JoJo Diaz v. Shavkat Rakhimov

JoJo Diaz (31–1, 15 KOs) was the IBF Junior Lightweight World Champion after upsetting Tevin Farmer in 2019. On Friday he weighed 133.6 pounds, 3.6 pounds too heavy to remain the IBF Junior Lightweight World Champion and he was stripped of his title. It was the second time he failed to make weight in a world title fight, according to the television announcers. He fights tonight for the first time since beating Farmer. His only loss was to the frustratingly inactive but brilliant Gary Russell Jr. (32–1, 18 KOs), the longest standing current title holder, defending the WBC Featherweight title since 2015.

Shavkat Rakhimov (15–0, 12 KOs) is from Tajikistan. He is the mandatory challenger for the belt but has fought no one of note. Freddy Roach will be in his corner which indicates he has some money behind him.

JoJo Diaz was never supposed to be here. Shavkat Rakhimov was never supposed to be here. The belt is irrelevant tonight. Tonight, in front of lenses but no crowd, they will press flesh to flesh man to man and fight. The winner will set himself up for a bigger paycheck. The loser will take a pay cut. The stakes are your whole life.

Two tough ass men. Dancing around each other in the first, a typical opening round. In the second Diaz beat Rakhimov up. But Diaz came out for the third with a cut and Rakhimov starts timing him well. They trade. Diaz’s corner starts getting upset with him in between the sixth and seventh round. Boxing loves referring to itself (unironically) as the sweet science. But the best boxing matches are athletic contests which turn into fights. This match has turned into a fight. Freddy Roach tells Shavkat Rakhimov in the corner, before the final round, that JoJo is “not your friend.” He has three minutes to avoid disappearing forever.

It was a fine fight between two excellent fighters. One judge had it for Diaz. Two had it 114–114. It ends in a majority draw. Neither man won.