Next up, Haney-Diaz clash in another key fight in the red-hot lightweight division

Plus notes: Smith Jr. defense set; Trinidad-Vargas anniversary; another U.S. Olympian going pro; Quick hits; Show and tell

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Australia’s George Kambosos Jr. shook up the lightweight division last Saturday when he shockingly toppled Teofimo Lopez by split decision in a fight of the year contender to take the unified world title.

One week later, the unbeaten Kambosos plans to be ringside with interest in next facing the winner of another highly significant fight in the division as WBC titlist Devin Haney will make his fourth defense when he squares off with interim titleholder Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. on Saturday (DAZN, 8 p.m. ET) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Haney, the heavy favorite, lives in Las Vegas and is exited to return to a venue that has hosted dozens of huge fights through the years.

He has not boxed there since his fifth professional fight, when he won a four-round decision in a deep preliminary bout on the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley Jr. III undercard.

“This is a dream come true to be living in Las Vegas and headlining the MGM Grand,” Haney said. “I never thought that it would come this fast, but it’s here and now it’s time for me to really perform at this great arena and show that I am here to stay.

“It’s going to be great to be back in front of fans in full force. There might not be anywhere better than the MGM Grand for a big fight. I’m so excited for this. I know what I am up against, and I am ready for it and the fans should be too.”

Haney (26-0, 15 KOs), 23, is coming off a unanimous decision win over former titlist Jorge Linares on May 29 down the road at Mandalay Bay, but he is facing a fresher fighter in Diaz, who wound up taking the fight after going back-and-forth with Haney on social media after Diaz’s original opponent for a fall fight, Ryan Garcia, withdrew due to a hand injury and subsequent surgery.

“JoJo is a good fighter. He’s going to come to fight; we know that,” Haney said. “He’s going to bring his best, I’m bringing mine. So, the best man will win — and that will be me. You can talk about size and heart, but I just feel that I am a better fighter than him and skills pay the bills.

“Everybody says, ‘I’m gonna bang Devin out.’ I’ve been seeing that my whole life. Did I get this far by letting people rough me up or bang me out? Come on. I can do everything, so you can do whatever you want. It’s not going to work. I don’t know how you beat me; I can’t tell you.”

Diaz (32-1-1, 15 KOs), 29, a southpaw from Downey, California, upset Tevin Farmer to win a junior lightweight world title in January 2020 but he was stripped for being overweight the day before what was supposed to be his first defense against Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov in February. The fight went ahead anyway and they fought to a disappointing draw.

Diaz then moved up to lightweight and won a unanimous decision over perennial contender Javier Fortuna to claim the vacant interim belt on July 9. Diaz is highly confident going into the fight with Haney.

“Experience will be a key factor in my victory, but my power, speed and boxing ability are important too and I think that they are being underestimated,” Diaz said. “I’m a 2012 Olympian, I’ve been a world champion, I’ve boxed great fighters and I’ve paid my dues to get here. I’m here for a reason and from my hard work, and that’s going to be the difference.

“Devin is an elusive and smart defensive fighter, but I don’t feel he has the experience that I have. He has good range, and he uses his jab to keep on the outside, but it’s nothing I haven’t seen before. I’ve seen multiple styles in the ring and whatever he brings, I’ll adapt. I feel that he’s the kind of guy that doesn’t have confidence in himself and he needs people around him to boost, build and gain his confidence. Me – I am self-confident, self-motivated, I know what I am doing and what I am capable of, and I am going to get him out of there.”

Joe Smith return official

Joe Smith Jr. will make the first defense of his WBO light heavyweight title against Callum Johnson on Jan. 15 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York, as Top Rank kicks off its 2022 ESPN schedule, Smith co-promoters Top Rank and Star Boxing announced on Thursday.

Smith was supposed to face mandatory challenger Umar Salamov on Oct. 30 at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, but the fight was postponed when Smith came down with Covid-19. Then Salamov was forced out of a rescheduled fight due to visa issues.

In his second shot at a world title, Smith (27-3, 21 KOs), 32, of Mastic, New York, eked out a majority decision over Russia’s Maxim Vlasov in an action-packed battle on April 10.

“I am glad to be getting back into the ring as quickly as I am to defend my WBO world championship after having Covid,” Smith said. “It is not the fight the fans or I expected, but this will be an explosive fight between two huge punchers. I look forward to facing Johnson and defending my belt in front of my fans, as well as putting on a great show for the ones watching at home.”

Johnson (20-1, 14 KOs), 36, of England, has won three fights in a row since a memorable slugfest challenging Artur Beterbiev in a world title fight in October 2018 in Chicago. Johnson knocked Beterbiev down and had him in major trouble before Beterbiev rallied for a fourth-round knockout win.

