The grind never ends for boxing ring announcer David Diamante

“The Fight Starts Now!”

And with that phrase, the crowd goes nuts.

It’s as powerful a jolt to the boxing faithful, on par with Michael Buffer’s “Let’s Get Ready To Rumble!”

That catchphrase belongs to Baltimore-born, 20-year Brooklyn resident David Diamante. He plied his craft last Saturday night at the fights at the Hulu Theater in Madison Square Garden and seen on DAZN streaming service.

Brooklyn’s Amanda Serrano, owning the WBC, WBO and IBF featherweight titles, added the WBA strap with her 10-round win over the now ex-champ Erika Cruz. She is now a unified champion and will have a rematch with the undisputed lightweight champ Katie Taylor on May 20 in Ireland. Last year’s bout, an exciting split-decision win for Taylor, in Madison Square Garden, was a definite Fight-of-the-Year candidate.

Also, Alycia Baumgardner decisioned Elhem Mekhaled in ten for the unified junior lightweight crown.

Diamante, 51, had a busy night calling nine bouts on the card and then after his work in the ring, he left to host the grand opening of his new bar, Diamante’s, less than a block from the Garden on Eighth Avenue.

Yes, Diamante keeps busy for a man who nearly died just fourteen months ago.

On December 20, 2021, Diamante lost control of his motorcycle under the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and slid about a city block before hitting a van. The damage was extensive and frightening.

“I broke my spine in four places,” noted Diamante. “I broke most of my ribs, had a hole in my knee and broke my back.”

Anything else?

“I had to learn how to walk again,” declared Diamante as his injuries almost severed his spine.

Yet, 52 days after the accident, he was on a plane going back to work. He was headed to Atlanta to shoot his role in the upcoming movie “Creed III” which premieres March 3.

Unbelievably, Diamante made 75 trips around the world in 2022. Besides working in the US, he traveled to such countries as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Spain, Italy and many trips to England.

Diamante works through the pain.

“Every day, brother,” he said. “The pain is real.”

But why keep doing it?

“I love what I do,” he stated. “It’s a blessing. I never knew it would come to this [doing] a Rocky movie and being inducted into the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (in April).”

He also was the Brooklyn Nets house announcer for six years.

“I’ve been in the game twenty years, and I started doing shows for free at the [Golden] Gloves. I did my first HBO show in Manhattan Center so long ago,” he remembered.

The day before the weigh in at the press conference, Diamante had nothing to do. His day would start on Saturday.

“Just shaking hands and kissing babies,” he sighed.

He strikes an imposing bespectacled figure, standing six-foot-three, nattily attired with stylish shapo, sporting a neat and thick beard with his signature dreadlocks reaching down to his calves.

Think Medusa only longer, tamer and cooler.

Fight night is different, is hectic. He always hopes for a crowd with energy.

“You’re only as good as your crowd,” he said with a laugh.

During the fights, his dreads were neatly coiled on top of his head and his catch phrase, before the Serrano-Cruz battle, sent the sellout crowd into a frenzy.

All in a night’s work.

Diamante always loved announcing though he didn’t have a mentor.

“Not a lot of mentors out there because it’s a very niche business,” he states though he’s known Michael Buffer a long time. “I’ve had mentors in my life, but not ring announcers.”

He does have a personal best announcer.

“My favorite was always Ed Derian,” he acknowledged. “Just loved him in his tuxedo, carnation and diamond ring.”

Maybe that’s why Diamante pays homage as he announces the fighter’s last name twice – just like Derian.

After his hosting, it’s back on the road announcing gigs from here to Timbuktu, doing his podcast (“Matchroom Radio with David Diamante”) and don’t forget the bouts across the pond.

Diamante’s done so many over there – he works exclusively for Matchroom Boxing and DAZN – that he has, as he puts it, “a small flat in England.”

Spoken like a true Brit … by way of Kings County.