Joseph Diaz


Joseph "JoJo" Pedroza Diaz Jr. is an American professional boxer. He has held the IBF super featherweight title since January and challenged once for the WBC featherweight title in 2018. At regional level, he held the WBC-NABF, and WBO-NABO featherweight titles between 2015 and 2018. As an amateur he competed at the 2012 Olympics as a bantamweight.

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

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 February 2, 2013, Diaz would go on to fight Jose Ruiz of Puerto Rico and win by technical knockout.
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 has since successfully defended his title twice against Jayson Velez and Victor Proa.

Professional boxing record

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