Phoenix, AZ – A tip of the black hat to Emanuel Navarrete, still El Vaquero.

Still the The Victor.

Navarrete’s power proved to be too much for Oscar Valdez about a year-and-a-half ago and again Saturday night in a junior-lightweight rematch in front of a roaring crowd at Footprint Center.

Valdez made some promised adjustments. But there was no way to adjust to his power. He just doesn’t have as much of it as Navarrete. He didn’t in August 2023 at Desert Diamond Arena in nearby Glendale. He didn’t  Saturday night in downtown Phoenix. 

Pick the time. Pick the place. It wouldn’t matter. Navarrete settled it, once and for all, proving that he’s simply a better fighter than Valdez.

“I tried,’’ Valdez said.

But  trying in the rematch didn’t carry him for as long as it did in a punishing loss in the first fight. The rematch was a repeat and then some. Navarrete finished the popular fighter from Mexico’s northern Sonora and south Arizona, dropping him three times — once in the first round, again late in the fourth and the finisher in the sixth.

Navarrete (39-2-1, 32 KOs) ended it with a thundering body shot, a left hand that sent Valdez into the ropes and onto the canvas. At 2:42 of the sixth, the fight was over, although Valdez told the crowd he would continue to fight on. The only sure thing is that Navarrete won’t be anywhere in his future, how ever much longer his career lasts.

“I had to work hard in each round.’’ said Navarrete, still the World Boxing Organizations 130-pound champion. “I had to push him back. He comes forward. I had to push him back. And that was the right strategy to take down a Valdez, who is always strong.”

“I told everyone before that I would have a new left hand. And that’s what has happened. It felt really good. We are not starting a second stage of my career. And I plan to take advantage of it.”

Valdez (32-3, 24 KOs) promised adjustments might have cost him in

the opening moments. In the the first round, Valdez moved forward, throwing two or three punches , then ducked and backed away from Navarrete’s attempts at a counter. Late in the first round, Valdez ducked enough to jeopardize his balance. Navarrete capitalized, landing a combination that put, almost pushed, Valdez on to the canvas for an  early knockdown.

Valdez came back over the next couple rounds. He caught Navarrete with succession of solid rights.  All the while, it looked as if Valdez was trying to disrupt Navarrete, an instinctive fighter who is at his dangerous best when he’s gets into a rhythm. It’s a rhythm that rolled over Valdez throughout 12 rounds in the first fight 16 months ago.

Valdez’ adjustments worked, but never long enough to keep Navarrete off him. Interrupt Navarrete’s rhythm, but there was no way to halt his power. It was his advantage in the first fight and again in the second. No need for a third. 

At the end of the fourth rounds, Valdez found himself on the canvas again. He protested to the referee. But to avail. The referee wasn’t listening. He saw what a crowd of more than 8,000 was witnessing. Valdez simply had no chance against Navarrete. Never has.

“Sorry to those who came to see me,’’ Valdez said.  “I wish it was a better result. Maybe next time. No excuses from me. He beat me well.’’

Beat him again.

Espinoza retains his WBO belt

In the 1st of 2 championship rematches of the night we have the co main event of the Navarrete Valdez card, inside the footprint center. Mexican fighter Rafael “Divino” Espinoza defending his WBO Featherweight tittle for the 2nd time in the highly anticipated rematch with Cuban Robeisy Ramirez. In their first fight a year ago, Espinoza edged out the win by a majority decision. Each fight did taste the canvas Espinoza in the 5th, Ramirez touched in the 12th.

Leading up to the fight the fight at hand with many calling it as the potential fight of the night. While both of them have been very respectful and cordial throughout this build up. At the press conference each said that they want to give the fans and themselves a great show.

Rafael “Divino” Espinoza 25-0(21KOs) from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico weighed in at 125.7lbs while Robeisy Ramirez 14-2(9KOs) Cienfuegos, Cuba came in at 125.6

In the opening rounds as expected with two technical fighter both use this round to check each other temperature, in which both were low. Not much action went on except for a couple of punch flurries.

Espinoza started to attack the body of Ramirez, later it opened up a clean uppercut. Ramirez came back with solid left hook that woke up the crowd while getting the attention of Espinoza. As the round went on Ramirez found a home on the right side of Espinoza’s face.

For the first time of the night the boo bird started to chirp however they were quickly turned to cheers as if the fighter heard them. So far this has been an evenly contested fight with both going back and forth. Espinoza is having a little trouble cutting off the ring, as Ramirez is circling the ring. Thus far in the five rounds the action is steady picking up each round

The start of the 6th had a huge turn of events as Ramirez was hit with a straight right hand to his eye that led to him waving his hand up in the air indicating he wanted no mas and that’s how referee Chris Flores took it. Stopping the fight 12 seconds into the round. Earning a TKO victory Espinoza improves to 26-0(22KOs).

In the post fight interview Ramirez indicated that he was hit with a few elbows in the 4th round, and it led to him making sure his health was top priority wanted to protect himself since the referee was not. When interviewed Espinoza stated that Ramirez was feeling his power and knew was coming if he stayed in the fight longer. As for the future he wants the big fights and become a legend in the sport. He also mentioned that he wants to make Phoenix his home. Could we see a potential show down with the winner of the main event?…..possibly in Phoenix?…

Lindolfo Delgado scores convincing stoppage

Lindolfo Delgado has heard boos. Heard questions. But he had only answers Saturday night on the Emanuel Navarette-Oscar Valdez 2 card at the Suns arena in downtown Phoenix.

Delgado (22-0, 16 KOs), a Mexican junior welterweight, dropped Jackson Marinez (22-4, 10 KOs) twice in the fifth round. First, he landed an uppercut combo, putting Marinez, of the Dominican Republic, on the canvas in evident pain. Seconds later, he finished him with a body shot. At 2:14 of the round, referee Wes Melton ended it, declaring Delgado a TKO winner.

