BoxRec

Ryan Garcia, Joseph Diaz Jr. agree to lightweight bout on Nov. 27 in Los Angeles

Ryan Garcia and Joseph Diaz Jr. have agreed to a deal for a lightweight fight on Nov. 27 in Los Angeles, both boxers told ESPN.

The DAZN main event will be Garcia's first since he withdrew from a July 9 bout with Javier Fortuna to focus on his mental health.

"Since he came out and beat Fortuna I took the opportunity to beat JoJo," said Garcia, who predicted a stoppage win between Rounds 3 and 5. "Now it ends questions if I was scared to fight Fortuna.

"I'm excited to be back; I'm ready to continue my momentum where I left off. I missed the sport of boxing. I missed the ring. I missed sparring."

Garcia (21-0, 18 KOs) delivered a career-best performance in January with a seventh-round TKO of Olympic gold medalist Luke Campbell. The boxer, who is trained by Eddy Reynoso alongside Canelo Alvarez in San Diego, possesses perhaps the fastest hands in boxing.

Now the 23-year-old will prepare to face his first former champion in what figures to be the toughest test of his career.

Diaz (32-1-1, 15 KOs) stepped in to fight Fortuna in July and scored the biggest win of his career in his lightweight debut.

The 2012 Olympian looked stronger and more fit at 135 pounds after struggling to make the 130-pound limit. The 28-year-old was stripped of the title ahead of his February defense vs. Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov; Diaz weighed 133.5 pounds for that matchup.

He won a 130-pound title in January 2020 with a decision victory over Tevin Farmer. The 28-year-old's other title challenge came at 126 pounds against Gary Russell Jr., in 2018. Diaz entered ESPN's 135-pound rankings at No. 7 with the Fortuna win.

"I'm stopping him and ending the hype train once and for all," Diaz said. "I'm gonna take it to him. Everything I've been through in and out the ring will be shown that night. He's finally in with a live dog."

Both fighters are promoted by Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, a company based in Los Angeles. Garcia boasts nearly 9 million followers on Instagram and is a proven box-office draw, having attracted sizable crowds in Southern California and Texas.

Garcia and Diaz are both Mexican-Americans who possess fan-friendly styles.

"L.A. finally has a fight to look forward to," said Garcia, ESPN's No. 5 lightweight. "A real fight with two people from L.A. county."

The fight will go head-to-head with the 122-pound title unification between Stephen Fulton and Brandon Figueroa on Showtime.

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https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/ ... ources-say

Ryan Garcia has resumed training after a sabbatical to address his mental health, and his return fight is already being planned.

That comeback bout could come this fall against Joseph Diaz Jr., multiple sources told ESPN. It will be a clash of Mexican Americans from Southern California. The fight, if finalized, could land at Staples Center in Los Angeles, where the event would undoubtedly be a major draw. The potential matchup is in the discussion stages.

"I'm going to take him to a place he's never been before, physically and mentally," Diaz (32-1-1, 15 KOs) told ESPN. "Ryan Garcia, I feel like he's a very talented fighter but he's never been in the ring with the guys I've been in the ring with: some warriors trying to take your head off, not guys I'm going to put on a highlight reel.

"If this fight doesn't get made, it's not on my end -- it's on theirs."

Both fighters are promoted by Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, a company based in Los Angeles. Garcia boasts nearly 9 million followers on Instagram and is a proven box-office draw, having attracted sizable crowds in Southern California and Texas. The Garcia fight, in particular, would perform well commercially given Diaz's fan-friendly fighting style and his penchant for antagonizing opponents.

Garcia, ESPN's No. 4 lightweight boxer, was scheduled to fight Javier Fortuna on July 9 but withdrew so he could focus on his mental health. The 22-year-old has been open about his experiences with anxiety and depression.

When Garcia (21-0, 18 KOs) pulled out, Diaz immediately lobbied to step in and fight Fortuna, then one of ESPN's top-10 lightweights. Diaz, a former champion at 130 pounds, moved up to 135 for the opportunity and turned in a career-best performance with a unanimous decision victory.

