Tag Archives: Oscar Valdez

Posted on 05/11/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Although it took place several months ago, Oscar Valdez hasn’t stopped smiling since defeating Miguel Berchelt in late February. The win for Valdez allowed him to wrap the WBC super featherweight world title around his waist.

Now, looking ahead, Valdez is currently weighing his options. Amongst them, is a showdown with former Olympic silver medalist Shakur Stevenson. The two have jarred back and forth and appear willing to face one another in the near future. While that option is appealing, so is a showdown against multiple division titlist Gervonta Davis. The Baltimore native is currently scheduled to move up to 140 pounds in an effort to become a three-division world champion as he takes on WBA ‘Regular’ belt holder, Mario Barrios.

If for some reason, Davis decides to drop back down in weight, Valdez would love to step into the ring with him.

“I think he would be one of my toughest fights,” said Valdez during an interview with BoxingInsider.com “I know he struggles to make weight but he did make it for his last fight against Leo Santa Cruz. Me and him would be a great fight.”

Any talks of a matchup between Valdez and Davis will be met with immediate fulmination from Stevenson. After moving up in weight in 2020, the New Jersey native promptly shifted his attention to Valdez, consistently calling for a matchup between them.

By no means is Valdez avoiding any of the competition at 130 pounds but he simply views Davis as the more dangerous and interesting contest. If by chance, Stevenson opted to move away from Valdez and chase a showdown against Davis, Valdez views it as an extremely competitive contest. With that said, if forced to make a pick, Valdez grinds his teeth before ultimately making his selection.

“I think styles make fights. I think Shakur can beat Gervonta but I would go with Gervonta. He’s a strong, strong guy.”

Posted on 04/14/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Oscar Valdez still has his head in the clouds at the moment. The now two-division star, picked up the biggest win of his career earlier this year against Miguel Berchelt. Going into their showdown, Valdez was given slim odds to pick up the win according to the betting world.

With Valdez (29-0 23 KOs) moving up in weight and Berchelt stopping 15 of his past 16 opponents, Valdez was expected to be in for a tough night. With that said, the fights are won in the ring, not on paper. Valdez made it look incredibly easy when the two faced off, dropping Berchelt in rounds four and nine before ending things with a perfectly timed right hand that left Berchelt comatose the moment it landed.

Although he has no idea when he’ll be stepping into the ring next, Valdez is in no mood to face a soft touch. In fact, if the business of boxing could be left out of it, he knows exactly who he would be facing next.

“I think a great fight I would like is Gervonta Davis,” said Valdez during an interview with Fight Hub TV.

Davis, 26, sat back like most of the world as he observed Valdez take care of business against Berchelt. With fans of the Baltimore native fantasizing of a fun back and forth contest between the pair, the hard-hitting two-division world champion was incredulous to the mere thought that their contest would be competitive.

“I’ll tuck him in like a baby,” said Davis following the win of Valdez on his Twitter account.

Davis, of course, is fresh off a big win of his own, a sixth-round knockout over former multiple division titlist Leo Santa Cruz on Halloween night last year. Since then, strong rumors have circulated that Davis will move up from his normal 130-135 pound weight division, to take on WBA “Regular” super lightweight champion Mario Barrios this summer. Regardless of whether a deal falls in place or not, Valdez would love to throw his name into the mix to take on the hard-hitting Davis (24-0, 23 KOs). In his opinion, with the nonstop barrage of punches both have been known to throw, in addition to the most recent win of Davis, Valdez views their possible showdown as one that the fans should be dreaming of.

“I think that’s an attractive fight that the fans would enjoy,” explained Valdez. “He has a great style and he knocked out Leo Santa Cruz in a fashionable way. He’s an aggressive fight and I think that’s a fight that the fans would enjoy.”

Posted on 03/19/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Despite facing a size disadvantage almost every time he steps foot inside the ring, Vasiliy Lomachenko wants to continue his boxing journey at 135 pounds. The former three-division titlist saw his dream of becoming an undisputed lightweight champion turn into a nightmare as he was outboxed and out-hustled by Teofimo Lopez in October of last year.

Since then, Lomachenko has regurgitated on numerous occasions that he doesn’t plan on moving down in weight. With that said, the Ukrainian does find a matchup with newly crowned super featherweight champion Oscar Valdez an interesting fight.

In fact, if the business of boxing can be taken of, he would be more than willing to drop down in weight to make the fight happen.