Richard Torrez storms back into the KO column

Richard Torrez looked at his record back in September and didn’t exactly recognize it.

It was one knockout shy of perfection in a fight that ended when his opponent was disqualified for spitting out his mouthpiece repeatedly.

“I got in a cab and the driver asked me what I did for a living,” Torrez said. “I told him I’m a heavyweight boxer. So, the driver asked what my record was. That stopped. me. I couldn’t tell him 11 victories, 11 knockouts.”

Torrez will never have that perfect record again. But he put the stoppage back into his identity Saturday, blowing away Mexican Isaac Munoz Saturday on the Emanuel Navarrete-Oscar Valdez rematch card at the Suns home area in downtown Phoenix.

Torrez (12-0, 11 KOs) rocked Munoz (18-2-1, 15 KOs) repeatedly through the first two rounds. In the third, he caught him along the ropes, where Munoz slumped into a defenseless posture. The referee ended it, then and there, at 59 seconds of the round

Perez chopped down

The start of the 2nd half of tonight’s fights Gerardo Perez 12-6-1(3KOs) from Salta, Argentina took on Albert “Chop Chop” Gonzalez 11-0(7KOs) fighting out of Moreno Valley, Ca. In just his 2nd 8 round fight “Chop Chop” is making his return to the valley of the sun. In his Arizona debut he was featured on his stablemates card when Super Flyweight champion Bam Rodriguez fought Sunny Edwards for the IBF and WBO Flyweight belts last December.

Not the way of the night as the first round was pretty much a fill out, as both fighters did not do much engaging. Gonzalez did land 2 clean shots to Perez’s head. Things got interesting as both fighters met in the middle of the ring to start off the 2nd round. The action maintained for much of the round. While each had their moments, again Gonzalez made more of the opportunity and landed the harder punches and knocking Perez’s head back a couple of times.

In the 3rd chop chop found his rhythm stunning Perez with a right hook. In a old fashion brawl this fan favorite round got the fans out of their seats. As this was the round of the night up to this point. Even with the Mexican legend entering the arena could not take away from the action going on in the ring.

Rounds 4 and 5 were catch your breathe type rounds with the actions taking a little break. Gonzalez did start to pick up his punching towards the end of the 5th connecting plenty of times to Perez’s head, however that did not stop him from keep coming forward and pressing the action.

Sensing he has his opponent on the verge “chop Chop” came out of the 7th looking to end it. Walking him down to the corner with a borage of punches. Yet again Perez took those punches stopping the momentum.

 As the fight comes to the end entering the 8th and final round both fighters deserve to be applauded as they left it all in the ring. With Gonzalez maintaining the out put and land the more efficient punches he closed out the fight with some head snapping punches.

The fight ended with no one hitting the canvass but that is not to say it was not a great fight. On the flip side it was the fight of the night as both warriors stood in front of each other and took what the other had. Going to the judges Gonzalez earned the Unanimous decision with 2 of the judges having it a shootout 80-72 and the 3rd scoring it 79-73.—David Galaviz

Steven Navarro put super into flyweight with second-round TKO

It started with a glancing body punch. It continued with a solid body shot. It ended with a left hook. 

From body to head,  Los Angeles super-flyweight Steven Navarro (5-0, 4 KOs)did it all, knocking down Puerto Rican Gabriel Bernadi (7-2, 3 KOs) three times in the second for a dominant stoppage at 2:29 of the round Saturday in the fifth fight on a card featuring the Emanuel Navarrete-Oscar Valdez rematch at Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix.

Santillan races to first-round TKO

Giovani Santillan, a slick welterweight from San Diego, is often criticized for not having enough aggression in what is otherwise a versatile skillset.

Let’s just say it was missing in action.

But it was suddenly there, appearing like a bolt of lightning in overwhelming Ghana welterweight Frederick Lawson within three rounds on an ESPN card featuring the Oscar Valdez-Emanuel Navarrete rematch at Footprint Center, the Phoenix Suns home arena.

At the sound of the opening bell, Santiillan (33-1, 18 KOs) — trainer Robert Garcia in the corner for his third straight fight of the day —  raced at a surprised Lawson (30-5, 22 KOs), who had no counter or defense.  As the bell sounded an end to the opening round, referee Chris Flores waved it off, Santillan a first-round TKO winner 

Referee hits the canvas, Art Barrera wins TKO

The fighters were left standing. Only the referee went down.

In a quick finish to a welterweight fight, referee Wes Melton rushed to step in between Art Barrera Jr. and Juan Carlos Campos Medina. Melton was trying to save Medina from further punishment.

He did, but Melton took a tumble in the fight’s only knockdown Saturday afternoon, several hours before the Emanuel Navarrete-Oscar Valdez main event at Footroitn Center.

Unhurt, Melton coolly got up and ruled a timely end to the fight at 2:58 of the second round, declaring the Robert Garcia-trained Barrera (7-0, 4 KOs) a TKO winner over Medina (4-2, 3 KOs) of Sioux City, Iowa.

Prospect loses pro debut

He walked into the rung as a prospect. He walked out of it winless.

Cesar Morales’ pro debut ended in a loss and perhaps an early lesson in the second fight on a card featuring the Emanuel Navarrete-Oscar Valdez rematch Saturday.

Morales, a Mexican lightweight signed by Valdez manager Frank Espinoza and trained by Robert Garcia, got rocked in the fourth and final round at Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix.

 A  succession of punches from Kevin Mosquera (3-0, 1 KO), a long and lanky fighter from Ecuador, rocked Morales. In a desperate effort to maintain his balance, his gloves touched the canvas for an official knockdown

That was enough to put him on the losing end of a majority decision — 39-36, 38-37, 38-38 — in what proved to be an early surprise on Top Rank’s 10-fight card. 

