By Ian S Palmer
Jesus Rojas of Puerto Rico will be defending his WBA Featherweight Title against Joseph Diaz Jr. of Downey, California at the Avalon in Hollywood, California this Saturday, August 11th. Rojas won the interim WBA Title by stopping Claudio Marrero in the seventh round in his last bout back in September while Diaz Jr., a southpaw, last fought in May and dropped a unanimous decision to WBC Featherweight Champion Gary Russell Jr. Saturday’s 12-rounder is available to viewers via something called Facebook Watch.
The challenger Diaz Jr. is a 25-year-old native of South Downey, California. He’s been beaten just once and that came in his last outing against Russell. He enters the ring with an impressive mark of 26-1 with 14 Kos to his name. Diaz was a member of the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team at the 2012 Games in London, England where he went 1-1 as a bantamweight. He also reached the quarterfinals of the 2011 World Amateur Championships. Diaz turned pro in December, 2012 and has fought 174 rounds since. He has decent power in his fists with a current knockout ratio of 52 per cent.
Diaz is 5-feet-6-inches tall with a 64-inch reach. Since turning pro, he has captured the NABF and WBO-NABO Featherweight Titles. Along with meeting Russell, his toughest opponents to date have been Victor Terrazas, Rafael Rivera, Manuel Avila, Horacio Garcia, Jayson Velez, Hugo Partida, Rene Alvarado, Roberto Castaneda and Ruben Tamayo. It’s quite obvious he’s stepped up in class against Russell, but he handles himself well, losing by scores of 115-113, 117-111 and 117-111.
The champion Rojas hails from Caguas, Puerto Rico and is now 31 years old. He’s 5-feet-7-inches tall with a 68-inch reach, which gives him an inch edge in height and a four-inch reach advantage over Diaz. He turned pro back in 2006 and has 136 rounds under his belt since. Rojas has also suffered just one defeat, which was to an eight-round unanimous decision to Jose Angel Beranza in December of 2008. Rojas climbs through the ropes with a mark of 26-1-2 along with 19 Kos.
His two draws came against Jorge Lara via a technical decision in 2015 and an eight-round majority affair with Jose Luis Araiza in 2012. He also went just over a round against Jorge Arce in 2012. The fight was stopped and ruled a no-contest after Arce suffered an unintentional foul and couldn’t continue. Other than those opponents, Rojas hasn’t really met anybody who could be considered an elite boxer as he’s faced the likes of Abraham Lopez and Juan Carlos Pena.
Still, Rojas has pretty good power as his current knockout ratio stands at 63 per cent. Since turning pro he’s also won the WBA-NABA, and WBA Fedecaribe Featherweight Titles along with the WBA Fedecentro Super Bantamweight Crown. He’s riding a 15-bout unbeaten streak at the moment at 13 wins and two draws including four straight stoppage wins. Rojas likes to work on the inside and go to the body and has good power in both hands.
Prediction…
Diaz Jr. is a good opponent who throws a lot of punches behind a solid jab. He mixes things up and has a good body attack too. Both of them are workmanlike boxers and this should be an entertaining tilt. Diaz’s jab could be the key here as long as his chin holds up as it usually does. I don’t think Diaz has the power to stop Rojas, but has the skills to outbox him. I’m expecting Diaz to take his title when it’s all said and done, likely by decision.
