‍MIAMI, Fla. – BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing, the world’s leading and fastest-growing professional bare knuckle organization, today announced the signing of former two-division boxing world champion Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. The decorated Southern California native will make his highly anticipated bare knuckle debut as the headline attraction of the BKB 56 undercard on Saturday, July 18, live from The NOVO at L.A. LIVE in downtown Los Angeles.

The undercard will stream exclusively live and free on BKB’s official TikTok page (@bkbbareknuckle), giving fight fans around the world their first look at one of boxing’s most accomplished veterans competing inside BKB’s patented Mighty Trigon.

“JoJo Diaz is exactly the type of world-class athlete that continues to elevate BKB,” said BKB CEO David Tetreault. “He’s an Olympian, a former world champion, and one of the toughest, most respected fighters of his generation. His pressure style, toughness and willingness to engage make him a natural fit for bare knuckle competition. We’re thrilled to welcome him to BKB and couldn’t ask for a bigger stage than Los Angeles to introduce him to our fans.”

Said Diaz: “I’ve spent my entire career testing myself against the best fighters in the world, and I’m excited to start this next chapter with BKB. I’ve always been a fighter who comes forward, throws punches, and gives fans everything I have every time I step into the ring. That’s exactly what bare knuckle boxing is all about. To make my debut in my home state of California, in front of my hometown fans in Los Angeles, makes this opportunity even more special. I can’t wait to show everyone what ‘JoJo’ Diaz looks like inside the Mighty Trigon on July 18.”

A second-generation Mexican-American fighter, Diaz compiled an outstanding professional boxing career spanning more than 13 years, finishing with a record of 34-10-1 with 15 knockouts. The 33-year-old southpaw represented Team USA at the 2012 Summer Olympics before capturing the IBF Super Featherweight World Championship with a victory over Tevin Farmer in January 2020. He later added the WBC Interim Lightweight Championship by defeating Javier Fortuna in July 2021.

Throughout his career, Diaz consistently competed among boxing’s elite, sharing the ring with world champions and top contenders including Devin Haney, Regis Prograis, William Zepeda, and many others. Known for his relentless pace, durability and fan-friendly style, Diaz fought 45 professional bouts while suffering just one stoppage loss.

Standing 5-foot-6 with a 64-inch reach, Diaz has successfully competed from featherweight through super lightweight, bringing the experience, grit and championship pedigree that have become hallmarks of BKB’s growing roster of former boxing world champions.

Growing up in Southern California, Diaz originally dreamed of becoming a baseball player before turning to boxing after being encouraged by his father—a longtime boxing trainer—to learn self-defense. That decision launched one of boxing’s most accomplished careers of the past decade and now begins an exciting new chapter in bare knuckle competition.

BKB 56 marks the organization’s highly anticipated California debut and features a star-studded lineup headlined by the BKB debuts of former world boxing champions Victor Ortiz and Alfredo Angulo, alongside the return of BKB’s pound-for-pound king and two-division world champion LT “Smash” Nelson, undefeated bare knuckle standout Adel Altamimi, and an action-packed card showcasing many of the sport’s biggest stars.

Fans can watch Joseph “JoJo” Diaz’s BKB debut live and free exclusively on TikTok by following @bkbbareknuckle, while tickets for BKB 56 are available now at bkbtickets.com/bkb56.

For more information on BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing, upcoming events, and fighter announcements, visit bkbbareknuckle.com and follow BKB across all social media platforms @bkbbareknuckle.

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