“I didn’t watch the full fight but I saw highlights, of course. I saw the KO,” said Lomachenko as he answered questions regarding Valdez knockout win over Miguel Berchelt during an interview with SnowQueenLA. “I can make 130. But I choose a different route, which for me is to keep boxing at 135 but it all depends on Bob Arum if he can make the Valdez fight happen.”

Valdez, 30, was a sizable underdog heading into his contest against Berchelt on February 20th. Regardless of the doubters, Valdez punished his man, dropping him in the fourth, ninth and for the final time, the tenth round.

The moment Valdez landed his overhand left in the period, referee Russell Mora immediately waved off their contest as Berchelt was out cold long before his body hit the canvas.

While Lomachenko has expressed interest in taking him on at 130 pounds, at this point, the former two-time Olympic Gold medalist would settle for a fight with anyone at this point.

Before facing Lopez late last year, Lomachenko had been sidelined for well over a year. Now, with no fight date in sight, the 33-year-old is getting a bit antsy. Although a few names have been lofted in his direction in terms of possible future opponents, including lightweight contender Masayoshi Nakatani, nothing is concrete just yet.

For now, Lomachenko simply continues to wait until his name is called. Something he hopes happens very soon.

“I want to fight. I’m ready. But I don’t have an opponent or date yet. First, I thought it would be Masayoshi Nakatani but we haven’t agreed on anything yet. I don’t have any news on when I’ll be back. I hope they’ll give me a date in June.”

Posted on 03/03/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Oscar Valdez was good, maybe even great but few, if any, believed he would be able to get the job done against Miguel Berchelt. The two fought in the main event slot at “The Bubble” in the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada just a few weeks ago.

On the line was Berchelt’s WBC super featherweight world title. For the most part, Valdez was viewed as a worthy challenger but one who simply didn’t have the firepower to compete with the hard hitting Berchelt.

However, after outboxing, hurting and later finishing off his man in the tenth, most were left shell shocked. Well, everyone except for Leo Santa Cruz.

“I always said Valdez had a chance, not like other people,” said Santa Cruz during an interview with Fight Hype. “I knew he had a chance to win, even by knockout.”

During the lead-up to Valdez vs Berchelt, there was one prevailing thought surrounding the event. That was, everyone should flip on their television sets to watch this one as it was going to be a back and forth war. But while their showdown wasn’t a boring one by any stretch, it certainly wasn’t the violent contest many were expecting.

For Santa Cruz though, he appreciated the approach that Valdez took in order to pick up the victory.

“He didn’t stay there and trade punches with him. He was just boxing him and landing the bigger shots.”

Although Valdez is still enjoying his newly won world title, several notable names in the division are now eyeing a showdown with him. Amongst them is Santa Cruz.

Despite his credentials as multiple division world champion, many will point to his sixth-round knockout loss at the hands of Gervonta Davis in October of 2020 as the main reason why he doesn’t deserve an immediate title shot.

With that said, Santa Cruz believes his recent setback is of little importance. If given the chance, the California native knows that his all-Mexican showdown against Valdez would be a classic.

“I’m up for a fight between me and him. I know people are going to say I’m coming off a loss and they knocked me out but it doesn’t matter. That’s what we’re here for. Were here to fight. I know a fight between me and Valdez would be really great and entertaining for the fans. Styles make fights and I know me and him have the perfect style to make a great fight.”

The ease in which Valdez handled Berchelt just a few weeks ago still resonates with Santa Cruz. Like most, he was expecting a much more competitive fight. Still, with all due respect to Berchelt, Santa Cruz is under the belief that he didn’t have the tools needed to get the job done. With himself, on the other hand, he believes at the very least, the entertainment value will be through the roof.

“I know Berchelt is a great fighter and everything but Oscar Valdez made it look easy. With me, I think I would make it more entertaining.”

Posted on 02/23/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Oscar Valdez walked into his contest against Miguel Berchelt virtually without a single soul believing in him. However, by the time he left the ring a few minutes later, just about everyone was riding his coattails.

From the moment the opening bell rang, it was clear that Valdez was simply the better fighter. With knockdowns scored in both the fourth and ninth rounds, Valdez ended things with one final punch in the tenth.

Just about everyone is lauding the performance of Valdez. But in the case of former multiple division belt holder Timothy Bradley, he’s taken his praise to a whole other level.

“That type of performance that he put on, that’s hall of fame,” said Bradley on the Ak and Barak Show. “To me, he wrote his ticket to the hall of fame.”

