| |
|
|
Oscar Valdez vs. Shakur Stevenson Junior Lightweight
Unification Set For Aprirl 30 At MGM Las Vegas
WBC champion Oscar Valdez hopes to become a Mexican boxing
legend while WBO king Shakur Stevenson is eyeing the
mythical pound-for-pound rankings. On Saturday, April 30,
Valdez and Stevenson, the world’s two best junior
lightweights, will meet in a title unification matchup for
the ages at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Stevenson and Valdez are vying to become the first unified
junior lightweight champion since Mexican legend Marco
Antonio Barrera in 2005.
Stevenson-Valdez, along with additional to be announced
fight action, will be televised live on ESPN & ESPN Deportes
(simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
Promoted by Top Rank, ticket information will be announced
shortly.
“Oscar Valdez and Shakur Stevenson are the world's best
junior lightweights. The fans and the fighters demanded this
matchup, and we are proud to deliver it live on ESPN for no
extra charge,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “The winner
becomes a superstar, and I know both men will rise to
challenge.”
Valdez (30-0, 23 KOs), the fighting pride of Nogales,
Mexico, is closing in on an undefeated decade as a pro after
Olympic appearances in 2008 and 2012. He is 9-0 in world
title fights and has solidified his standing as one of
Mexico’s consummate ring warriors. His 2017 featherweight
title defenses against Miguel Marriaga and Genesis Servania
were Fight of the Year contenders. In March 2018, he
defeated an over-the-weight Scott Quigg despite fighting
with a broken jaw for seven rounds. Valdez is 4-0 since
moving up to junior lightweight, winning the WBC title with
the 2021 Knockout of the Year over Miguel Berchelt. Last
September, he made his first defense of that title, coming
on strong in the later rounds to edge Robson Conceição by
unanimous decision.
"I want to make it clear that I am the best 130-pound
fighter in the world,” Valdez said. “We know Shakur
Stevenson is very good at fighting, but he's even better at
social media. I'll let my fists speak for themselves.”
Stevenson (17-0, 9 KOs), the pound-for-pound talent from
Newark, New Jersey, won the vacant WBO featherweight world
title against Joet Gonzalez in 2019 after Valdez vacated the
title to campaign at junior lightweight. Stevenson moved up
in weight after dominating Gonzalez, winning three fights
before challenging WBO junior lightweight world champion
Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring last October in Atlanta. Stevenson
stopped Herring in the 10th round to become a two-weight
world champion.
As the toast of the U.S. amateur boxing scene, Stevenson was
pegged for superstardom ever since making his pro debut in
April 2017. Through 17 pro bouts, he’s flashed a defensive
riddle that has thus far been impossible for opponents to
solve. It is a battle of youth versus hardened experience,
as Valdez won his first world title in July 2016, four weeks
before Stevenson earned a silver medal at the Rio Olympics.
Stevenson said, “I have been chasing this fight for nearly
three years since we were both at featherweight. On April
30, I’m going to show him and the world why he ducked me all
this time. I’m the best young fighter in the world, and I
will become unified champion.”
|
|
|
