Joseph Diaz


Joseph "JoJo" Pedroza Diaz Jr. is a Mexican-American professional boxer who held the International Boxing Federation super featherweight title from 2020 to 2021.

Early life and education

Joseph is of Mexican descent. He attended Kranz Intermediate at the age of 12–14. He is left-handed and fights southpaw. As a child he played baseball but took up boxing to learn self-defense. He is coached by his father. He attended South El Monte High School.

Amateur career

Prior to the Olympic Trials, he was the two-time reigning national champion at bantamweight that included a win over Antonio Nieves. Diaz became the first American boxer to qualify for the 2012 Olympics by becoming a quarter-finalist at the 2011 World Championships, where he defeated both 2004 Olympic silver medalist Worapoj Petchkoom of Thailand and former world championship bronze medalist Óscar Valdez of Mexico but lost to Lázaro Álvarez. Díaz was the 2011 U.S. National Champion at featherweight at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He fought in the 2010-11 World Series of Boxing
At the 2012 Summer Olympics he beat Pavlo Ishchenko, but ran into Alvarez in his second fight and lost again.

World Series of Boxing record

Professional career

Featherweight

Diaz made his professional debut in 2012 against Vincent Alfaro, winning by unanimous decision over four rounds and also scored a knockdown in the fourth. On May 9, 2015, Diaz defeated Giovanni Delgado via unanimous decision on the undercard of the Canelo Álvarez vs James Kirkland fight. He stepped up competition against veteran Rene Alvarado in a fight televised on HBO Latino in July 2015 and on December 18, Diaz Jr. defeated Hugo Partida and earned the WBC-NABF featherweight title. He went on to defend the title multiple times, before challenging Gary Russell Jr. for the WBC featherweight title on May 19, 2018, at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Diaz was unsuccessful, losing a unanimous decision to scores of 117–111, 117–111, 115–113.

Super featherweight

On January 30, 2020, Diaz defeated IBF super featherweight champion Tevin Farmer by unanimous decision with scores of 115–113, 115–113, and 116–112 to claim his first world title. After the fight, Diaz praised his opponent, saying "Tevin Farmer is a hell of a fighter, guys. I thank him for giving me this opportunity."
Diaz's first defense of his IBF super featherweight title was scheduled for February 13, 2021 against Shavkat Rakhimov. However, he was stripped of the title when he missed weight, weighing 3.6 lbs over the 130 lb limit. As a result, the fight still went ahead, but Diaz was fined $100,000 for missing weight, which represented 20% of his purse. The money was split evenly between Rakhimov and the California State Athletic Commission. They fought to a majority draw, with scores of 115–113 Diaz, 114–114, 114–114.

Lightweight

Diaz vs. Fortuna

Following his draw with Shavkat Rakhimov, Diaz moved up to the lightweight division which he promised would be his best weight, where he fought Javier Fortuna for the vacant WBC interim lightweight title on July 9, 2021. Diaz was docked a point in the fourth round for hitting behind the head, but nonetheless emerged as the victor via unanimous decision, with scores of 117–110, 116–111 and 115–112.

Diaz vs. Haney

On October 8, 2021, it was announced that Diaz would be defending his WBC interim lightweight title against its previous owner, undefeated Ryan García, in Los Angeles on November 27. However, on October 15, Mike Coppinger of ESPN revealed that García had suffered a hand injury and that the fight would be postponed. This led to back and forth on social media between Diaz and Devin Haney, the full WBC lightweight champion, culminating in an official announcement on November 3 that Diaz would now be challenging for Haney's full world title on December 4, instead of defending his interim title against García.

