Oscar Valdez had a star-making performance as he brutally knocked out Miguel Berchelt to win the WBC Super Featherweight Title at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas.
Valdez showed he was the quicker fighter from the outset as he landed some hard and flush left hooks from the outset.
In round four, Valdez landed a left hook to the head that wobbled Berchelt. Later in the round, it was two more left hooks that sent Berchelt into he ropes which was correctly ruled a 10-count.
Valdez continued to dominate as he busted up Berchelt, and at the end of round 10, he landed a vicious left hook to the head and Berchelt slowly crumpled over his legs and face-first to the canvas. The fight was stopped immediately at 2:59.
Valdez, 130 lbs of Nogales, MEX is 29-0 with 23 knockouts. Berchelt, 130 lbs of Cancun, MEX is 30-2.
Valdez said, “There’s nothing better in life than proving people wrong. I have a list of people who doubted me. My idols doubted me. Boxing analysts doubted me. They said Berchelt was going to knock me out. I have a message to everybody: Don’t’ let anyone tell you what you can and can’t do.
“I want to take this belt home, and I’m happy for that. Any champion out there… I heard Shakur Stevenson wants to fight. Let’s do it. I just want to keep on fighting and give the fans what they want.”
Gabriel Flores Jr. stopped former world title challenger Jayson Velez in round six of a scheduled 10-round super featherweight bout.
In round six, Velez dropped Velez with a hard left hook. Flores then wobbled Velez badly with another counter shot, and Velez was in all kinds of trouble. Velez ended the bout with another left that put Velez down and the fight was topped at 1:40.
Flores Jr.132 lbs of Stockton, CA is 20-0 with seven knockouts. Velez, 132 lbs of Juncos, PR is 29-8-1.
Flores said, “I could’ve done it earlier. I was playing with my food. {Trainer Gabriel Flores Sr.} told me I just gotta press it. Nothing was really going on those first five rounds, to be honest. I was just feeling him out.
“I would love to get the winner of Jamel Herring and Carl Frampton. I’d love that. I’m going to keep on working, and my performances are going to get better and better.”
Esquiva Falcao stopped Artur Akavov after round four of a scheduled 10-round middleweight bout.
Falcao controlled the bout until Akavov’s corner stopped the fight in the corner as Akavov cited a possible broken nose.
Falcao, 162 lbs of Visoria, BRA is 28-0 with 20 knockouts. Akavov, 162.5 lbs of Pskov, RUS is 20-4.
Elvis Rodriguez remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Luis Alberto Veron in a junior welterweight bout.
Rodriguez landed 97 of 342 punches; Veron was 71 of 348
Rodriguez, 13 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR won by scores of 79-73 twice and 78-74 and is now 11-0-1. Veron, 142 lbs of Buenos Aries, ARG is 18-3-2.
Rodriguez said, “This was my first scheduled eight-round fight, and I actually think I got a lot of good experience. Each fight, you acquire something different, and for this fight, I think the experience of going the rounds actually helped me out.
“It’s a great experience going the full eight rounds. It’s back to the gym to work on several things, specifically I know I needed to let my hands go a little more. When I did do that, I was able to hurt him. But in the end, I think it was a great experience. He’s a natural welterweight. He’s never been stopped, so I knew it would be a tough challenge, but you know I will go back to the gym and work harder to continue to grow in this sport.
Xander Zayas remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over James Martin.
Zayas, 146 lbs of San Juan, PR won by scores of 60-54 on all cards, and is now 7-0. Martin, 146 lbs of Philadelphia, PA is 6-2.
Zayas said, “As a young fighter, you need these types of fights. I haven’t been out of the first round in nearly a year, so for me to get six round in, that was important.”
Javier Martinez made short work of Billy Wagner by stopping him in the opening round of their four-round middleweight bout.
Martinez landed a booming right hook that buckled Wagner, and three ripping punches later, the fight was stopped at 1:51.
Martinez, 161 lbs of Milwaukee, WI is 3-0 with one knockout. Wagner, 160 lbs of Great Falls, MT is 3-2.
Omar Rosario stopped Uriel Villanueva in round two of their scheduled four-round junior welterweight bout featuring undefeated fighters.
In round two, Rosario dropped Villanueva with a left hook to the body. Seconds later, It was another left hook to the body that sent Villanueva to his knee and he did not beat the count of 10 at 2:38.
Rosario, 140 lbs of Caguas, PR is now 3-0 with one knockout. Villanueva, 140 lbs of Anaheim, CA is 1-1.
