Miguel Vazquez Could Make Mandatory Defense Next

IBF lightweight titlist Miguel Vazquez could make his next defense in October, and mandatory challenger Ameth Diaz could be in line for the fight.

Diaz (30-10, 21 KO) earned the shot by stopping Leonardo Zappavigna in Australia on August 5. Why those two were fighting an eliminator in the first place is up to you to decide, as Diaz was bombed in one by Ji-Hoon Kim the last time he fought an eliminator, and Zappavigna was coming off of a wide decision loss to Vazquez in March.

But it happened, and Diaz is the man in line. The 28-year-old from Panama did notch his best win with the Zappavigna fight, but has fallen short in all of his other steps up in class. Vazquez (29-3, 13 KO) is one of the best lightweights in the world, a crafty, smart technician who has the ability to neutralize opponents and make for ugly fights, but he wins, and does so clean and convincingly. His only career losses have come in fights over the 135-pound limit, to Timothy Bradley, and twice to Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.