That was quick.
News broke yesterday that WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney had agreed to meet Joseph Diaz Jr. on December 4th, and now its official. The two will face off atop a DAZN card at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.
The undercard will be revealed “shortly.”
Haney (26-0, 15 KO) fights for the second time this year, having shaken off a near-knockdown to beat Jorge Linares in May. Diaz (32-1-1, 15 KO) started 2021 by losing his featherweight title on the scale ahead of a draw with Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov, but bounced back by successfully replacing Ryan Garcia against Javier Fortuna in July. He was supposed to fight Garcia later this month, but “Kingry” injured his right hand.
A convoluted road to be sure, but one that’s ended in a quality matchup between genuinely elite 135ers.
“I was born to be great, so these are the moments I get up for,” said Haney. “I learned a lot from my last fight it made me a more dangerous fighter. You guys can expect a ton of excitement and explosion in this fight!”
“I’m always daring to be great, that’s what I want to be known for during my career: taking on the toughest challenges,” said Joseph “JoJo” Diaz, Jr., WBC Interim Lightweight World Champion. “I know I will rise to the occasion and showcase to the world the kind of fighter I am on December 4th. I am going to give Haney the ass whooping he deserves.”