TONTINMO

Tonight, the 27-year-old Diaz appeared to be the superior fighter, putting an end to Farmer's nearly seven-year undefeated streak (30-5-1, 6 KO). Farmer, aged 29, had emerged as one of boxing's more improbable success stories in recent years, overcoming a rocky 7-4-1 start to his career to claim a world title. However, things took a turn for the worse swiftly this evening, and he never managed to find his rhythm. Following the opening round, Farmer informed his corner that he had injured his right hand, hampering his ability to jab effectively. In the second round, both fighters collided heads forcefully, resulting in Diaz sustaining a severe cut above his left eyebrow, which his team adeptly managed to control. It's possible that Farmer was more affected by the collision than evident, as he seemed out of sorts for the remainder of the fight, a point repeatedly noted by the DAZN team, although they never acknowledged the possibility that the clash of heads may have contributed to his performance. "That cut looked nasty," remarked Diaz. "I knew it was serious once it started bleeding, but this was a championship bout. I'm a warrior. This was my chance, and I had to seize it. I stuck to the game plan, maintained my composure, and trusted my corner. Tevin Farmer is an exceptional fighter, and I appreciate him for giving me this opportunity. I'm certain we'll have a rematch, and we'll settle it then." "He fought hard," acknowledged Farmer. "I injured my hand in the first round, but he put up a strong fight. I don't believe my injury significantly influenced the outcome. He simply outperformed me tonight. I couldn't utilize my jab as I intended, but he capitalized on that, and that's what champions do. He deserved the victory." Farmer confirmed his intention to trigger the rematch clause, expressing a desire for it to take place in April or May.