Joseph "Jojo" Diaz Jr. has to be raring to get back into the ring and prove that he's one of the best junior lightweights in boxing. The IBF junior lightweight champion will defend his title for the first time Saturday night, when he faces Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif., live and exclusively on DAZN. Diaz hasn't fought since snatching the championship from Tevin Farmer in a unanimous decision last January. In a division that touts fellow champs such as Gervonta Davis, Jamel Herring and Miguel Berchelt, Diaz will look to expand on his own growing star power and a successful title defense would help him do just that. The card's co-main event has WBO junior middleweight champion Patrick Teixeira putting his title on the line against Brian Castano.
Diaz vs. Rakhimov comes devoid of the heap of trash talking that equipped his tilt with Farmer, before "Jojo" edged him on the scorecards to triumphantly hoist the IBF title in January 2020. However, there is plenty of reason that Diaz vs. Rakhimov packs intrigue. Diaz (31-1, 15 KOs), whose lone defeat came against Gary Russell Jr. in May 2018, will be looking to extend his winning streak to six fights.
Meanwhile, the 26-year-old Rakhimov (15-0, 12 KOs), who produced an eighth-round TKO of Azinga Fuzile in his last time out back in September 2019, will be trying to make his United States debut the epicenter for his biggest victory yet.
Either Diaz will prove why he's a titleholder at 130 pounds or Rakhimov will show the ingredients of a champion himself.
Here is all the info you need on how to watch Diaz vs. Rakhimov on DAZN.
Diaz vs. Rakhimov fight date, start time
Date: Saturday, Feb. 13/Sunday February 14
Time: 8 p.m. ET/1 a.m. GMT
Main event: 11 p.m. ET/4 a.m. GMT
The Joseph "Jojo" Diaz Jr. vs. Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov main card kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday night in the US and 1 a.m. GMT Sunday morning in the UK. Meanwhile, Diaz and his mandatory challenger are expected to make their ring walks at approximately 11 p.m. ET and 4 a.m. GMT, depending on the length of the earlier fights.
Can I watch Diaz vs. Rakhimov on DAZN?
The Feb. 13 card will stream live on DAZN in over 200 countries, including the US and UK.
You can sign up for a subscription here, and while prices vary depending on your residence, monthly fees are as little as £1.99.
What devices are supported on DAZN?
DAZN is available on web browsers at DAZN.com and also has apps available for all of the following TV and streaming devices:
| Mobile Devices | TV & Streaming Devices | Game Consoles |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone, iPad | Amazon Fire TV | Playstation 4, Pro |
| Android phones, tables | Amazon Fire TV Stick | Playstation 5 |
| Amazon Fire tablet | Android TV | XBox One, One S |
| .. | Apple TV | XBox One X |
| .. | Google Chromecast | Xbox Series X | S |
| .. | LG Smart TV, Smartcast | .. |
| .. | Panasonic Smart TV | .. |
| .. | Samsung Smart TV | .. |
| .. | Sony Smart TV | .. |
Where is the Diaz vs. Rakhimov fight?
Diaz vs. Rakhimov takes place at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. without fans in attendance due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This bout will mark the ninth time that Diaz fights at the venue, while Rakhimov will be making his United States debut.
Joseph Diaz record and bio
- Name: Joseph Diaz Jr.
- Nationality: American
- Born: Nov. 23, 1992
- Height: 5-6
- Reach: 64 inches
- Total fights: 32
- Record: 31-1 with 15 knockouts
Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov record and bio
- Name: Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov
- Nationality: Russian
- Born: Aug. 14, 1994
- Height: 5-8½
- Reach: N/A
- Total fights: 15
- Record: 15-0 with 12 knockouts
Diaz vs. Rakhimov fight card
- Joseph Diaz Jr. vs. Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov for Diaz’s IBF Junior Lightweight title
- Patrick Teixeira vs. Brian Castano for Teixeira’s WBO Junior Middleweight title
- Ronny Rios vs. Oscar Negrete; Junior Featherweight
- Shane Mosley Jr. vs. Cristian Olivas; Middleweight
- Bektemir Melikuziev vs. Morgan Fitch; Super Middleweight
- Azat Hovhannisyam vs. Enrique Bernache; Junior Featherweight
- Victor Morales vs. Jose Gonzalez; Featherweight
- Dalis Kaleiopu vs. Eduardo Sanchez; Lightweight
- Elnur Abduraimov vs. TBA; Lightweight