For years now, Bradley sat back and watched Berchelt terrorize the super featherweight division. With 16 knockout wins in his past 17 fights, most expected Valdez to simply become another victim. With that said, they were all proven wrong as Valdez had little trouble dealing with the power and aggression of Berchelt.

In Bradley’s opinion, Valdez can hang up his gloves this very minute, then sit back and relax as his name is called to be enshrined into the hall of fame. Valdez’s name being mentioned amongst the greats is justified not because of his championship run at 126 pounds or even because of the countless back and forth battles we’ve all seen him in.

No, to Bradley, Valdez deserves the highest of praises because of his willingness to face someone like Berchelt, to begin with. Other big-name fighters, including a certain young star from Baltimore, Bradley believes was simply too scared to step up to the plate.

“Two division world champion, we’ve seen him in wars. He fought the bogeyman in the division. Nobody wanted to face this guy, not even Gervonta Davis wanted to face him, trust me on this. The guys that were at 130 avoided Berchelt because he was a big puncher, he was awkward, big and physically strong so a lot of guys strayed away from him.”

Posted on 02/21/2021

Everyone expected for there to be a knockout, however, no one believed that it would be coming from the smaller man.

Oscar Valdez could care less what his doubters said going into his super featherweight showdown against WBC belt holder Miguel Berchelt. If he did, he probably wouldn’t have gotten the win he was looking for.

The former WBO featherweight titlist surprisingly bullied his man early and often. Neither the power of Berchelt nor his presence made a difference in this one as he found himself down on the mat on several occasions.

With Berchelt losing by a healthy margin, Valdez avoided the desperate onslaught of his man and landed a walk off knockout win in the 10th.

The moment the shot landed, Berchelt was essentially comatose. From there, no count was needed as the contest was waved off and Valdez was crowned champion.

Posted on 02/19/2021

By: Hans Themistode

There are a lot of things you can teach a fighter. Speed, agility, defense – even timing. However, no matter how many hours you put in the gym, there are just some things that are innate.

“I think you are born with the power,” said WBC super featherweight titlist Miguel Berchelt during an interview with Fight Hype. “I think a lot of people fear my power. I’m going to take advantage of that and use it on Saturday.”

In roughly 24 hours, Berchelt (37-1, 33 KOs) is hoping that his deleterious power will lead him to a high-profile victory against former WBO featherweight belt holder Oscar Valdez. The two are scheduled to meet in the main event slot in The Bubble at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

For Berchelt, he simply isn’t going to act like something he isn’t. The Mexican product has never gone into any of his contests attempting to slip, dodge, weave and avoid the shots of his opponents while boxing from the outside. No, he’s always placed his head down, come forward and looked to end the night early.

More times than not, his game plan has worked out perfectly. Coming into his showdown against Valdez, he’ll look for his power to once again lead him to victory. Yet, unlike most of his opponents, Valdez (28-0, 22 KOs) isn’t simply a banger looking to land his own money shot. For the former belt holder, he’s both boxed and brawled his way to victories.

While Berchelt will admit that he doesn’t have the luxury of winning in a multitude of ways, he doesn’t appeared worried. Although his skills aren’t considered amongst the greatest out there, his power makes up for it.

“Sometimes they see my sparring and think I’m not that good of a fighter,” explained Berchelt. “But when they get hit, they know that they’re in a real problem.”

With Valdez having a tendency to fall right into a firefight, Berchelt knows that’s exactly where his bread is buttered. From the outside looking in, breaking down their contest is a simple one. Whomever is remaining upright will win.

Yet, allowing their contest to be explained in the most simplistic of ways is both lazy and erroneous. There is little doubt that there will be a war this Saturday night, ultimately however, it’ll be the small wrinkles that either man applies to their game that will lead to either a new champion or just the continuation of a dominant run.

“It will be a chess match and we both have great corners. Whoever makes the best moves will come out with the victory.”

Posted on 02/15/2021

By: Hans Themistode

Oscar Valdez almost couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

Following a tenth-round stoppage win over fringe contender Jayson Velez in July of 2020, WBC super featherweight titlist Miguel Berchelt (37-1, 33 KOs) entered the ring, placed his arm around Valdez and posed for pictures. The win for Valdez was the last hurdle that needed to be cleared before he was given a title shot against the aforementioned Berchelt.

