Lightweight contender Fleix Verdejo will return to the ring on February 3rd against Oliver Flores in Puerto Rico, in what will be his 1st bout since suffering injuries in a motorcycle accident, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.
“To fight once again at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum is the continuation of a dream for me and also the opportunity to show the world that I’m ready to bring a world title to my island,” Verdejo said. “I can’t wait for Feb. 3. I want to share my joy with my people, and I also want to send a direct message to the WBO world champion, Terry Flanagan, that I’m not a tuneup fight for anyone.”
Ricky Marquez, Verdejo’s manager and trainer, said Verdejo will be as good as new despite the accident.
“We return to the island to clear all the doubts about Felix’s total recuperation and to show that the inactivity, instead of affecting him, has strengthened him physically and mentally,” Marquez said.
In the scheduled eight-round co-feature, featherweight prospect Christopher Diaz (19-0, 11 KOs), 22, of Puerto Rico, will take on Efrain Esquivias (17-5-1, 10 KOs), 33, of Carson, California. Esquivias has lost three fights in a row but is very experienced. He sent former junior featherweight world champion Rafael Marquez into retirement with a ninth-round knockout in a 2013 featherweight fight.
“I want to give the people that believe in me a big win,” Diaz said. “I want my fans from (hometown) Barranquitas and all the municipalities from the mountain to get to the Roberto Clemente Coliseum on Feb. 3, because I’m in charge of the fireworks in this party.”
