Oscar Valdez Jr and Miguel Berchelt will have plenty to live on when they enter the ring on Saturday at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas, with Berchelt’s junior WBC junior title on the line (ESPN and ESPN +, 10 p.m. ET).
Berchelt (37-1, 33 KOs) is from Cancun, on the Yucatan Peninsula, on the Gulf Coast. Valdez (28-0, 22 KOs) grew up in Arizona and now coaches in San Diego, but was born 30 years ago in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. He represented the country of his birth at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.
This is Mexico versus Mexico, another struggle in a historical story.
“It’s something of a rivalry, like when [Marco Antonio] Barrier fought [Erik] Morals or when [Juan Manuel] Márquez fought Barrera, “said Oscar Valdez Sr., the fighter’s father and the same amateur boxer.” When it’s Mexico against Mexico, it’s going to be a back and forth, a battle to see what the fight is all about. “
National heritage is not the only reason Valdez, former OMB featherweight champion, wanted a date in the ring with Berchelt. He also wants a title and, despite having other options on that front, the IBF and WBO straps, Valdez wanted Berchelt, who is No. 1 in ESPN’s junior lightweight rankings.
“We want to fight for the best and we believe it’s the best,” Valdez said. “Guys like JoJo Diaz and Jamel Herring, are good fighters, but Berchelt is the best of them. We want to fight with the best fighter. It’s a challenge.”
For his part, Berchelt believes he is willing to impose the same style that has brought him to the top tier in the junior lightweight category.
“I’m going to make my plan, I’m going to attack and throw my punches, I’m going to use my punch,” Berchelt told ESPN. “If he wants to come in, he’ll discover my power.”
Size and power are two of the most important questions for Valdez in this fight. Valdez competes in a 4-pound weight class heavier than featherweight, where he recently ruled in 2019. This will be his third fight against junior lightweight and his father sees it as the gradual disarmament of an enemy of sometimes difficult for a fighter.
“Every fight is a fight against scale,” Valdez said. “The biggest problem a fighter often has is gaining weight, so climbing a division helps with that. It means you can spend more of your training energy preparing for the fight instead of preparing. “We’ll see how the Oscars the body continues to react to the weight class. But it’s ready.”
Notable title fights between Mexican fighters
Israel Vázquez vs. Rafael Márquez 1 in 2007, for the WBC junior featherweight title
Vázquez and Márquez met four times. The first chapter was the bloodiest of all. Vázquez was making his third belt defense, but retired after the seventh day due to respiratory problems and a broken nose.
Erik Morales vs. Marco Antonio Barrera 1 in 2000, for WBC junior featherweight titles
The first fight of a historical trilogy was a fight for unification in the 122-pound division that Morales won by split decision. Morales was knocked down in the 12th round, but prevailed on the scoreboard (114-113, 115-112, 113-114). The fight was awarded as the fight of the year by The Ring Magazine.
Julio César Chávez against Mario Martínez in 1984, for the WBC light junior vacant title
Chávez won his first world title fight when referee John Thomas stopped the fight just after the end of round 8, with Martinez bleeding from his nose and a cut to his right eye. Chávez successfully defended the title nine times, mostly for a Mexican in the division. Chávez also holds the historical record with 31 victories in title fights.
Carlos Zarate vs. Lupe Pintor in 1979, for the WBA blueweight title
In a controversial 15-round split decision, Painter became world champion for the first time. Painter was knocked down in the fourth round and, from the 10th, Zarate began to bleed from his nose and suffered a cut to his right eye. Ring, AP and Boxing Illustrated magazine got Zarate to win in their unofficial scorecards.
Chucho Castillo vs. Ruben Olivares 1 in 1970, for the WBA and WBC whiteweight titles
Olivares was defending his titles when Castillo knocked him down in the third round and won a unanimous 15-round decision. Six months later, Castillo won the rematch for TKO in the 14th round.
In his own words
Berchelt: I’ve been following the Oscar since the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, as it was an opportunity I wanted for myself. Respect. We know the quality of the opponent we have in front of us, but I am here to get the victory and [retain] my title. Styles fight, and I think my style and Oscar style will make a big fight, so we’ll see what happens.
Valdez: Nothing personal, but I want this belt. It’s a dream I’ve had since I was 8, 9 years old. My idols have supported it: Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Julio Cesar Chavez, Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera. They all held this belt, and that’s what I’ve wanted to keep since I was little. This is my chance. This is my chance. I will not go in and I will not give it my all. I will do whatever it takes. If I have to box, I will box. If I have to make it crack and do it, I’m willing to do it too.
