GAREN Diagan looks to become the Philippines’ newest world champion as he challenges World Boxing Organization (WBO) minimumweight king Oscar Collazo on Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023 (PH time) at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The 27-year-old Diagan tipped the scales a pound under the minimumweight limit at 104 pounds, while Collazo also made weight at 104.8 pounds.
Diagan is coming in as a huge underdog against Collazo, a decorated amateur that won a world title in just seven fights.
Diagan suffered a short setback in his promising young career after losing two straight fights to April Jay Abne and Thai Danai Ngiabphukhiaw in 2022. However, he bounced back with back-to-back victories in international fights. He got a rare win in South Africa against veteran Simpiwe Konkco, who he beat by a seventh round technical knockout late last year. Diagan followed it up with a split decision win over previously undefeated Vietnamese Huu Toan Le on March 25 in Vietnam.
Diagan is ranked No. 9 by the WBO, No. 3 by the World Boxing Council (WBC), No. 5 by the World Boxing Association (WBA) and also No. 5 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF).
Meanwhile, the 26-year-old Collazo defeated Diagan’s compatriot Melvin Jerusalem to win the WBO minimumweight strap last May 27. He dethroned Jerusalem with a seventh round stoppage in Indio, California.
After a stellar amateur career, wherein he won a gold medal in the 2019 Pan American Games, Collazo transitioned to the paid ranks the following year. He stopped Vicente Castro in the third round of his pro debut in Puerto Rico.
Collazo quickly moved up the ranks and introduced himself as one of Puerto Rico’s rising stars following a unanimous decision win over former world champion Vic Saludar in 2022. He earned his world title shot at Jerusalem the following year after scoring a fifth round knockout of Yudel Reyes in a world title eliminator.
Diagan is 10-3 with five knockouts, while Collazo is 7-0 with five knockouts. / EKA