The 2012 Olympian looked stronger and more fit at 135 pounds after struggling to make the 130-pound limit. The 28-year-old was stripped of the title ahead of his February defense vs. Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov; Diaz weighed 133.5 pounds for that matchup.

His other title challenge came at 126 pounds against Gary Russell Jr., in 2018. Russell remains ESPN's top featherweight. Diaz entered ESPN's 135-pound rankings at No. 7 with the Fortuna win.

"He's been fighting guys a lot smaller than him and I feel like with me, he'll have the height advantage, but as far as physical body strength, I might be even stronger," said Diaz, who at 5-foot-6 is 4 inches shorter. "If not, we'll both be the same. He's going to feel my power in there."

A fight between Garcia and Diaz would be the most high-profile of each boxer's career. Garcia, long one of boxing's best prospects with his blend of incredible hand speed and powerful left hook, broke through with a knockout of Olympic gold medalist Luke Campbell in January.

But Garcia has never faced a former champion; never faced a fighter the caliber of Diaz, a southpaw brimming with confidence following his own best victory.

Diaz applies nonstop pressure and has shown tremendous guts, fighting through a nasty gash over his left eye to topple Tevin Farmer for the title in January 2020. Diaz, too, suffered a cut over that left eye this month, but again, the wound didn't seem to affect him.

The cut required three stitches so he won't be available to fight until October.

"I think I'll stop Ryan in the later rounds," Diaz predicted. "My pressure and body shots will be too much for him. He'll be feeling my shots and trying to hold and hug but I think my overwhelmingness will be one of the keys to victory.

"Whatever Ryan Garcia wants to bring to the table -- if he thinks he wants to knock me out or does that pull hook that he does -- it's not going to work. ... Whatever he tries to do inside that ring, I'll be ready."

This would be a seriously great fight. I favour Diaz.

Garcia would boss Jojo.

Very good fight. Diaz looke like he had grown into 135 well. Id favor garcia if it happens, but by a very very thin margin.

hope this happens soon. September would be amazing but ill be happy if its just this year...

A strange option for a protected instagram champion. Or has he and his tean finally decided to take on real challenges? I favor Diaz here and gotta root for him.

I'd favor Garcia, but not sure if he is mentally tough enough. Time will tell.

Does anyone know why Diaz wants to fight Garcia instead of his earned mandatory for Devin Haney's belt?

Bandog wrote: ↑30 Jul 2021, 10:03 Does anyone know why Diaz wants to fight Garcia instead of his earned mandatory for Devin Haney's belt?

I don't think interim champs are mandatories, either way Garcia is more money.

Bandog wrote: ↑30 Jul 2021, 10:03 Does anyone know why Diaz wants to fight Garcia instead of his earned mandatory for Devin Haney's belt?

bigger fight vs similar calibre opponent, though garcia can do bigger damage than haney

btw, you know that diaz said he'd like to fight both guys. using your luis ortiz callout standards, that absolves him of any responsibility for either fight not happening

Onetimeonly wrote: ↑30 Jul 2021, 10:12

Bandog wrote: ↑30 Jul 2021, 10:03 Does anyone know why Diaz wants to fight Garcia instead of his earned mandatory for Devin Haney's belt?

I don't think interim champs are mandatories, either way Garcia is more money.

I was thinking they gave Haney full belt status after they elevated Loma to franchise status? Not that Haney earned it, but just goes to show what a joke it is with the multiple belts. Yes, $$$ talks.

Bandog wrote: ↑31 Jul 2021, 12:34

Onetimeonly wrote: ↑30 Jul 2021, 10:12

Bandog wrote: ↑30 Jul 2021, 10:03 Does anyone know why Diaz wants to fight Garcia instead of his earned mandatory for Devin Haney's belt?

I don't think interim champs are mandatories, either way Garcia is more money.

I was thinking they gave Haney full belt status after they elevated Loma to franchise status? Not that Haney earned it, but just goes to show what a joke it is with the multiple belts. Yes, $$$ talks.

That’s what happened.

Then Garcia vs. Campbell was for interim belt..

“I’m back in October,” Garcia wrote on Instagram. “I’m having fun. Been a long time but it’ll be worth the wait. LA I’m coming to fight.”

Ryan Garcia vs. Joseph Diaz Jr. fight being finalized for Nov/Dec

Joseph ‘Jo Jo’ Diaz Jr. says his management is in the process of finalizing a fight with Ryan Garcia that could be announced by next week. The contest will take place in November or December on DAZN, and it would be a massive fight.

Ryan’s promoters at Golden Boy Promotions recently tipped off boxing fans that he’s going to be fighting the former IBF super featherweight champion ‘Jo Jo’Diaz Jr (32-1-1, 15 KOs) next when they posted this message on Twitter on September 9th:

“Who wants to see this fight!? #GarciaDiaz.”

Ryan Garcia vs. Joseph Diaz Jr. is an interesting match-up. Both guys fought in WBC ordered 135-lb title eliminators recently, and after winning their fights to become WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney’s mandatory challengers, they decided not to fight him.

Once the 2012 U.S Olympian Diaz Jr. realized that he could make more money fighting Ryan Garcia than Haney, he decided he would bypass his title shot.

Some boxing fans think Diaz Jr is afraid of Haney because they don’t understand how a fighter could choose not to take advantage of an opportunity to challenge for a world title after winning a title eliminator. But with Diaz, it’s about the money.

What good is it for him to go after a young champion in Haney, who isn’t widely known when he can make more money fighting Ryan Garcia? The popular King Ryan has 8.7 million followers on Instagram and 1.05 million followers on YouTube.

With that many followers, Ryan is making huge noise against anyone he faces, and that’s a win-win for Jo Jo Diaz.

Ryan Garcia vs. Joseph Diaz Jr. fight being finalized

“Everything is going good. That’s the fight that I want, and I think Ryan Garcia’s camp and Ryan Garcia’s side wants the fight as well,” said Joseph Diaz Jr. to K.O Artists Sports.

“We’re doing everything possible to make the fight happen. We’re in the talks and we’re getting everything finalized.

“So hopefully by the end of this week or next week, we can finally get it finalized and announced,” said Jo Jo Diaz on his huge clash against Ryan Garcia.

“This is my biggest fight to date, and I’m ready to shut this kid up. It’s part of the build-up and it’s just motivating me because I know the experience that I have.

“I know this fight is going to be a big, big fight for both of us. There’s going got be a lot of people watching and I just got to be at my best.

“Just motivating myself and I’ve known Ryan since he came up. Now that we’re in business, it’s a whole different story. I just got to go out there and do my thing and come out on top because I got to show all my experience.

“I think after Ryan’s tenth fight, he said he wanted to fight me too,” said Diaz Jr. “I already knew it was in the works. It was just a matter of when.

“Right now, this is ‘the when’ and we’re going to try and make it happen,” said Jo Jo Diaz Jr. on his possible fight against Ryan Garcia in November or December.

This is a risky fight for Ryan Garcia, as he doesn’t have anywhere near the same experience as Jo Jo Diaz. With that said, Ryan’s devastating punching power and hand speed more than makeup for his lack of experience.

As we saw in Ryan’s recent fight against 2012 Olympic gold medalist Luke Campbell, he’s got the power to take out anyone.

I'm guessing this fight is only about money. Both didn';t want their mandatory for a chance to get a belt from Devin Haney?

Man this would be a thriller. Especially if Jo Jo comes to fight the way he did in his most recent outing.