In the opening bell inside the Footprint Center home of the Phoenix Suns, Roman Reynoso 22-5-2(10KOs) fighting out of Moreno, Argentina faced DJ “The War Machine” Zamora 14-0(9KOS) a Top Rank prospect coming all the way from Las Vegas, NV. Both fighters made weight yesterday for their Jr Lightweight contest.

In the first round Reynoso went down twice, first by a shot to the right side of his stomach at the 1:03 mark and then on his own accord with a wild punch that connected only with the cold air in the arena.

Sensing some urgency Ramon came out in the 2nd round with a flurry of punches, pushing Zamora to the ropes. What seemed to be plan A for Reynoso did not hold up and with no plan B, Zamora had his equalizer, with 1:17 left in the round, he landed a left hook square on his opponent’s jaw. Referee Chris Chavez Stopping it shortly after. Improving to 15-0(10KOs) Zamora still has some room for improvement but the reward out weighs the risk in his young career.—David Galaviz

By Norm Frauenheim

PHOENIX — On the scale Friday, they were almost even. On the scorecards a year-and-a-half ago, they were close. On any scale, the fight is hard to predict.

Emanuel Navarrete and Oscar Valdez meet for the second time Saturday at Footprint Center in a fight that fans hope is more of a rematch than a repeat.

The first fight — at Desert Diamond Arena in nearby Glendale — was a punishing blowout, delivered by Navarrete, who got on a roll and rolled over Valdez, who left the ring badly bloodied, a fractured eye socket and absolutely no chance on the cards. It was 119-109, 118-110 and 116-112, all for Navarrete.

About sixteen months ago, it looked as if there’d never be another one.

“It was too one-sided,’’ said Valdez (30-2, 24 KOs), who Friday was at 130-pounds, the junior lightweight limit and one-tenth of a pound heavier than Navarrete (38-2-1, 31 KOs). “I have to be honest.’’

But Valdez’ stubborn  persistence and a couple of sloppy performances by Navarrete set the stage for another. When the rematch was first announced, there was some skepticism about its marketability. Once was enough, wasn’t it?

No, it wasn’t. That much was clear at Friday’s weigh-in. 

A crowd and a buzz filled an upstairs ballroom at a downtown Phoenix hotel. The back-and-forth display of violence, blood and courage created an appetite for more, NavarreteValdez2. 

A restless crowd of fans from southern Arizona and northern Mexico jammed the room. Phoenix has often been called a city full of educated boxing fans, Perhaps, they know something that wasn’t always evident in the first fight. Whatever it is, the buzz says a genuine battle is looming in the second chapter between the Mexican rivals

A sure sign is at the box office. Footprint opened up the upper section of seats at the Suns arena late Thursday. 

Tickets are selling, not only for the Navarrete-Valdez, but also for another rematch, Rafael Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) versus Robeisy Ramirez (14-2, 9 KOs) in a rematch of Espinoza’s majority decision for a featherweight title a year ago. Espinoza was 125.7 pounds Friday, also a tenth-of-a-pound heavier than Ramirez, a Cuban who heard Cuba, Cuba chants after he stepped off the scale

Even Navarrete says he can’t wait to watch  Espinoza-Ramirez.

“Me and Oscar are going to war all over again,’’ said Navarrete, still the World Boxing Organization’s’ junior-lightweight champion. “But it might be hard to put on the kind  war that we’ll see from Ramirez and Espinoza.’’

Call it a night of encores, for fighters and fans.

By Norm Frauenheim

PHOENIX — Rafael Espinoza is in line for a possible shot at the Oscar Valdez-Emanuel Navarrete junior-lightweight winner if he beats Robeisy Ramirez in a featherweight rematch, one of two title rematches on the ESPN-televised card Saturday at Footprint Center.

There’s talk that Espinoza, unusually tall for a featherweight, is about to move up in weight, from 126 pounds to 130, if he again beats Ramirez, who lost a dramatic majority decision to Espinoza a year ago in Pembrook Pines, Fla.

The 6-foot-1 Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs), the World Boxing Organization’s featherweight champion, was at 125.7 pounds Friday at the official weigh-in. He was only a tenth-of-a-pound heavier than Ramirez (14-2, 9 KOs), but was five inches taller. At 30 years old, it looks as if Espinoza is ready to fight in a heavier division.

“Rumor is, he’ll go up,’’ Brad Goodman, of Top Rank, said.

First, however, he has to beat Ramirez, a Cuban who many thought won the first fight. Late Friday, Ramirez was a slight betting favorite.

There has been talk that Espinoza might move up to challenge Texan O’Shaquie Foster (23-3, 12 KOs), the World Boxing Council’s junior-lightweight champion. But Espinoza, who wore late Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela’s jersey to Friday’s weigh-in, in an all-Mexican fight against either Valdez or Navarrete for the WBO’s 130-pound title looks to be a more marketable match among Mexican and Mexican-American fans.

 •  Emanuel Navarrete 129.9 lbs. vs. Oscar Valdez 130 lbs
(Navarrete’s WBO Junior Lightweight World Title – 12 Rounds)
Referee: Raul Caiz Jr.
Judges: Benoit Roussel, Steve Weisfeld, and Chris Wilson

   • Rafael Espinoza 125.7 lbs vs. Robeisy Ramirez 125.6 lbs
(Espinoza’s WBO Featherweight World Title — 12 Rounds)
Referee: Chris Flores
Judges: Tim Cheatham, Zac Young, and Dennis O’Connell

(ESPN+, 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT)

•  Lindolfo Delgado 139.9 lbs vs. Jackson Marinez 139.2 lbs
 (Delgado’s WBO Latino Junior Welterweight Title— 10 Rounds)

•  Richard Torrez Jr. 236.6 lbs vs. Issac Munoz 252.1 lbs
 (Torrez’s Jr. NABF Heavyweight Title— 8 Rounds)

•   Albert Gonzalez 127.2 lbs vs. Gerardo Antonio Perez 127.7 lbs
 (Featherweight— 8 Rounds)

•  Steven Navarro 115.6 lbs vs. Gabriel Bernardi 115.4 lbs
 (Junior Bantamweight — 8 Rounds)

•   Giovani Santillan 147.9 lbs vs. Fredrick Lawson 146.3 lbs
 (Welterweight — 10 Rounds)

•  Art Barrera Jr. 149.4 lbs vs. Juan Carlos Campos
Medina 149.7 lbs
 (Welterweight — 6 Rounds)

•  Cesar Morales 136.3 lbs vs. Kevin Mosquera 136.4 lbs
 (Lightweight — 4 Rounds)
•  DJ Zamora 131.3 lbs vs. Roman Ruben Reynoso 131.9 lbs
 (Junior Lightweight — 8 Rounds)

PHOENIX, Ariz. (Dec. 5, 2024) — Two world title rematches are set to light up The Grand Canyon State, with legacies and redemption on the line.