Mexican boxing legends share his predictions
By Salvador Rodríguez
Marc Antonio Barrera: I see a very interesting fight. Berchelt has the advantage because he has a big 130 and Valdez climbs 126 pounds, it’s tricky. Power is next to Berchelt, but Valdez has the technique, the Olympic style, the best corner, the mobility, the punch and he moves well from side to side to avoid those Alacran bombings. Berchelt. Valdez can take the victory by decision and maybe Berchelt by eliminatory, but it will be a war between Mexicans that I am already savoring.
Erik “The Terrible” Morales: I think Berchelt has the advantage. I go with Berchelt to points.
Juan Manuel Marquez: It’s hard for me to choose. It will be a good fight, I think it could even be a draw.
Fernando “Kochulito” Montiel: It’s a 60-40 fight for Berchelt or even 55-45. If Valdez drops very early in the first rounds, he could win by knockout. Valdez is the best boxer, with the most boxing repertoire. But Berchelt is a more accomplished fighter. He’s been in tough battles, improving by round and when he attacks he doesn’t stop. And if you add that Valdez suffered a jaw fracture (against Scott Quigg), the further the fight progresses, the more dangerous Berchelt becomes.
Carlos Zarate: The fight is even, but Berchelt trio.
Jordi “Travieso” Arce: Berchelt is great and will rehydrate well after weight. I see Valdez very focused, but he has a weak chin. I don’t think the distance can last.
Read more selections of experts here
By the numbers
24/24: Of his last 24 victories, Berchelt has finished 23 of the fights.
38.9%: Percentage of punches landed by Berchelt in his last eight fights, the highest of all fighters tracked by CompuBox. He has hit 31.5 punches per round, 24.6 power punches per round and 47.4% power hits thrown in his last eight fights, all second by second among all tracked fighters.
2: Appearances at the Olympic Games for Valdez, in 2008 and 2012. Valdez represented Mexico.
8/8: Valdez has won his eight fights in Las Vegas, including his 2016 featherweight world title victory over Matias Carlos Adrian Rueda.
4: Number of divisions in which Adrien Broner has won world titles: junior lightweight (130 lbs), welterweight and junior welterweight (147 lbs). Broner returns to action for the first time since the 2019 defeat against Manny Pacquiao on Saturday, against Jovanie Santiago.
Betting odds
The complete card
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Fight for the title: Miguel Berchelt vs. Oscar Valdez, 12 rounds, for Berchelt’s WBC junior lightweight title
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Gabriel Flores Jr. against Jayson Velez, 10 rounds, junior lightweight
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Dodge Falcao against Artur Akavov, 10 rounds, middleweights
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Elvis Rodriguez vs. Luis Alberto Veron, 6 or 8 rounds, junior welterweight
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Xander Zayas vs. James Martin, 6 rounds, welterweight
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Sonny Tale vs. Waldo Cortes, 4 rounds, heavyweights
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Javier Martinez against Billy Wagner, 4 rounds, middleweights
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Omar Rosario Vs. Uriel Villanueva, 4 rounds, welterweight
Back to “The problem”
By Ben Baby
Adrien Broner heads a card Saturday night (Showtime, 9 p.m. ET) at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, hoping to get his first win since 2017. Jovanie Santiago is just one of the challenges that Broner faces inside the ring. a major financier out of it.
Broner owes $ 855,682.03, which is how much he has to pay to settle a lawsuit, according to a affidavit filed Jan. 29. This follows a criminal case in which he pleaded guilty to assault to a felony and unlawful restraint after forcibly kissing a woman in a club in 2018. In a court case filed on January 29, Wells Fargo said Broner had no funds available, with a large stamp across blank lines.
Broner, who once said his initials represented About Billions, insists, however, that financial considerations are not the driving force behind his return.
“Even if I didn’t have these cases pending against me, I would still be training my ass and be ready to come back and make a fortune,” Broner told ESPN on Feb. 9. “God gave me a blessing and God gave me a great talent and I will not let him lose.” Read more about Broner’s return
Betting odds
The complete card
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Adrien Broner against Jovanie Santiago, 10 rounds, welterweight
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Otto Wallin vs. Dominic Breazeale, 12 rounds, heavyweights
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Zachary Ochoa against Juan Jose Velasco, 10 rounds, junior welterweight
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Robert Easter Jr. vs. Ryan Martin, 12 rounds, junior welterweight
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Rau’shee Warren vs. Sharone Carter, 10 rounds, bantam pesos
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Romuel Cruz against TBA, 4 rounds, junior featherweight