Isaac Dogboe to fight Christopher Diaz with possible title implications
Former WBO junior featherweight champion Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe (22-2, 15ko) and featherweight title contender Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz (26-3, 16ko) are ready to lock horns on November 20. Both fighters have been dropping hints of them having an upcoming fight on social media. According to BoxingAfrica, the two are set to step into the squared circle on the undercard of the WBO welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford and “Showtime” Shawn Porter showdown. Both combatants have a common motivation point in WBO featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete.
DOGBOE CHASING REVENGE
Royal Storm was riding the high wave after dethroning then-undefeated WBO junior featherweight champion Jessie Magdaleno back in 2018. He even signed to Top Rank and was looking at a bright future, until unknown Navarrete took all of that away.
Dogboe would suffer his only two career defeats at the hands of Navarrete. That forced him to step away from the sport for over one year. He has since moved up to featherweight, claiming two victories in the new division. His last fight was a tough majority decision win against Adam Lopez.
Royal Storm is ranked #9, #10, and #4 by the WBC, IBF, and WBO, respectively. A victory against Diaz is vital if he wants to keep chasing a hopeful revenge fight with Navarrete.
DIAZ FIGHTING TO REMAIN RELEVANT
Pitufo is in a different boat altogether. He is a two-divisional championship contender that first made a name for himself in the junior lightweight division. In 2018, he challenged Masayuki Ito for the WBO title in a losing effort via unanimous decision.
In 2019, he moved down to featherweight and would suffer his second career defeat to former WBO featherweight champion Shakur Stevenson. Diaz would pick up two victories before challenging the WBO champion on April 24. In an all-out war that left fans on their feet, the Puerto Rican fighter was stopped in the final round.
Diaz has seen a drop in the rankings, holding down the #11 spot with the WBO. He needs a victory if he wants to remain relevant in the division.
NAVARRETE IS THE PRIZE
Both men want revenge against the WBO champion, and a victory brings one fighter closer to achieving their goal while sending the other into a downward spiral that will make recovery hard.
There has been no official announcement yet. However, if the fight gets made, it will be a fan-friendly affair. Dogboe and Diaz will go to war in pursuit of keeping their quest for a championship and revenge against the man that squashed it all.
By: Garrisson Bland
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