Three-division champion Emanuel “El Vaquero” Navarrete (38-2-1, 31 KOs) defends his WBO junior lightweight world title against former two-division king Oscar Valdez (32-2, 24 KOs) in an all-Mexican main event this Saturday, Dec. 7, at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

Navarrete aims for a knockout in the sequel, while the Eddy Reynoso-trained Valdez believes he can turn the tables and become a three-time world champion.

In the co-feature, Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) defends his WBO featherweight world title against Cuba’s Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez (14-2, 9 KOs), the man he unseated one year ago to seize the crown.

Espinoza looks to prove that his title-winning effort was no fluke, while Ramirez is eager to show what he can do at his best after personal issues hindered his preparation for their first encounter.

Navarrete-Valdez 2 & Ramirez-Espinoza 2 will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.

The ESPN+-streamed undercard begins at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT and includes the return of unbeaten Mexican junior welterweight contender Lindolfo Delgado (21-0, 15 KOs), who will face Jackson Marinez (22-3, 10 KOs) in a 10-round clash.

U.S. Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. (11-0, 10 KOs) makes his fourth appearance of the year in an eight-round heavyweight tilt against once-beaten Mexican Issac Muñoz (18-1-1, 15 KOs), while welterweight contender Giovani Santillan (32-1, 17 KOs) looks to bounce back from his first pro defeat in a 10-rounder versus Fredrick Lawson (30-5, 22 KOs).

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets are still available via Ticketmaster.com.

This is what the fighters had to say at Thursday’s press conference.

Emanuel Navarrete

“We all know that we both plan to come out and give a war and leave everything in the ring again. And what better way to do it than by having a co-main event that’s gonna eat things up?”

“The bar is gonna be set really high and so we’re gonna have to try to do better than that. It’s gonna be hard especially with these two great people {Espinoza and Ramirez} right next to us. It’s gonna be difficult for both me and Valdez. However, we don’t need much. All we need is for the bell to ring for us to go to war.”

“I’m focused 100 percent on him. I haven’t thought about anything beyond Valdez. And now he’s coming with a different strategy. The first fight helped us learn about each other. And now we will use the tools that we extracted from the first fight. And, aside from using our experience with each other, we will also come with the same heart as last time. And so, I can’t say much, but no doubt it will be not just a fight but an epic event, especially with the co-main before us.”

Oscar Valdez

“The {Liam Wilson fight} was very important for me because boxing penalizes you if you have a lot of losses. It’s not like other sports where you can lose and you can do better in the next season. In boxing, most people don’t want to see you again after a couple of losses. So, doing that fight was very important for me. That’s why there was so much emotion for me after that fight. And that fight got me the ticket for this rematch.”

“This is not an easy fight. This is a hard task. But nothing in life that is worth it is going to be easy. It’s always going to be hard. So, we trained hard. I’m excited for this. I’m excited to face the great ‘Vaquero’ once again. It’s going to be a great fight.”

“I visualized this. I feel I can do a lot more in the sport. After I lost, I went back home and was obviously sad and disappointed in my performance. But then you go back to the gym, and you start to work out. Then, you start to see that you can do better. So, you have to visualize it first. And now we are here. Let’s get it on.”

Rafael Espinoza

“God’s timing is perfect. We waited a bit for the rematch, but now we are here. And like I’ve said since the first fight, I’ve always wanted a rematch. because it was a war where we both gave everything. So, he deserved it, I deserved it, and the people deserved it.”

“Knowing you are a champion affects you mentally. As a champion, you know that you have a big commitment, and so I’ve become a better person and a better fighter as a result, and I’m enjoying it.”

“Yes, we all know about my height advantage, but I also have another advantage, and that’s my heart. So, I’m going to show my heart by giving everything in the ring this Saturday.”

Robeisy Ramirez

“Well, it’s no secret that we’re not the only fighters here. The main event will also be a war. So I’m happy to be here. I’m excited to be with these champs here. And overall, we want the public to enjoy this event.”

“I think that to mention things from the past right now is unnecessary because it sounds like excuses, and I will never give excuses in this sport. Simply put, I think that I learned how you should fight when you’re not at 100% physically and mentally.”

“It was very nice to see my parents again recently. It had been six years. It’s no secret that I can’t return to Cuba, and so it filled me with a lot of satisfaction to be able to see them, to embrace them, to spend time with them, and I hope that after this victory, I can repeat that as soon as possible.”

Lindolfo Delgado

“{My last bout against Bryan Flores} was not easy. It was a tough fight. I’m happy with the result. I’m happy it ended that way because it took me out of my comfort zone and pushed me to be better, work harder, and prepare for what is next.”

“This is what I’ve been waiting for. I’m focused on my fight because I know it’s a tough fight. I’m looking for an opportunity at a world title. I have what it takes to fight against anyone and against any of those champs. I’m just waiting for that opportunity.”

Richard Torrez Jr.