“Joe is a good world champion, and we’re both big punchers,” said Johnson, who fought at Turning Stone in 2019 when he knocked out Seanie Monaghan in the third round on the undercard of Smith’s loss to Dmitry Bivol in his first title shot. “I’m looking forward to it as much as I’m sure he will be. I also would like to thank (promoter) Frank Warren and the team at Queensberry, who said they would deliver me a world title shot. They’ve done their job, and now it’s time for me to do my job in the ring and become the new WBO light heavyweight champion.”

In a 10-round featherweight bout that will open the telecast (ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+, 9:30 p.m. ET), Abraham Nova (20-0, 14 KOs), 27, of Albany, New York, will have his second fight since missing more than a year due to a torn Achilles tendon. He will face Jose Enrique Vivas (21-1, 11 KOs), 27, of Mexico.

Top Rank also announced that several of its prospects will appear on the ESPN+ exclusive portion of the undercard in six-rounders against opponents to be determined.

Leading the way is Cincinnati featherweight Duke Ragan (4-0, 1 KO), who claimed a silver medal at this past summer’s Tokyo Olympics but had his September pro return delayed by a left elbow injury.

Also in action will be Long Island, New York, welterweight Jahi Tucker (5-0, 2 KOs), Puerto Rican junior welterweight Omar Rosario (5-0, 2 KOs) and Albany, New York, junior welterweight Kasir Goldston (4-0, 1 KOs).

Trinidad-Vargas anniversary

A couple of months ago, The Ring magazine produced a special edition commemorating the great career of Puerto Rican icon Felix Trinidad, the Hall of Fame former three-division champion. The issue has stories about various chapters of his career and I was tasked with writing the piece on his blistering three-fight run at junior middleweight, where he did major damage over nine months in 2000 and unified titles before moving up to middleweight.

The story was in the print edition as well as digitally for paid subscribers on the RingTV website. But since Thursday was the 21st anniversary of the epic Trinidad-Fernando Vargas junior middleweight unification fight at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, which I covered for USA Today, the story is now available for free on the website. Please read the piece here: https://www.ringtv.com/631388-felix-trinidad-war-at-154/

Oshae Jones going pro

Split-T Management’s David McWater announced that he has signed 2020 U.S. Olympic bronze medalist Oshae Jones, who is going pro. Jones, 23, a welterweight from Toledo, Ohio, began boxing at age of 12 and was 60-9 during her amateur career.

“She is one of the most decorated amateur boxers, and we feel she will be recognized as one of the top boxers in the world in a very short time,” said McWater, who also manages her brother, lightweight Otha Jones III.

Jones and McWater have known each other for years and she is anxious to get her pro career going.

“I have known David McWater ever since I was in the amateurs, and I trust him like a godfather,” Jones said. “I know he is the only one that can get me in the right direction to get me the best opportunities and eventually win a world championship.

“Being able to represent my country in the Olympics really hit home for me because when I came home and realized all of these little girls started to look up to me. When I was younger, I wanted a female role model. I became the person that I always wanted. To see these little girls yelling my name at the parade made me realize that I accomplished something big. I showed that you can dress up and show your feminine side, yet still be a world class athlete. It's going to be a hard transition, but I can already feel and see myself maturing and perfecting the pro style.”

Quick hits

Sad news to report: Hall of Fame former four-division world titlist Erik Morales announced on social media on Wednesday that his son, Fernando Morales, has died. No cause of death was announced. “I Love you. May God take care of you and have you in his glory. My little boy was only 23 years old.” Morales wrote.

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Undisputed junior welterweight champion Josh Taylor (18-0, 13 KOs), of Scotland, and mandatory challenger Jack Catterall (26-0, 13 KOs), of England, who meet Feb. 26 (ESPN+ in the U.S., Sky Sports in the U.K.) at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland, will promote the fight on a two-city media tour next week. They will appear at the Royal Scots Club in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Tuesday, and the Sports Direct Flagship store on Wednesday in London. They will be accompanied by their trainers, Ben Davison (Taylor) and Nigel Travis (Catterall). The fight will be the first for Taylor since he outpointed Jose Ramirez to unify the four major belts on May 22 in Las Vegas.

Show and tell

As mentioned above, Thursday was the 21st anniversary of the all-time great junior middleweight title unification fight between Felix Trinidad and Fernando Vargas, which took place on Dec. 21, 2000. It was an intensely anticipated fight between undefeated and exciting stars and they delivered everything fans could have hoped for. It was also the culmination of Trinidad’s three-fight run at 154 pounds, where he battered David Reid in a decision win to take his world title, stopped tough mandatory challenger Mamadou Thiam in the third round and then went war with Vargas in a fight that featured non-stop action and six knockdowns. Trinidad was down once and Vargas was down five times before Trinidad stopped him in the 12th round to unify titles in what I (and many) consider the best 154-pound world title fight in history. Here are two items from the fight in my collection, a program and my ringside credential.   

Haney-Diaz photo: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom Boxing

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