Tom Boric 1982, 1983, 1984; 1983 (id)

Tom Boric was born May 11th, 1961 in Croatia, Yugoslavia, and grew up wanting to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a soccer player.

When he was 13 years old the family emigrated from Croatia to Canada, settling down in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Tom got a full soccer scholarship to Old Dominion Universiy in Norfolk, Virginia. Tom's pre-NASL career included two years at amateur level in his native Winnipeg, before attending Old Dominion, where he was honored with All-Star selection.

Tom got drafted to play goalkeeper for the recently formed Calgary Boomers, but never appeared in a first team game. Rehabilitation from shoulder surgery prevented him from joining the Rowdies after the 1981 Boomers dispersal draft, but did join prior to the 1982 outdoor season.

Made his official NASL debut on April 24th 1982 against the Toronto Blizzard, allowing only one regulation goal, but losing 1-2 in overtime. He played a total of five games in '82 and appeared to be on his way, before tearing the medial collateral ligament of his right knee against the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers.

He spent five months in rehabilitation, only to sprain it during an indoor match. Two more months of rehab followed, before going the distance in 1983, Tommy shared action with Jurgen Stars, playing nine games and registering a 2.62 GAA. Had good games against Team America, Golden Bay Earthquakes, Tulsa Roughnecks and the Strikers, yielding only one goal in each game. was released at the end of the 1983 season, but was re-signed by coach Rodney Marsh prior to the start of the 1984 outdoor season, but only saw action in one game against the Chicago Sting, June 3rd, in a 2-3 loss.

After his professional soccer career ended, he began training for a professional wrestling career at a Tampa Bay wrestling school run by Boris Malenko along with his two sons Joe Malenko and Dean Malenko who all had a hand in training him. After training, Tom Boric began wrestling as Paul Diamond in 1985.

Tom also wrestled for the Texas Wrestling Alliance under the name of Venum (mistakenly listed as ”Venom” in places) , holding the TWA title twice and also being involved in Shawn Michaels return to wrestling after a 1998 back injury that was thought to have put a permanent end to his wrestling career. When TWA and the wrestling academy closed, Tom and his family (wife Lisa and two kids) moved from Tampa to Winnipeg where he opened up a wrestling school called "Paul Diamond Hard Knocks Pro Wrestling Academy". Tom semi-retired from active competition in 2001 to focus on the wrestling academy; his only active involvement in recent years has been Rocket City Wrestling in Huntsville, Alabama, wrestling sometimes twice, as Diamond and as Max Moon while also being involved in the booking.