Watching from his ringside seat on the night was Hall of Famer and one of the best Mexican fighters in boxing history in Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. While Valdez may have picked up the win, Chavez Sr. doesn’t believe he has enough in the tank to handle Berchelt.

“He lacked a little more aggressiveness and wasn’t punching as much,” said Chavez Sr. to ESPN Deportes. ”I thought he looked ordinary. That Oscar Valdez, the one I saw, I think is not enough to beat Miguel Berchelt.”

Valdez, 30, knows good and well that almost no one expects him to pull off the victory this weekend. That much doesn’t really bother him. However, when the former WBO featherweight belt holder heard that someone he reveres so much is also picking against him, Valdez (28-0, 22 KOs) admits that his former idol gave him major fuel to prove him wrong.

“That motivates me, said Valdez to Jose Luis Camarillo. “I have listened to my great idol Julio Cesar Chavez, who says Berchelt is going to win. That motivates me. There is nothing more beautiful in life than when you stay quiet and let your fists speak for themselves.”

There are a number of reasons why Chavez Sr. and a long list of others are on the side of Berchelt. For starters, the undefeated former champion struggled in his last contest before moving up in weight against Adam Lopez. In what figured to be an easy night at the office, Valdez found himself down on the canvas in round two before ultimately stopping his man in the seventh round. Valdez also has only one contest under his belt at his new weight class.

As for Berchelt, he’s been blasting out just about everyone to the tune of 16 knockout wins in his last 17 bouts.

Despite the impressive run and regardless of what his naysayers have to say, Valdez is trying to stay away from the negativity. Those who are dubious of his chances of winning are more than entitled to their opinion. With that being said, Valdez can’t wait to shut the mouths of everyone.

“I never let a bad comment affect me, I always try to make sure everything is fine in my camp. I stay positive – that’s what wins the fights. A good atmosphere, arrive well prepared physically, but even more so mentally. Losing is not an option.”

Posted on 07/21/2020

Oscar Valdez vs Jayson Velez

Oscar Valdez (28-0, 22 KOs) was given the solo spotlight tonight at the MGM Grand Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. His dance partner on the night in Jayson Velez (29-7-1, 21, KOs) was thought to be nothing more then a durable opponent who would fold when the going go tough.

However, Velez had other ideas. Valdez had a difficult time finding his rhythm and was consistently hit with shots during the early going. His struggles didn’t last long though, as he began to bully his way on the inside.

Up until the tenth and final round, their contest was extremely competitive. With that being said, Valdez refused to take a chance on the judges scorecards and ended the night early with two knockdowns which forced the referee to step in and put a halt to the contest.

Isaac Dogboe vs Chris Avalos

Isaac Dogboe (21-2, 14 KOs) was built up to be a star in the sport of boxing after grabbing the WBO super bantamweight title from Jessie Magdaleno. His career however, took a turn for the worse after back to back losses to Emanuel Navarrete.

With a win tonight over Chris Avalos (27-8, 20 KOs) tonight at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, Dogboe found himself back in the winners circle.

Dogboe’s performance was one sided all night as Avalos had no answers and was ultimately stopped in the 8th and final round.

Elvis Rodriguez vs Dennis Okoth

Unsurprisingly, Elvis Rodriguez (8-0-1, 8 KOs) scored another knockout victory. This time, his explosive talents were used on journeymen Dennis Okoth (4-4-1, 2 KOs).

Okoth was quickly overwhelmed and found himself staring up at the ceiling lights as a straight left hand sent him down and out in the second round.

Kim Clavel vs Natalie Gonzalez

Kim Clavel (12-0, 2 KOs) made it look easy tonight against Natalie Gonzalez (6-1, 1 KO). Their contest took place at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The ESPY award winner was in complete control from the opening bell. She consistently landed punches on her opponent while evading the attack coming on the other side of the ring. After eight one sided rounds, Clavel walked away with the unanimous decision victory. The final scorecards turned in by the judges were as followed: 80-72 across the board.

Edgar Berlanga vs Eric Moon

If you blinked during the co main event of Edgar Berlanga (14-0, 14 KOs) vs Eric Moon (11-3, 6 KOs), then there’s a good chance you missed the entire contest.

Berlanga needed just a few seconds to get rid of his man. He pushed Moon back into the corner and poured on the power shots. It didn’t take long for Moon to fall, and when he did, it was painful.

Once he hit the canvas, the contest was called off shortly after.

Posted on 07/20/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Oscar Valdez is one win away from where he truly wants to be.

