Joseph Diaz Jr. enters his next title with new representation in tow.

The former IBF junior lightweight titlist has entered a long-term managerial pact with Rick Mirigian, the Fresno-based influential boxing figure announced Monday. The arrangement comes ahead of Diaz’s plans for a return to the ring hopefully before the end of summer, but with his career now in very capable hands.

“I’m pleased to announce I have signed Olympian and star Joseph Diaz Jr. to a multi-year management agreement,” Mirigian confirmed on Monday. “I’m grateful for the opportunity as there was no shortage of people he had to choose from when making his decision.”  

The signing comes on the heels of Mirigian adding top-rated junior welterweight contender Jose Zepeda (35-2, 27KOs) to his growing roster. Mirigian is best known for expertly guiding the career of Jose Ramirez (27-1, 17KOs), a former WBC/WBO junior welterweight champ and Diaz’s 2012 U.S. Olympic teammate.

Diaz sought a new figure to guide his career upon the disbandment of MTK Global earlier this April, all while still embroiled in a lengthy lawsuit with estranged manager Ralph Heredia and with the ongoing case dating back to November 2020.

The decision to go with Mirigian should make for a smooth transition. The Fresno-based manager has long enjoyed a strong relationship with Golden Boy Promotions, Diaz’s career-long promoter who also houses fellow Mirigian clients Vergil Ortiz (18-0, 18KOs) and secondary WBA junior bantamweight titlist Joshua Franco (18-1-2, 8KOs).

Diaz (32-2-1, 15KOs) last fought in a competitive but clear decision defeat to WBC lightweight titlist Devin Haney (27-0, 15KOs) in their title consolidation clash last December 4 in Las Vegas. The 29-year-old southpaw entered the fight as the interim WBC lightweight titlist, winning the belt in a twelve-round, unanimous decision over Javier Fortuna last July 9 at Banc of California Stadium on USC campus in Los Angeles, mere minutes from his hometown of South El Monte, California.

The shining moment of Diaz’s career to date came in his claiming a junior lightweight title on his second attempt.

Diaz had to overcome a gruesome cut to convincingly outpoint Tevin Farmer over twelve rounds to win the IBF junior lightweight title as part of a January 2020 DAZN show from Miami Gardens, Florida. The feat came nearly three years after his points loss to then-WBC featherweight titlist Gary Russell Jr., having racked up four wins between title shots.

Hopes of moving forward with a title defense versus mandatory challenger Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov were stalled first by the pandemic and then by the threat of Farmer exercising his rematch clause, though the absence of a fight date or televised platform ultimately killed plans for the latter.

A deal was eventually reached in late November 2020 for Diaz and Rakhimov to meet as the first order of business in 2021. By that point, Diaz already launched an eight-count complaint against Heredia, alleging Fraud, Breach of Fiduciary Duty, Breach of Implied-in-Fact Contract, Conversion, Tortious Interference with Prospective Economic Advantage, Violation of Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, Quantum Meruit, Accounting against Ralph Heredia and unnamed parties.

The fight came to fruition last February 13 in Indio, California, only for Diaz to lose his title at the scales after missing weight ahead of their eventual twelve-round, majority draw in an entertaining fight. The win over Fortuna and loss to Haney have since followed, hopefully with plenty of good news in the coming months as Mirigian and Golden Boy regularly talk, often multiple times per day.

“I look forward to working with Oscar De La Hoya, Eric Gomez, Roberto Diaz and Golden Boy on some massive fights in the near future for one of the [lightweight] division’s hottest talents,” declared Mirigian.

A firm timeframe was not established for Diaz’s return.

Mirigian also represents unbeaten junior welterweight contender Arnold Barboza (26-0, 10KOs) and a number of blue-chip prospects, including 2016 Olympic Bronze medalist Misael Rodriguez (10-0, 5KOs) and Lindolfo Delgado (15-0, 13KOs), both of whom represented Mexico in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox