Joseph Diaz upsets IBF super-featherweight champion Tevin Farmer
Friday 31 January 2020 05:55, UK
Joseph Diaz won a world title at the third time of asking after defeating Tevin Farmer in a unanimous decision in Miami.
A blood-soaked Diaz ended Farmer's four-fight reign to claim the IBF super-featherweight title after claiming victory with scores of 116-112, 115-113, 115-113.
Farmer won the battle of the jabs in a lively opener before Diaz suffered a nasty cut to his eyelid in a clash of heads during the second
Diaz, with blood pouring down his face, enjoyed success in the third fighting on the inside, but Farmer kept out of range in the next, using his quick movement to avoid head shots.
The champion worked hard behind his lightning jab in the fifth and sixth before attempting to step up the work rate in the seventh but Diaz responded by continuing his attack to the body.
'Jo Jo' switched from the body to the head and caught the champion with hooks in the eighth, prompting the Philadelphian to switch to fighting on the back foot.
However, Diaz continued fighting in the pocket, whipping in draining body shots before upping the pace in the final rounds to become world champion and extend his record to 31-1.