“I was saying I don’t care about {the knockout streak}, but in the Uber back to the hotel from the venue {following a DQ win in September}, the driver asked me, ‘What’s your record?’ I was like 11-0 with, oh, 10 knockouts. So, that does kind of sting a little bit. But, at the end of the day, I’m here to win, and I’m here to put on good performances. I did that last time, and I’m looking to continue doing that.”

“{Muñoz} is rated the number one heavyweight in Mexico. He’s been on the amateur scene for a while, and he knows what he’s doing. I’m really excited for this fight.”

“Every time I train, I train for a world championship fight. I don’t train for the opponent. I train to be the best boxer I can be, and on Saturday night, you will see that.”

Giovani Santillan

“Losing is tough, but it’s part of the sport. And that’s what I signed up for, to take on the hard, tough fights. Sometimes you lose, but that one loss is not going to hold me back from getting to where I want to get to.”

“Ever since I went back to camp, everyone has been supportive. They all believe in me, and since then, it’s been about working on strategy and game plan for this fight. But also my preparation. A lot of it has to do with my weight cut and things like that.”

“That’s the way I was raised by my dad. Sometimes, you fall, but you get back up and keep going. That’s the mentality I’ve had since {my defeat}.”

Saturday, December 7

ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ (10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT)

Emanuel Navarrete vs. Oscar Valdez, 12 rounds, Navarrete’s WBO Junior Lightweight World Title

Rafael Espinoza vs. Robeisy Ramirez, 12 rounds, Espinoza’s WBO Featherweight World Title

ESPN+ (5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT)

Lindolfo Delgado vs. Jackson Marinez, 10 rounds, Delgado’s WBO Latino Junior Welterweight Title

Steven Navarro vs. Gabriel Bernardi, 6 rounds, junior bantamweight

Giovani Santillan vs. Fredrick Lawson, 10 rounds, welterweight 

DJ Zamora vs. Roman Ruben Reynoso, 8 rounds, junior lightweight

Top Rank Boxing on ESPN: Navarrete vs. Valdez II and Espinoza vs. Ramirez II  will be presented live this Saturday, December 7, at 10:30 p.m. ET/ 7:30 p.m. PT on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+. The event takes place at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

Headlined by a pair of long-awaited rematches, the main event features Mexican action hero Emanuel Navarrete defending his WBO junior lightweight world title against countryman and former two-division world champion Oscar Valdez. Navarrete and Valdez fought in August 2023, with Navarrete earning a unanimous decision.
 

Navarrete (38-2-1, 31 KOs) first claimed world title glory in December 2018, winning the WBO junior featherweight belt and then making five title defenses in nine months. He won the WBO featherweight title in October 2020 and became a three-weight king champion in February 2023 when he knocked out Liam Wilson for the vacant WBO junior lightweight world title. Navarrete has defended that belt twice, including the epic first encounter with Valdez. Although his bid to become a four-division champion fell short in May against Denys Berinchyk, Navarrete returns to 130 pounds, intent on re-asserting his dominance.

Valdez (32-2, 24 KOs), a two-time Mexican Olympian, won his first world title in 2016, defending the WBO featherweight crown six times before moving up to junior lightweight. There, he claimed the WBC title with a highlight-reel knockout of Miguel Berchelt. Valdez endured his first pro defeat in a high-stakes unification tilt against Shakur Stevenson in 2022. After a comeback win in May 2023, he fell short against Navarrete before earning the interim WBO junior lightweight belt in March with a seventh-round stoppage over Wilson.

In the co-feature, WBO featherweight world champion Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza defends his crown against Cuban star Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez, the man he dethroned to win the title last December.

Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) built his career in Mexico, fighting all but two of his pro bouts there before facing Ramirez in Florida. He overcame a fifth-round knockdown and sealed the fight with a crucial 12th-round knockdown, securing a majority decision in what was hailed as ESPN’s Upset of the Year. Espinoza made his first defense in June with a decisive fourth-round TKO over fellow Mexican Sergio Chirino. Ramirez (14-2, 9 KOs), a two-time Olympic gold medalist, made one defense of the WBO title he won via unanimous decision over Isaac Dogboe in April 2023.

The action-packed undercard bouts begin at 5:30 p.m. ET/ 2:30 p.m. PT on ESPN+.

ESPN’s Joe Tessitore, Timothy Bradley, Jr., Mark Kriegel, and Bernardo Osuna will call the action.

ESPN.com:

Out Thursday: Ranking the Fights for December 7

Nick Parkinson looks at the three boxing cards on the same night, ranks the best fights and shares his thoughts on why you should watch.

Out Friday: Emanuel Navarrete vs. Oscar Valdez by the Numbers

Using stats from CompuBox and SIG, we look at the anticipated rematch between Navarrete and Valdez by the numbers.

ESPN Original Series “The Fight Life” chronicles a year in the world of Top Rank Boxing through the journeys of five of the sport’s elite boxers: Tyson Fury, Naoya Inoue, Seniesa Estrada, Teofimo Lopez, and Josh Taylor.

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Navarrete vs. Valdez (All Times ET)

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By Norm Frauenheim

It’s rematch with a chance at becoming a rivalry.

Emanuel Navarrete-Oscar Valdez 2 on Dec. 7 in Phoenix was never envisioned after Navarrete won a decision as punishing as it was one-sided on the scorecards 15 months ago. 

Then, Valdez left the ring in nearby Glendale, tears mixing with blood that poured from a right eye swollen shut into a grotesque mess by a fractured orbital bone. Then, Valdez’ many fans in southern Arizona and Mexico’s northern Sonora only hoped he would recover from a night, a fight, shocking for its mix of violence and drama. Applause mixed with prayers like the blood and tears.

Despite the pain, Valdez knew his fans were there. Knew what they were thinking. Despite the anguish, he apologized.

“I’m sorry I disappointed everyone,’’ he said then at Desert Diamond Arena. “I feel terrible. I wanted to give you all a great fight. I hope you enjoyed the fight. I hope to return strong.’’