Devin Haney gets a lot of stick about being an email champ etc, much more than Jermall ever does btw but in his defense, he went the WBC route when Lomachenko was still champ and it was Arum who lobbied for the WBC to make Loma Franchise champ and now we have Garcia and Diaz winning eliminators and knocking back title shots, JoJo Diaz's twitter this morning is pathetic, calling for Honey to petition the WBC to order make the fight when it's him who's the mandatory, clearly like Ry, Diaz doesn't fancy it

Like him or not Haney has made moves to fight Lomachenko, Garcia and Diaz and all have avoided him, I'll give Loma a pass because he opted for Lopez unification but the other 2 jokers...

Ryan Garcia-JoJo Diaz Bout Remains In Discussion; WBC Approves As Final Eliminator

Devin Haney remains on the hunt for his next title defense while the last two opponents he has expected to fight are instead ordered to face each other.

Four mandatory title fights and eliminators were revealed by the World Boxing Council (WBC) as either in progress or due to be ordered. Among the lot is a potential lightweight clash between Ryan Garcia (21-0, 18KOs) and former IBF junior lightweight titlist Joseph Diaz (32-1-1, 15 KOs), with the bout in discussion for weeks and now coming with the WBC’s blessing.

Should the two finalize terms, Diaz-Garcia will come with the WBC interim lightweight title at stake while carrying classification as a final title eliminator. The winner will become the mandatory challenger to Haney’s full title.

However, both fighters have already been in this position as recently as their last respective fights.

Garcia was due to next face Haney following his off-the-canvas, seventh-round knockout of 2012 Olympic Gold medalist and former two-time title challenger Luke Campbell (20-4, 16 KOs). The bout took place January 2 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, with Garcia claiming the WBC interim title.

Haney (25-0, 15 KOs) was in attendance for the event and did not waste any time in calling out the unbeaten contender from Victorville, California. The fight was never formally ordered, however, with Garcia permitted to pursue other opportunities while sitting on his lofty contender spot. Plans were in place for a July 11 clash with Javier Fortuna, only for Garcia to bow out of the fight as he opted to contend with getting his mental health in order.

The fight withdrawal also saw the WBC interim lightweight title become available. Diaz agreed to step in on short notice to face Fortuna, with the belt at stake and the WBC declaring that the winner would become the mandatory challenger.

Diaz—who moved up in weight for the fight after losing his IBF 130-pound belt at the scale ahead of a draw with Shavkat Rakhimov in February—won a twelve-round, unanimous decision and the interim belt along with it. A cut suffered early in the fight prevented a quick turnaround, though suggesting through his ongoing war of words with Haney through social media that he would be ready for a November showdown.

“November we [got a] deal,” Diaz tweeted one day after his win over Fortuna.

“BET,” Haney replied.

“Don’t back pedal,” Diaz demanded on July 15. “I’mma talk to the team this weekend. “Lock that in for this year.”

That promise came and went without any action taken, despite Haney’s continued urging over the past few months and even in recent days.

“You know you’re my mandatory right?” Haney openly questioned Diaz via Twitter on Sunday. “Once you guys write a[n] email to the WBC I have no choice but to fight you, right?”

Diaz’s reply was a clear indication that he had other plans in mind—either that, or no grasp whatsoever on the process behind ordering a mandatory title fight.

“Why doesn’t the champion write that he wants to fight his mandatory,” Diaz openly questioned in a response that did not sit well with Boxing Twitter.

Instead of a Haney-Diaz title fight, rumors surfaced of Diaz and Garcia locked in talks for a fourth quarter showdown which since carries the WBC’s approval. The fight is not yet set, with Diaz himself publicly questioning whether Garcia will accept the challenge.

“It’s no secret I’m in talks to fight JOJO Diaz,” Garcia tweeted Sunday evening. “I don’t know why there is so much discussion?”

“’Cause we don’t know if you’re going to pull out or not,” Diaz replied, though further puzzling as to why he wouldn’t instead take an equally—if not more so—lucrative title fight.

