Indio, California (February 13, 2021) – After losing his IBF Super Featherweight Title on the scale, Joseph “JoJo” Diaz (31-1 15KO’s) fought to a majority draw against Russian Shavktdzhon Rakhimov (15-0 12KO’s) in the main event fight. Diaz started strong wanting to end the fight early but took his foot of the gas in the middle rounds giving Rakhimov an opportunity to get back in the fight. In the championship rounds both fighters were exchanging combinations and landing big hooks. After the final bell one judge scored the fight 115-113 in favor of Diaz but was over ruled by the other two judges that had the fight 114-114.
After the fight, you sensed disappointment from Diaz’s team as they felt they did enough to win. Diaz was asked how he felt about the decision and losing his title due to missing weight,
“Not too good man. I’m a little upset. I thought I did enough to win the fight. It was a close fight and it wasn’t my best performance” said Diaz during an expletive filled post-fight interview with Beto Duran.
CASTANO BEATS TEIXEIRA, BECOMES WBO WORLD CHAMPION
In the co-main event, Argentina native Brian Carlos Castano (16-0-1 12KO’s) defeated Patrick Teixeira (31-1 22KO’s) of Brazil by unanimous decision to become the new WBO Super Welterweight Champion. Castano came in as the favorite starting the fight aggressively landing heavy hooks to the head of Teixeira. Castano pressured Teixeira the entire fight and landed a huge left hook that almost ended the fight in the final round. The three judges scored the fight 120-108, 119-109, and 117-111 all in favor for Castano.
RIOS DOMINATES NEGRETE, GETS UNANIMOUS DECISION
Santa Ana native Ronny Rios (32-3 16KO’s) defeated Oscar Negrete from Colombia (19-2-2 7KO’s) by unanimous decision. With Negerete moving up in weight, Rios used his size to set up great combinations to the body. Rios’s body shots set him up to land his uppercut which Negrete had no answer for. The fight went the distance as two judges scored the fight 100-90 and the third judge scored the fight 99-91all in favor for Rios. After the fight Rios rated his performance,
“I give myself a ‘C’. I know I could have done a lot better. My last couples of fights have been by stoppage but I know I couldn’t stop someone like Negrete” said Rios.
MOSLEY STOPS OLIVAS
Shane Mosley Jr. (16-3 9KO’s) defeats Christian Olivas (20-7 17KO’s) in five rounds. Mosley used his jab to target Olivas right eye that showed some swelling in the early rounds. Olivas eye was completely shut by the fourth round and the fight was waived off at the end of the fifth round giving Mosley Jr. his tenth KO victory.
MELIKUZIEV KO’s FITCH IN THREE
Heavy handed Bektemir Melikuziev (6-0 5KO’s) stops Morgan Fitch (19-4-1) with a vicious body shot in the third round to earn his sixth knockout win in seven bouts. Fitch was a late replacement after Sergey Kovalev (34-4-1 29 KO’s) tested positive for performing enhancement drugs.