The former WBO featherweight titlist steps into the ring against Jayson Velez tomorrow night at the MGM Grand Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

As for the matchup itself, most believe that it will be one way traffic all night long. Valdez is a former champion in a lower weight division, and has plenty riding on the line in this one. Current WBC super featherweight world champion Miguel Berchelt is already waiting for Valdez should he make it through the night. 

For Velez, not much is expected of him. The fringe contender is fresh off a loss against Jaime Arboleda and has seemingly always come up short when the spotlight has shone its brightest upon him. 

In a 2018 matchup against Ryan Garcia, Velez was thoroughly outboxed. Two years prior, Velez tasted defeat in four straight contests. Another loss is expected on the night as he has been pegged as a heavy underdog according to the betting public. 

With the main event all but decided, the rest of the card will provide plenty of intrigue. Former super bantamweight world champion Isaac Dogboe is hoping to get back into the title hunt when he takes on Chris Avalos. 

The 25 year old Dogboe was thought to be boxing’s next big star until back to back defeats against Emmanuel Navarrete dimmed his star considerably. With five losses in his last seven ring appearances, Avalos could be exactly what the doctor ordered for Dogboe.

The night kicks off at 8 PM ET tomorrow night on ESPN. 

For the full weigh-in results, scroll down below. 

Oscar Valdez 129.9 pounds (27-0, 21 KOs) vs Jayson Velez 130 pounds (29-6-1, 21 KOs) 

Edgar Berlanga 169 pounds (13-0, 13 KOs) vs Eric Moon 168.7 pounds (11-2, 6 KOs) 

Kim Clavel 109.8 pounds (11-0, 2 KOs) vs Natalie Gonzalez 109.9 pounds (6-0, 1 KO) 

Elvis Rodriguez 141.8 pounds (7-0-1, 7 KOs) vs Dennis Okoth 141.5 pounds (4-3-1, 2 KOs)

Isaac Dogboe 126 pounds (20-2, 14 KOs) vs Chris Avalos 125.9 pounds (27-7, 20 KOs)

Genc Pilana 167.3 pounds (8-1-1, 4 KOs) vs Raphael Igbokwe 165 pounds (14-2, 6 KOs) 

Posted on 07/18/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Oscar Valdez (27-0, 21 KOs) has never been known for dodging the competition, or folding when the going gets tough. In a 2018 matchup against Scott Quigg, Valdez broke his jaw early in the contest but managed to push through and hold on to his WBO featherweight world title. 

That performance, coupled with his action packed fighting style, made him a fan favorite. So it came as a surprise once Valdez began to hear the word “duck” associated with his name. 

In 2019, the former WBO belt holder was staring at a mega showdown with the highly touted Shakur Stevenson (14-0, 8 KOs). Instead of taking on his mandatory in Stevenson however, Valdez opted to move up in weight. Now, he finds himself in line to face current WBC super featherweight titlist Miguel Berchelt (37-1, 33 KOs). 

Although Valdez has always kept his head down and tuned out the noise, he admitted that this time around, it annoyed him. 

“I was a little bothered,” said Valdez in an interview with Fight Hub. “People were thinking that I moved up a division because I was ducking Shakur Stevenson. I’m trying to face Miguel Berchelt.”

While Valdez moved up and made himself feel at home at 130 pounds, Stevenson began decorating his new residence at 126. The former Olympic silver medalist took home the newly vacated featherweight title and began to make his presence known. However, after a short reign, Stevenson has decided to move up to 130 pounds. He immediately placed his eyes on Valdez. The former WBO belt holder is receptive to the idea, but he believes a win over Berchelt will be a bigger feather in his cap. 

“I personally think he is a way tougher fight than Shakur Stevenson,” explained Valdez. “He’s a harder puncher, he’s a natural 130 pounder and he’s knocking all of these guys out. If I was scared to fight somebody then you would think it would be Miguel Berchelt. I’m not scared to fight any fighter, especially Shakur Stevenson. He’s a great fighter, very technical fighter. Olympic Silver medalist, so there’s nothing bad I can say about him.”

At the moment, Valdez already has his future mapped out. If things go how he believes they will, then a showdown with Stevenson is something that he isn’t running from.

“Right now I have Jayson Velez next. If everything happens the way I want it, which is win against Velez, then I fight for the title and win, then if he’s right there and I’m pretty sure he is going to be mandatory, then I have no problem fighting Shakur. I truly have no problem fighting anybody.”