He did return. He finished Australian Liam Wilson in a dominant seventh-round stoppage last March, also in Glendale. Then, he didn’t know that a Navarrete rematch was even a remote possibility. 

Navarrete had gone on to defend his junior-lightweight title with a victory over Brazilian Robson Conceicao and was planning on a move up the scale to lightweight in a bid for a fourth division title against Ukrainian Denys Berinchyk in San Diego in May. 

The expectation was that Navarrete would win and vacate his junior-lightweight title, which would then belong to Valdez. Instead he lost and decided to stay at 130 pounds, prompting the World Boxing Organization to order in July what had been an unlikely rematch.

Like so much else in boxing, expectations are just another glass jaw. This time, they were shattered by Berinchyk scoring an upset, winning a split decision over Navarrete, who delivered a dull performance just months after fans and media were asking him whether he thought he had a chance against Shakur Stevenson. He doesn’t.

For now, however, the only relevant question is whether Valdez has any chance in his second opportunity against Navarrete, this time in downtown Phoenix on the Suns home floor at Footprint Center. Valdez, a 118-110, 119-109, 116-112 loser in the first fight, says he does. 

Above all, he talks as if he’s anxious to walk back into harm’s way for a chance to genuinely win the title in the ring instead of acquiring it through a mere paper shuffle. 

Had Valdez been elevated to the WBO’s 130-pound champion because of a Navarrete move up the scale in the wake of a 135-pound victory over Berinchyk, Valdez would have been dismissed as just another E-mail champ. That’s a long way from the blood and guts that have been there throughout his career. Remember Scott Quigg?

In March 2018 on a rain-swept night in an outdoor ring in Carson, Calif, a heavier Quigg, who fought despite missing weight, broke Valdez’ jaw midway through the 12 rounds. Valdez fought through it, winning a unanimous decision. After it was all over, the persistent rain had washed away the dirt and debris. 

But the rain did not — perhaps could not — wash away a stain in the corner of the canvas where Valdez sat and spit up blood between rounds. 

After it was all over, the fight’s winner was strapped onto a board like an accident victim, placed into the back of an ambulance and taken to a nearby hospital. He’s that kind of fighter. Down, but never finished. 

He endures. You can bust up his eye. Break his jaw. But that will remains intact, seemingly unbreakable. At least, it has. There’s a lingering question about how much more punishment the resilient Valdez can absorb. He’ll turn 34 on Dec. 22, a few weeks after the Navarrete rematch. 

That inevitable question will be there, and it’s one the 29-year-old Navarrete figures to test repeatedly with his many-angled array of punches. Valdez, still a serious enough student of the game to know not to waste a lesson, promises to be more prepared the second time around.

“I think my game plan was just off, because I left the game plan and was just looking for that one shot,’’ Valdez told Fight Hype TV from his San Diego training camp last week. “The fans were there, and they were enjoying it. It was loud and I wanted to please the crowd and go for that one-shot knockout. And it did not work, especially with a fighter like Navarrete.

“So, now we’re going back looking at the fight, looking at film and watching the fight. Like I said, I made a lot of mistakes. 

“So, we’re training, day-by-day, trying to get better and become just a better fighter, be the smarter fighter inside the ring and win in general. Everybody knows we lost our first fight, which was devastating for me because I thought I was 100 per cent gonna win that fight.

 “I feel blessed. I feel blessed to have the opportunity again, but I’m more focused than ever because I’ve faced him already. I know what he’s got. I know his advantages. It’s for a championship belt, and it means everything to me.”

Navarrete, inconsistent over the last couple of years, goes into the rematch favored. The oddsmakers haven’t forgotten the first fight, either. 

A Valdez victory just seems unlikely. Then again, so was a Valdez victory over Miguel Berchelt in February 2021. Valdez knocked out Berchelt, then feared and unbeaten, in the 10th round. The Berchelt stunner and Valdez’ dominance of Wilson are signs he might be able to spring another surprise. Many believe Wilson was robbed of victory over Navarrete in a controversial fourth-round knockdown in Glendale in February 2023. Navarrete got up and survived, winning a ninth-round stoppage.

There are questions about whether Navarrete simply overlooked the unknown Aussie. Yet, there are also questions as to whether he still has the energy to throw his many-angled punches with the same degree precision, all at a whirlwind rate. 

If Valdez can summon up counters to the energy, precision, angles and work-rate, he might have a bigger answer to whether the fight is just another sequel or a rematch turned into a true rivalry.

NOTES

Valdez, A Mexican Olympian born in Nogales who went to school in Tucson, will be fighting In the Phoenix area for the third straight time. 

Navarrete will fight in Phoenix for the third time in his last five bouts.

(Nov. 27, 2024) — Emanuel Navarrete and Oscar Valdez are two of this generation’s most accomplished Mexican warriors, and they enter their December 7 rematch at Footprint Center in Phoenix with something to prove.

WBO junior lightweight world champion Navarrete (38-2-1, 31 KOs) returns to defend his crown following May’s decision defeat to Denys Berinchyk for the vacant WBO lightweight world title. While he fell short in his mission to become a four-weight world champion, Navarrete intends to re-assert his place atop the division hierarchy.

Former two-weight champion Valdez (32-2, 24 KOs) hopes to become a two-time junior lightweight king and avenge his August 2023 decision loss to Navarrete. That evening, Navarrete prevailed by unanimous decision in a toe-to-toe battle that left Valdez bruised and bloodied.

Navarrete trained in the mountains of Mexico, while Valdez spent more than two months in San Diego. This is what they had to say ahead of the sequel.

Emanuel Navarrete

“There is a lot of pride at stake, especially in a Mexico vs. Mexico battle. When you have that dynamic, there’s always going to be pride. Valdez and I know that adds more significance to this fight.”

“I believe it will be an even better fight because we are familiar with one another. That will lead to more exchanges and better action for the fans.”

