Joseph Diaz would love to manhandle Devin Haney
On July 9, former super featherweight world champion Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz (31-1-1, 15 KO’s) will face Javier Fortuna (36-2-1, 25 KO’s). When he does so, Diaz will be staging his first fight within the lightweight division. Jo Jo feels as though the jump in weight will benefit him in the ring come fight night. In fact, even though he is moving up, Diaz believes that he will first brutalize then stop Fortuna before twelve. He had this and much more to say in a recent Fight Hype interview.
“I made sure that my body filled out at 135 pounds, gained a little more strength and gained a little more muscle but my endurance and my conditioning is A-1, man! I’m just excited, I got all the energy in the world and I can’t wait to show out Friday.
. . . this is not an easy challenge that I am accepting. I mean I am going out there and facing a guy that a lot of their favorite fighters are ducking and fearing. This guy is the boogey man and I am going up to challenge him at 135-pounds, his weight, and I am planning on going out there and stopping him. I had a great, great training camp and I’m really ready to go out there and make a statement.”
NEXT AT BAT
Clearly Diaz believes that he is going to put the hurt on Fortuna and walk away the victor. Provided that is his fated future, following Fortuna he already knows who he’d love to dance with next. In a perfect world, Jo Jo would next chuck knuckles with WBC World lightweight champion Devin “The Dream ” Haney (26-0, 15 KO’s).
“I want Devin Haney next! I want Devin Haney next especially because we are fighting for the WBC interim [legitimate] title. And Devin Haney, he’s at his prime right now and I am at my prime. I’m 28 years old and I feel like I’m in my prime . . . Devin Haney was saying, ‘Jo Jo Diaz was a bum,’ I guess because he had seen all the interviews. Don’t get me wrong, he is a good fighter. I just speak nothing but truth and facts. Devin Haney is one hell of a fighter but he hasn’t beaten anybody to be a top, top number one fighter at 135-pounds!”
Yet, before Diaz can get too lost in fantasy dreaming about The Dream, he must first take care of business with Fortuna. So, granted he gets past Fortuna in one piece, it will be interesting to see what his second move in the division will be.
By: Bakari Simpson