Posted on 07/14/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Former WBO featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez was well on his way to an all Mexican showdown against WBC super featherweight belt holder Miguel Berchelt. 

Those plans however, went by the wayside the moment COVID-19 came knocking. The two are still on course to meet later on this year, but Valdez will first be given the opportunity to shake off the rust associated with a nine month layoff. 

Super featherweight contender Jayson Velez will welcome Valdez to the ring for the first time in 2020. The two are scheduled to headline a Top Rank card at the MGM Grand Conference Center, in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 21st. 

For Velez, the spotlight has seldom, if ever, shined on his career. When he was given big time opportunities, he fumbled them away with mediocre performances. In a 2018 matchup against Ryan Garcia, Velez was blown out of the water as he lost a one sided unanimous decision. He did manage to bounce right back winning his next three straight, all before the final bell rang. But he once again found himself on the wrong end of the judges decision in his most recent ring outing against Jaime Arboleda. 

In order to stop the bleeding that comes along with back to back losses, he’ll have to bite down on his mouth piece and stand up to the punching power of Valdez. But Velez won’t be the only one on the card who will have to withstand some heavy shots coming from the other side of the ring. 

Middleweight prospect Edgar Berlanga will be looking to use his opponents last name as an indication as to where he wants to send him once he connects with a right hand in the co main event as he takes on Eric Moon. 

Berlanga has not only won every single one of his fights inside the distance, but he has yet to see the beginning of the second round. He’ll look to make it 14 first round finishes in a row on July 21st. 

The knockout streak might be impressive, but for the undefeated prospect, he isn’t letting it get to his head.

“I’ve not really changed much about training because of the knockout streak,” said Berlanga via a Top Rank press release. “Training is all about improving as a boxer. I had a good amateur career, and that comes from being a good technical boxer. My focus in training has been to continue to improve my skills under my trainer, Andre Rozier, and Team Havoc.”

The action packed card begins at 8 PM ET on ESPN on July 27th.

Posted on 06/09/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Looking ahead is never a good thing in boxing. Especially when you have an opponent standing right in front of you. Later on tonight, Shakur Stevenson will see what it feels like to fight in another weight class. The WBO Featherweight titlist is dipping his toe in the Super Featherweight division in his contest against Felix Caraballo. 

According to oddsmakers, Stevenson is expected to win handily as he’s been tabbed as high as a 75-1 favorite. Meaning, in order to win $100 on Stevenson, you would have to wager a mere $7,500. In short, this is Stevenson’s fight to lose. 

If the WBO belt holder does what most expect him to do, which it is dominate, then a showdown with Oscar Valdez could be in his not so distant future. Stevenson fought his way to the mandatory position to Valdez and his WBO strap. Instead of taking on Stevenson, Valdez dropped the belt and headed over to the Super Featherweight division. Stevenson didn’t sweat his decision though, winning the vacant title against Joet Gonzalez shortly after. 

The two may not have been able to step into the ring against one another at 126 pounds, but now that they both currently reside at 130, Stevenson has an eye on him.

“I think Valdez is another one who knows my style isn’t for him,” Stevenson told BoxingScene.com. “I think he knows me and him don’t mix. He knows I would beat him easily. I think he knows that, but he just said in an interview that he wasn’t ducking me. He said everyone thinks that’s what it is, but he’s not ducking me. He’s going for Berchelt first and stuff like that. So, we’ll see when the time comes.”

Before Stevenson jumps to the head of the Oscar Valdez line, Miguel Berchelt will get the first crack at him. The two were on course to face off in May of this year for Berchelt’s WBC title. Of course, like every other boxing event over the past three months though, COVID-19 had other plans. 

Now that the business of boxing is picking back up, they are now back on track for a showdown this year. A date is not definitively set in stone, but promoter Bob Arum has recently revealed to Boxingscene.com that the two will clash later on this year. 

Both Valdez (27-0, 21 KOs) and Berchelt (37-1, 33 KOs) give a whole new meaning to the term “throwing leather.” Throughout the course of their careers, they’ve shown that they can give just as much as they can take. Which makes picking a winner that much more difficult for Stevenson.

“I think that Berchelt will win because he’s bigger and stronger than Valdez,” Stevenson said. “But Valdez might surprise people. It really depends with them two who lands the best punch, because they both will be throwing bombs. I don’t know that Berchelt’s defense is that good, and Valdez throws a lot of power punches. I don’t know. We’ll have to see.”