Joseph Diaz talks cut and rematch with Tevin Farmer!
When super featherweight Joseph “JoJo” Diaz (31-1, 15 KO’s) stepped into ring with Tevin “The American Dream” Farmer (30-5-1, 6 KO’s), he was painfully aware it was a do-or-die situation.
He was challenging Farmer for his IBF belt in his third title attempt.
The first he lost to on the cards to “Mr.” Gary Russell Jr (30-1, 18 KO’s) and the second time, when facing Jesus Rojas, he lost the chance to claim the belt on the scales.
As they say though, the third time proved to be the charm! Yet, in true Hollywood fashion, his impressive win did come with its share of adversity and hardships.
BAD GASH BLUES!
Right at the very beginning of the fight, in the second round, an accidental head-butt opened up an absolutely horrible cut over JoJo’s left eye. The gaping wound was so bad that almost all who saw it immediately assumed that the bout would be stopped in short order.
Thankfully for Diaz, his cut man and the universe were in his corner. Despite the grotesque severity of the ailment, outside of optics, the cut never played a major role in the fight.
In an exclusive interview conducted with SecondsOut, JoJo went into further detail regarding his mind-state after suffering the potential fight-ending laceration.
“Unfortunately I got a massive damn cut in the second round! I didn’t want to pay any mind to it.
“I knew that it was really, really bad, so I had to make little minor adjustments in there trying to avoid his hooks, avoid his jabs to the face so it won’t open up as much.
But I still stuck to the game plan, just being very aggressive, attacking very smart, dictating to the body and just breaking him down and you could tell right away I was hurting Tevin Farmer with some good combination whenever I would land some body shots.
“I would land a couple on top and ended up getting the victory and now I am champ of the world babe!”
MUCH RESPECT WAS SHOWN
After both out-working Farmer, and landing the harder shots, Diaz was awarded the IBF super featherweight title. Prior to the fight, regardless of who was victorious, JoJo expressed his desire that the winner would get their proper acknowledgement in the ring.
In the end, his wish was granted.
Once presented with the much coveted world title, he did not skimp on the praise that he extended to the former champion. Likewise, the American Dream repeatedly lavished accolades upon the new champion, called him a hell of a fighter and insisted that he had earned everything that had come his way.
However, there is little doubt that, at least on Farmer’s part, a great deal of his taking the loss in such commendable stride was knowing that he had an immediate rematch clause in place.
“In the contract that I signed with Tevin Farmer, there was a rematch clause, but we’re going to play it by ear.
“If Tevin Farmer wants to rematch, I’ll be more than happy to give it to him. I think the rematch is going to happen within six months.
“That was in the contract, so I just want to make sure my eye is good; everything is good.
I want to make sure that going into the title fight again, I’m going to be the A-side so I want to make sure that I am 110%.
“I’m not going to rush anything, I am going to take my time, make sure that I’m fully well prepare, fully healthy, so I can beat his ass again!”
By: Bakari Simpson
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