Former Devin Haney rival lands next bare knuckle fight after first-round KO in debut

A former world champion who shared the ring with Devin Haney is taking his gloveless career on the road.

Joseph ‘JoJo’ Diaz Jr. has officially confirmed his next bout, signing to feature at BKB 60 on Saturday, October 10.

The contest marks a major travel milestone for the 2012 US Olympian. Despite a 45-fight professional boxing career that featured clashes with elite operators like Gary Russell Jr. and Regis Prograis – as well as an IBF super-featherweight world title victory over Tevin Farmer – Diaz has never competed on UK soil.

The 33-year-old southpaw – who lost to Haney in 2021 – transitioned to bare-knuckle boxing earlier this year, making an immediate impact with a blistering first-round knockout over Nate Williams at BKB 56 in Los Angeles.

Now, he heads across the Atlantic to face Brian Hyslop in a super-lightweight contest at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena.

“I’ve fought all over the States and in Mexico, but I’ve never stepped into a ring in the UK, not once in my whole career. Newcastle is going to be the first, and I’m doing it bare knuckle. This is a new chapter for me and I want the fans here to see exactly what a world champion looks like up close.”

BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing CEO David Tetreault added:

“Getting a genuine former world champion like JoJo Diaz to make his first-ever UK appearance at our first-ever Newcastle show says everything about where this sport is heading. This is a huge moment for Newcastle and a huge statement for BKB.”

The October 10 bill is headlined by a BKB super-welterweight world championship showdown between Filipino titleholder Rolando Dy and five-time champion Scott McHugh.