“I’m working hard because I know I must push Valdez to his limits. The second half of the fight will be less about technique and more about physical training and who is the best prepared to withstand the punches.”

“I know what happened against Berinchyk. Nothing was controversial about it, and I want to return to lightweight one day. When I fight at lightweight again, I will be much better than I was against Berinchyk.”

Oscar Valdez 

“I have a few more battles left in me. I feel great. I showed I had a lot left in my last fight when I beat Liam Wilson. I was emotional because I knew beating Wilson would punch my ticket to an even bigger fight. I am excited to be sharing the ring with a warrior like ‘Vaquero’ again and to have the opportunity to win the WBO junior lightweight championship.”

“I’m at the point of my career where I appreciate everything and enjoy every moment, whether running, sparring, or just having a coffee. I enjoy the fights and am grateful for everything in life.”

“I’m back in the gym training for a second opportunity at Navarrete, looking at what we did wrong, watching film, and working hard to correct mistakes. Not everyone gets a second chance. I will make the most of it. I’m not wasting days.”

“I know what to expect from Navarrete. I know what to train for. I’ve trained hard and smart for this fight. In the first fight, I made several mistakes. My biggest mistake was trying to knock out my opponent. I always want to give the fans what they pay for, but I focused on the knockout instead of sticking to my game plan. I’m working smarter, fighting smarter, and bringing in sparring partners that better imitate his style.”

“The boxing fans in Arizona are incredibly supportive. Some of the most memorable nights of my career have taken place there, and I look forward to giving the fans in Phoenix an action-packed battle.”

Navarrete-Valdez II and the featherweight rematch between WBO champion Rafael Espinoza and Cuban star Robeisy Ramirez will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT. Sky Sports will have coverage in the U.K. and Ireland.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com.

(Nov. 27, 2024) —  Before WBO junior lightweight world champion Emanuel Navarrete and former two-weight champion Oscar Valdez meet in their highly anticipated rematch on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona, they sat down for a spirited roundtable with four of their legendary Mexican countrymen: Julio Cesar Chavez, Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, and Juan Manuel Marquez.

For the first time, Chavez, Morales, Barrera, and Marquez joined forces for an on-camera panel. “The Final Word: Legendary Rematches of Mexican Boxing,” a half-hour show that delves into the rivalries and fighting spirit of Mexican fighters, premieres on ESPN2 this Saturday, Nov. 30, at 6 a.m. ET/3 a.m. PT. It will first air on ESPN Deportes on Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 6 a.m. ET/3 a.m. PT.

The program will also be available for replay on-demand on ESPN+ and Top Rank’s YouTube channel.

Navarrete (38-2-1, 31 KOs) and Valdez (32-2, 24 KOs) first fought in August 2023, with Navarrete prevailing by unanimous decision in one of the year’s best action duels. They hope to add another blood-soaked chapter to the proud and storied history of all-Mexican ring battles. “The Final Word” explores the common themes that bind Mexico’s legendary pugilists and how they prepare for a familiar opponent. During an animated afternoon in Mexico City, the six decorated combatants talked a little trash and swapped stories from their most intense showdowns.

This is what the fistic icons had to say about this first-of-its-kindpanel discussion:

Chavez: “Meeting with the legendary figures of Mexican boxing, who have provided us with so many unforgettable moments in the sport we love, has been an incredibly enjoyable experience. We all agree that the Mexican boxing style is the one that most captivates fans. When two Mexican warriors face each other in the ring, it almost guarantees an unforgettable spectacle.”

Marquez: “I had the privilege of getting together with great legends of Aztec boxing to discuss some of the iconic rematches in Mexican boxing. We explored the rivalries that arise when Mexican warriors face off with different nationalities, but it’s clear that a thrilling war is always guaranteed when two Mexican fighters battle in the ring. This will be evident on December 7 when ‘Vaquero’ Navarrete and Oscar Valdez meet in a rematch that will keep us on the edge of our seats.”

Morales: “Some of the great champions of Mexican boxing met to discuss the rematch between Valdez and Navarrete on December 7, as well as other memorable rematches in Aztec boxing history. It was a wonderful meeting, as opportunities to come together and discuss boxing are rare. The conversation was enjoyable, and even though the fans didn’t think it was possible, it happened, and I’m confident they will enjoy it.”

Barrera: “I was really happy to get together with these great champions. It has been a while since I met some of the stars of Mexican boxing like this. It felt like a reunion of the past, present, and future of Mexican boxing. I have no words to express how happy I was. The reunion was extraordinary.”

Navarrete-Valdez II and the featherweight rematch between WBO champion Rafael Espinoza and Cuban former champion Robeisy Ramirez will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT. Sky Sports will have coverage in the U.K. and Ireland.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com.

The Final Word: Legendary Rematches of Mexican Boxing (All Times ET)

(Nov. 26, 2024) — Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza and Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez thrilled fans with a Fight of the Year contender last December, and both look to pick up where their dramatic 12th round left off in their December 7 rematch at Phoenix’s Footprint Center.

Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) edged Ramirez via majority decision to capture the WBO featherweight world title in ESPN’s Upset of the Year. From the time ring announcer Mark Shunock said “AND NEW,” a rematch appeared inevitable.

However, both men returned in June with different dance partners. Espinoza dispatched Sergio Chirino in just four rounds in his first title defense, while Ramirez (14-2, 9 KOs) returned one week later to blast out Brandon Benitez with a dazzling uppercut in the seventh round.

Espinoza, a 6-foot-1 Mexican phenom, wants to prove that his first victory was no fluke. Ramirez, a two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist, is determined to reclaim his throne after personal struggles impacted his performance in their initial encounter.

Espinoza trained at home in Guadalajara, while Ramirez held camp in Las Vegas. This is what they had to say ahead of Part II.

Rafael Espinoza

“I know it will be a war. And it’ll help that I can fight against any version of Ramirez. I’ll be ready whether he wants to fight at a close range or from a distance. Like I said before the first fight, I’m not leaving without the title.”

