Devin Haney’s next fight: WBC will defend lightweight title against Joseph Diaz in December

Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. after making a lot of noise trying to get into the ring, WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney is getting his wish. Haney will defend his title against Diaz on December 4th. The pair will meet at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, broadcast live on DAZN.

When lightweight star Ryan Garcia was left out of a planned fight with Diaz due to a hand injury, Haney (26-0, 15 KOs) immediately started pushing Diaz (32-1-1, 15 KOs). It’s unusual for a champion to be in a “substitute” position, but Haney has made an effort to secure big fights in a talented division, while men like Teofimo Lopez, Vasiliy Lomachenko, Gervonta Davis and Garcia serve as headliners.

Haney’s world champion is also not considered by some. The WBC rose to the world title when the penal body raised Lomachenko to the level of “franchise champion”. Haney became a “champion at the break” when he was unable to defend his belt due to an injury and a fight ensued between Javier Fortuna and Luke Campbell for the title, Haney appealed and regained the title. Teofimo Lopez, who holds IBF, WBO and WBA lightweight titles, has repeatedly called Haney an “email champion” for not winning the ring belt, but for being a world champion knowing through an WBC email.

When Diaz, the former IBF super featherweight world champion, was available, Haney made the move to get a fight that would position him for the kind of fight he had been demanding for years.

“This is going to be an exciting fight in this one of the most exciting weights in the sport today,” promoter Eddie Hearn said in a statement.

Diaz has had only one loss in his career, a decision he lost in May 2018 against Gary Russell Jr. In February, he struggled with a draw with Shavkat Rakhimov, but in July he won Fortuna to win the WBC provisional lightweight title, earning big money. Fight with Garcia before the new fight with Haney.