know he cares about me, and I care about him. I know he’s never going to steer me in the wrong direction when it comes to training. I’m blessed for sure.”

So on June 20, in his first eight-round fight on the undercard of Oscar Collazo vs. Joey Canoy, what should fans attending the fight live at the Frontwave Arena or watching it on DAZN expect?

“The cliché answer is “fireworks.” I like to put on a show. I tell the fans I’m a boxer first, but really I’m an entertainer. My fighting style is pretty entertaining as I go for the kill when it presents itself. As long as I can stay smart and do the things we’ve been working on in training camp, I should be able to get this guy out of there.”

Only time will tell if Griffiths ascends to the top of the boxing world, but one thing is for sure, he has the warm personality and an action-packed boxing style that can see him reach the mountaintop. The only thing left is to prove it in the ring, and on Saturday night, he has another opportunity to do so.

Abraham Gonzalez

Abraham Gonzalez is a 2x award-winning writer, International Boxing Hall of Fame voter, founder and publisher of FightsATW. His journalistic work has been published and used across several platforms, including online, network TV, and promotional companies. He is an alumnus of an American Public University and a full member of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA). Abraham was the Managing Editor for NYFights, Big Fight Weekend, and contributed to The Ring Magazine, FanSidedMMA, and ProBoxTV.

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