Super Lightweight

February 15, 2024 in Commerce, California, Diaz was scheduled to face Jesus Antonio Perez Campos at super lightweight. He lost the fight by split decision.
On April 27, 2024 in Fresno, California, Diaz faced Oscar Duarte in a 10-round bout. He lost by knockout in the ninth round, suffering the first stoppage defeat of his professional career.
Diaz sustained a third straight loss when he was defeated via split decision by Abraham Montoya at Osceola Heritage Park, Kissimmee, Florida, on November 9, 2024.
He lost again in his next fight, suffering a unanimous decision defeat to Regis Prograis at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago on August 2, 2025.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
42Loss33–8–1Regis PrograisUD10Aug 2, 2025Credit Union 1 Arena, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
41LossAbraham MontoyaSD10Nov 9, 2024Osceola Heritage Park, Kissimmee, Florida U.S.
40Loss33–6–1Oscar DuarteKO9, 2:32Apr 27, 2024Save Mart Arena, Fresno, California, U.S.
39Loss33–5–1Jesus Antonio Perez CamposSD10Feb 15, 2024Commerce Casino, Commerce, California, U.S.
38Win33–4–1Jerry PerezUD10Jul 8, 2023AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
37Loss32–4–1Mercito GestaSD10Mar 18, 2023Walter Pyramid, Long Beach, California, U.S.
36Loss32–3–1William ZepedaUD12Oct 29, 2022Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, California, U.S.
35Loss32–2–1Devin HaneyUD12Dec 4, 2021MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.For WBC lightweight title
34Win32–1–1Javier FortunaUD12Jul 9, 2021Banc of California Stadium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.Won vacant WBC interim lightweight title
33Draw31–1–1Shavkat RakhimovMD12Feb 13, 2021Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S.
32Win31–1Tevin FarmerUD12Jan 30, 2020Meridian at Island Gardens, Miami, Florida, U.S.Won IBF super featherweight title
31Win30–1Jesus Cuadro12Sep 21, 2019Auditorio del Estado, Mexicali, Mexico
30Win29–1Freddy FonsecaTKO7, 2:07May 4, 2019T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.Won vacant WBA Gold super featherweight title
29Win28–1Charles HuertaUD10Feb 9, 2019Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S.
28Win27–1Jesús RojasUD12Aug 11, 2018The Avalon, Hollywood, California, U.S.
27Loss26–1Gary Russell Jr.UD12May 19, 2018MGM National Harbor, Oxon Hill, Maryland, U.S.For WBC featherweight title
26Win26–0Victor TerrazasKO3, 3:00Feb 22, 2018Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S.Retained WBC-NABF, and WBO-NABO featherweight titles
25Win25–0Rafael RiveraUD12Sep 16, 2017T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.Retained WBO-NABO featherweight title
24Win24–0Manuel ÁvilaUD10May 6, 2017T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.Retained WBC-NABF featherweight title;
Won WBO-NABO featherweight title
23Win23–0Horacio GarcíaUD10Dec 17, 2016The Forum, Inglewood, California, U.S.Retained WBC-NABF featherweight title
22Win22–0Andrew CancioTKO9, 2:27Sep 17, 2016AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, U.S.Retained WBC-NABF featherweight title
21Win21–0Victor ProaKO2, 1:07Jul 30, 2016Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S.Retained WBC-NABF featherweight title
20Win20–0Jayson VélezUD10Apr 23, 2016Oracle Arena, Oakland, California, U.S.Retained WBC-NABF featherweight title
19Win19–0Hugo PartidaTKO2, 1:32Dec 18, 2015Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S.Won vacant WBC-NABF featherweight title
18Win18–0Ruben TamayoUD10Oct 23, 2015Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S.
17Win17–0Rene AlvaradoUD10Jul 11, 2015Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
16Win16–0Giovanni DelgadoUD10May 9, 2015Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas, U.S.
15Win15–0Juan Luis HernandezTKO3, 3:00Mar 6, 2015Belasco Theater, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
14Win14–0Jose Angel BeranzaUD10Dec 8, 2014Cowboys Dance Hall, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
13Win13–0Roberto Castaneda4, 3:00Nov 13, 2014Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S.
12Win12–0Raul HidalgoTKO7, 2:13Sep 29, 2014State Farm Arena, Hidalgo, Texas, U.S.
11Win11–0Ramiro RoblesUD10Jul 9, 2014Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
10Win10–0Luis MaldonadoUD6Apr 26, 2014StubHub Center, Carson, California, U.S.
9Win9–0Joivany FuentesTKO5, 2:59Mar 8, 2014MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
8Win8–0Carlos RodriguezTKO7, 1:13Dec 13, 2013Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S
7Win7–0Noel MendozaKO3, 1:54Aug 24, 2013StubHub Center, Carson, California, U.S.
6Win6–0Luis Cosme1, 2:09Jul 20, 2013Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S.
5Win5–0Rigoberto Casillas3, 3:00Jun 8, 2013Home Depot Center, Carson, California, U.S.
4Win4–0Eric GotayTKO3, 2:13May 3, 2013Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
3Win3–0Alberto CupidoUD6Mar 16, 2013Grand Oasis, Cancún, Mexico
2Win2–0Jose Ruiz2, 2:03Feb 2, 2013Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
1Win1–0Vicente Afaro Martinez4Dec 15, 2012Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California, U.S.