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LOS ANGELES — Joseph Diaz Jr. recently secured the WBC interim lightweight title by scoring a unanimous decision win over Javier Fortuna.
It was an opportunity originally pegged for fellow Golden Boy stablemate Ryan Garcia, who was supposed to fight Fortuna but ultimately pulled out due to mental health issues. Diaz ended up seizing the opportunity.
All roads were ultimately supposed to lead to WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney, and Diaz (32-1-1, 15 KOs) is now in the driver’s seat.
ESPN reports that Garcia is back in training and Diaz is the fight he wants next.
“I think both [Garcia and Haney] are fights that could be made. I think me and Ryan Garcia, we are from the same promotion. I think that fight is really, really, likely to happen. Ryan Garcia would be wanting the opportunity because it’s such a big fight here in LA. I think we can make that happen. Also the Devin Haney fight. Whatever person agrees to fight me next, I’m with it,” Diaz said.
“If Devin wants to play games and wait, and fight somebody else first before the mandatory, then I’ll fight Ryan … Ryan Garcia is one hell of a fighter. He’s all about bringing the fight fans and the fights to LA. I feel that this fight is such a big fight, it’s going to happen sooner or later.”
Diaz said he would like to fight once more by November either at lightweight or junior lightweight.
“I felt very comfortable at 135. The punches weren’t too bad. I messed up my hand [against Fortuna] in the seventh round with a left hand on top but I was still able to control and dictate the pace. I felt good,” he said. “I feel that I can compete at both 130 and 135. Just depending on if the opportunity is right. I only want the big fights at 130 if I am going to have to go back down. I would want Jamel Herring or Oscar Valdez. Those are the fights I want at 130.”
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, via email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com or on www.ManoukAkopyan.com