Undefeated featherweight contender Joseph ‘JoJo’ Diaz is closing his busy 2015 with his fifth bout and a shot at a NABF title belt this Friday night. Diaz is set to take on Mexico’s Hugo ‘Olimpico’ Partida (20-6-2, 15 KO’s) in a 10 round bout and hopes an impressive performance could put him into world title contention.

In this interview with Joseph Diaz, I get his views on the featherweight division and the champions that currently reign in the weight class. Diaz also talks about his experience in the World Series of Boxing and how he thinks that helped him prepare for a pro career. Additionally, Diaz shares his thoughts on the future of the sport and talks about which of the champions in his weight class he would like to face the most. Here is what Joseph Diaz had to say.

Jenna J: You’re currently fighting in the featherweight division. What are your thoughts on the current champions of the weight class?

Joseph Diaz: It’s a good division, we have a lot of people. We have Leo Santa Cruz, Jesus Cuellar. We have a lot of tough champions that are competing in that weight class, but I feel like when it’s my time to be competing against those guys I will be ready for them.

I’m gaining all of the experience right now that I need by fighting tough and decent opponents that are gonna give me experience. I’m not worried about fighting them whenever I get the chance to fight them because I know when I do end up fighting them, I’ll be ready, one hundred and ten percent ready.

Jenna J: Early in your career you fought in the World Series of Boxing, how did facing the elite amateur fighters with no headgear on help you progress to the fighter you are today?

Joseph Diaz: It helped a lot. It was a good experience for me to fight guys without headgear because it kind of got me used to and it let me adapt to the pro style. The only thing that was kind of bad about it was the gloves, they were kind of cushiony, so even though you’re fighting without headgear, if you’re getting hit by guys who are landing big shots, it kind of wasn’t as effective as it is was a pro fighter because of all the padding that they had inside the gloves. Overall it was still a good experience and it helped me a lot.

Jenna J: You’re fighting for the NABF featherweight title now. If you’re given an opportunity for a title shot in 2016, will you take it or will you give yourself more time to progress?

Joseph Diaz: Hopefully I will be able to get this title this Friday and if I do end up getting it, I’m looking forward to fighting guys in the top ten in my division and working my way up to a world title shot. If I fight guys in the top ten of my division and I’m able to showcase my skills and my abilities and overcome those opponents, then if an opportunity presents itself by the end of 2016 to fight for a world title, I’ll be more than happy and I’ll be willing to take that shot because I feel like that will be my time to try to compete for it.

Jenna J: You have said that Floyd Mayweather is one of the fighters that you look up to. I’m curious what do you think of the current state of the sport with Floyd retiring?

Joseph Diaz: I still think the sport is alive, I still think there’s a lot of hungry and talented fighters in the sport of boxing that are still fighting. Boxing is a very exciting sport, very action packed and that’s what people want to see. I still think there’s a lot of fighters that are able to bring that to the table and they are able to keep boxing going and making it back to the number one sport in America.

Jenna J: If you could pick one of the champions in the division to meet them in the ring, which one would it be?

Joseph Diaz: The person that I would like to fight would probably be Leo Santa Cruz because he’s a great guy and he’s a really great fighter and I truly believe he’s the best one in the featherweight division right now. I want to fight the best in my division, so if the opportunity presented itself, I think it would probably be Leo Santa Cruz.