Meanwhile, Haney—who turns 23 in November—remains in search of a next opponent for a fight targeted for

The bout will mark the fourth defense of the title he has held for nearly two years. Haney won the interim title following a fourth-round stoppage of unbeaten Zaur Abdullaev in September 2019 at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater. With the win, Haney expected to next face WBC/WBA/WBO lightweight titlist Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Those plans went up in smoke later that October during the WBC’s annual convention. Lomachenko—through promoter Top Rank—agreed to turn in his WBC belt in exchange for recognition as WBC’s “Franchise” champion. The move resulted in Haney being upgraded to full WBC champ, though the unbeaten lightweight would have much rather preferred to fight—especially versus someone of Lomachenko’s ilk—than to have been handed the belt.

Three successful defenses have since followed for Haney, including a twelve-round win over former three-division titlist Jorge Linares this past May in his adopted Las Vegas hometown.

Other title eliminators and mandatories confirmed by the WBC include: a mandatory title fight between four-division and recently crowned WBC bantamweight champ Nonito Donaire (41-6, 27 KOs) and unbeaten interim titlist Reymart Gaballo (24-0, 20 KOs); a final featherweight eliminator between Eduardo Ramirez and Lerato Diamini; and a mandatory WBC featherweight title fight between long-reigning champion Gary Russell Jr. and Mark Magsayo, who replaces previously named mandatory and former junior featherweight titlist Rey Vargas.

Hearn Frustrated By WBC Ordering Garcia-Diaz, Was Told Haney-Diaz Still Possible

Promoter Eddie Hearn is frustrated by the WBC’s decision to order Joseph Diaz to face Ryan Garcia, but says he has been told in writing that they would be happy for Diaz to face WBC lightweight champion, Devin Haney.

Garcia won a final eliminator for Haney’s belt by beating Luke Campbell in January to become WBC interim-champion, but passed up on the opportunity to face his former amateur rival and instead opted to fight Javier Fortuna.

When Garcia pulled out of a scheduled clash with Fortuna in July, after publicly revealing his struggles with mental health, the WBC sanctioned Diaz to face Fortuna for the vacant interim-title.

The 28-year-old beat him on a unanimous decision in July to put him in line to face Haney as interim-champion.

On Monday, the governing body ordered a final eliminator between Diaz and Garcia, leaving Haney’s promoter frustrated.

“Have you ever known anything more farcical? Where two guys that win final eliminators to fight Devin Haney actually get ordered to fight each other," Hearn told Pro Boxing Fans.

“When Ryan Garcia beat Luke Campbell, Golden Boy asked the WBC, ‘don’t order the fight with Devin Haney, please,’ so they didn’t and they ordered the Javier Fortuna fight.

“Ryan Garcia pulled out. Jo Jo Diaz fought Javier Fortuna and then Golden Boy said to the WBC, ‘don’t order the Jo Jo Diaz-Devin Haney fight,’ so Jo Jo Diaz against Ryan Garcia, what a load of rubbish. It’s just ridiculous. I feel for Devin Haney, because he’s sitting there waiting to take all the big fights.

“Jo Jo Diaz put on an instagram story the other day going, ‘oh, Eddie Hearn, he talks sh!t’. What am I talking sh!t for? You’re the mandatory for Devin Haney and he turns around and he says, ‘why didn’t the champion ask to order it?’ Well I’ve never known a champion ask the governing body to order the mandatory challenger. The mandatory challenger, all he should want is to fight the champion, you’ve just won a final eliminator.

“So, Jo Jo Diaz, Ryan Garcia is not fighting you this year. So what are you going to do? Are you going to take a warm-up fight or something? Fight Devin Haney. He won’t fight Devin Haney, because he knows he’ll get beat, that’s why. It’s ridiculous. What’s the point in having a final eliminator if you’re not going to order that against the champion. Then two guys ducked Devin Haney and then you make them fight each other. It’s a duck off.”

Despite the order, Hearn says he was told by WBC President, Mauricio Sulaiman, that the governing body would be happy to see Haney face Diaz.

“I wrote to Mauricio last night and he said, ‘oh, we’ve ordered Ryan Garcia against Jo Jo Diaz, but by the way we’re more than happy for Devin Haney to fight Jo Jo Diaz.’ So no excuses. Don’t turn around and say, ‘oh, we can’t do that fight now, because the WBC have ordered this.' They’ve put it in writing. They’re happy for Jo Jo Diaz to fight Devin Haney. Make the fight," Hearn said.

I do not think it will be easier than Campbell, for KingRy. JoJo is no slouch and can pack shots in bunches, he is in prime and can take punches.

Oscar De La Hoya Aims To Stage Ryan Garcia vs. Joseph Diaz In LA On DAZN By End Of 2021

Oscar De La Hoya is planning to gift boxing fans the most desirable fight he can make from within his Golden Boy Promotions stable this holiday season.

“I'm working on Ryan Garcia versus JoJo Diaz on DAZN by the end of the year in Los Angeles. Tell me how good is that?” De La Hoya said during an Instagram Live session on Saturday night. “That's the fight I'm trying to work on. Ryan Garcia and JoJo Diaz deserve the best opponents for each other.”

The 23-year-old Garcia (21-0) and the 28-year-old Diaz (32-1-1, 15 KOs) are both mandatory challengers for WBC Lightweight champion Devin Haney (26-0, 15 KOs), but both contenders are only jawing back and forth at each other through social media and interviews rather than seriously pushing for the fight to be made.

Garcia and Diaz are both Southern California-born and bred boxers and a fight between the two Mexican Americans would certainly merit to be staged at Staples Center.

Both fighters have been trading barbs on Twitter all week.

“I can’t wait to beat the sh!t out of Ryan Garcia. He deserves it, no [cap].” said Diaz. “I hope me and Ryan Garcia get this fight finalized this week … My fight versus Ryan better not be considered Boxer verus Tik Toker.”

Garcia said it’s no secret he’s in talks to fight Diaz.

“The hardest thing about this JoJo fight is explaining to people who he is,” said Garcia. “Good thing for Joseph is that after this fight he won’t have to pawn his jewelry anymore.”

Garcia started off the year strong with a resounding knockout of 2012 Olympics gold medalist Luke Campbell. Garcia was dropped in the second round only to recover and finish the fight with a body shot in the seventh.

Garcia was supposed to fight Javier Fortuna in July but pulled out of the bout due to mental health issues.

Diaz instead stepped in to replace Garcia and scored a unanimous decision win over the Dominican. He called out Garcia immediately after the fight, and now, months later, it just may come to fruition.

i think it's a bad matchup for Diaz. volume guy without a real punch vs powerful counterpuncher? hmm. ouch.

Ryan Garcia: I'll Knock Joseph Diaz Out, He Doesn't Have a Good Defense

Unbeaten lightweight star Ryan Garcia is back from his hiatus with a plan.

Garcia is being lined up for a year-end showdown with Joseph "JoJo" Diaz, but his main target is fellow star Gervonta Davis.

The 23-year-old Garcia has been out of the ring since January, when he got off the floor to score a knockout of Olympic gold medal winner Luke Campbell.

Garcia has indicated that he's now in a way better place after taking some time away from the ring to focus on his mental health.

He says the fight with Diaz, who is also promoted by Golden Boy, is "95 percent" done - and he's confident of closing the show early in their fight.

Diaz a former Olympian with a lot of experience, has a solid chin and has never been stopped.

"He's going to get knocked out," Garcia said of Diaz to TMZ Sports. "He's going to get caught with a shot sooner or later, and he doesn't have really that good of a defense."

He hopes a win over Diaz, a former world champion, will catapult him to a collision with Davis - who a few months jumped up to the junior welterweight division and scored a sensational stoppage of unbeaten Mario Barrios.

"I've been chasing that fight for so long. He's always going to be there. I'm hunting him down," Garcia said.

"I'll make [Davis] rich [if he fights me]. And, then I'll continue my great career."

Davis is expected to fight again before the year is over - but at the moment it's clear on whether or not he intends to stay at 140 or plans to drop down to 135.