Joseph Diaz Reacts To Being Stripped Of IBF Title

Joseph Diaz Jr. has spoken out after being stripped of the IBF Super-Featherweight Title due to missing weight.

On Saturday night, Diaz shared the ring with Shavkat Rakhimov. The end result would’ve been either Rakhimov being crowned as the new IBF Super-Featherweight Champion or the title would’ve remained vacant. Diaz missed weight by 3.6 pounds ahead of fight night.

The fight ended up going the distance and was ruled a draw. The IBF Super-Featherweight Title remains vacant as a result.

During a chat with DAZN’s Beto Duran, Diaz said he is a disciplined fighter despite failing to make weight (via BoxingScene.com).

“I’m not disappointed at all, man. At the end of the day, I know who I am. I work hard, man. I’m a hard worker. I’m a hard, disciplined type of fighter. And it just wasn’t my night, man. I couldn’t make the weight like I used to.”

Diaz went on to say that he didn’t have access to the facilities he’s used to having in order to properly cut weight.

“There was no sauna here. This COVID stuff, they don’t have no gym here. They only have a treadmill here. They had me working out inside my room, with the f–king heater on. It was just, you know, completely, completely different than how, professional, you know, world title type fights should be. And I just had to try to adapt to it. I worked out inside the room. I jumped rope, but my body just felt weak and, you know, I just couldn’t do it. And my health is more important.

“I still had to go out here and showcase to the world what I’m about and fight. And I’m not gonna go and risk my life trying to make the weight, and really, really deplete myself, and get hurt inside that ring. There’s no need to f–king please anybody. At the end of the day, I’m doing this for myself and I’m doing this for my family, to take care of my family and to take care of myself. And that’s the person that I really need to look out for, is myself, nobody else.”