“I’m preparing for the best version of Ramirez because I know that’s who I’ll face on fight night. And that’s exactly what I want. I want him at his best so there won’t be doubts or excuses when I win.”

“My confidence has grown. My mentality, approach to training, and commitment have all changed. I’m three times more committed than in the first fight, and I think I showed that against Chirino. I want to prove it again against Ramirez.”

“I know I have to stay completely focused in this fight. I made a mistake the first time, and it cost me. So, we’re focusing on being 100 percent concentrated because losing focus is easy when you get comfortable in the ring. I can’t afford to lose focus for even a second. That will be a key difference in this fight.”

“My top priority is to defeat Ramirez on December 7. After that, we’ll see who I can unify with. For now, my sole focus is beating Ramirez.”

Robeisy Ramirez 

“In camp, my father got really sick. He almost passed away. That affected me a lot. My father is in Cuba, and I can’t go back. I couldn’t visit him in the hospital. So, that affected me greatly.”

“That was not the best version of me in the first fight. And despite that, I was still able to deliver a great show. So, I do not doubt the second fight will be better.”

“He didn’t surprise me in the first fight. We all know how Mexican fighters are. They never give up. But, given my personal issues, I was not in the best condition. Nevertheless, if the judges saw that he deserved the decision, that’s fine.”

“I have characterized myself as a fighter who gets up whenever he is knocked down. I have a champion mentality and will be a champion again.”

“Everyone knows that I am a warrior. And I have the Cuban school of boxing. But as the Mexicans say, I also have the huevos to stand in the center of the ring and go to war.”

“A victory would put me where I belong. We have to see how this fight will unfold, but unification showdowns and fights against the best of the division are always on the table.”

The Emanuel Navarrete-Oscar Valdez II junior lightweight world title showdown and Espinoza-Ramirez co-feature will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT. Sky Sports will have coverage in the U.K. and Ireland.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com.  

PHOENIX, Ariz. (Nov. 7, 2024) — Nearly seven months after falling short in his first attempt at an interim world title, welterweight contender Giovani “El Gallo de Oro” Santillan is set to reignite his charge towards the top of the division.

Santillan will square off against Ghana’s Frederick Lawson in a 10-round showdown on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Santillan-Lawson joins a stacked undercard streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+.

The ESPN-televised doubleheader (10:30 p.m. ET/ 7:30 p.m. PT) will feature a pair of world title rematches. In the main event, Emanuel “El Vaquero” Navarrete defends his WBO junior lightweight world title against Oscar Valdez in an all-Mexican duel.

In the co-feature, WBO featherweight world champion Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza defends his strap against Cuban star Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com.  

Santillan (32-1, 17 KOs) steadily climbed the welterweight rankings during his 12-year career. He had a standout 2023, defeating longtime contender Erick Bone in July before shocking the boxing world with a six-round demolition of Alexis Rocha in October. His performance solidified his place among the welterweight elite, earning him a crack at the WBO interim title against Brian Norman Jr. in May. Santillan was knocked out in the 10th round, and Norman was later elevated to full champion. Lawson (30-5, 22 KOs) fell to Vergil Ortiz Jr. in January and Rocha in March after beating Estevan Villalobos last April.

A trio of undefeated Mexican-American talents has also been added to the ESPN+ undercard that also includes heavyweight standout Richard Torrez Jr. (11-0, 10 KOs) and junior welterweight phenom Emiliano Fernando Vargas (12-0, 10 KO) in eight-rounders:

Featherweight powerhouse Albert “Chop Chop” Gonzalez (11-0, 7 KOs) will take on Argentina’s Gerardo Antonio Perez (12-6-1, 3 KOs) in an eight-round showdown. Gonzalez, the latest hard-hitting standout from the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy, signed a long-term promotional deal with Top Rank in August. He is 4-0 with four knockouts in 2024 and returns following a third-round stoppage over Edgar de la Cruz Gonzalez in September.
 
Fast-rising junior bantamweight dynamo Steven “Kid Dynamite” Navarro (4-0, 3 KOs) makes his fifth appearance of 2024 in a six-rounder versus Puerto Rico’s Gabriel Bernardi (7-1, 3 KOs). A decorated amateur standout, Navarro made his pro debut in April and signed with Top Rank later that month. He made his Top Rank debut with a six-round unanimous decision against Juan Pablo Meza in June before notching TKO wins over Israel Camacho in August and Oscar Arroyo in September. 

Welterweight prospect Art Barrera Jr. (6-0, 4 KOs) will see action in a six-round tilt against an opponent to be named. Barrera seeks to earn his fifth triumph of the year after decisioning Javier Mayoral in July.

# # #

 
About Footprint Center

Located in downtown Phoenix, Footprint Center is a world-class sports and entertainment venue that is home to the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and the industry’s biggest and brightest concerts and shows. For more information, visit FootprintCenter.com and follow for news and updates on Instagram, Facebook and X.

Las Vegas (April 18, 2024) – Two-division world champion Oscar Valdez has confirmed that he will appear at the Seventh Annual Box Fan Expo on Saturday May 4, 2024 at the Las Vegas Convention Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Expo will also coincide with the mega fight between Canelo Alvarez vs Jaime Munguia, that will take place later that evening at the T-Mobile Arena.

Valdez will hold a Meet & Greet with his fans at his booth during the fan event held over the Cinco De Mayo weekend.

The Box Fan Expo is an annual fan event that coincides with some of the sports’ legendary, classic fights in Las Vegas, including Mayweather vs. Maidana II, Mayweather vs. Berto, Canelo vs. Chavez Jr., Canelo vs. GGG II, Canelo vs. Jacobs and Canelo vs. GGG III. 

Centered in boxing’s longtime home – Las Vegas – this year’s Expo is a must-do for fight fans coming in for this legendary weekend, with dozens of professional fighters, promoters, and companies involved in the boxing industry. The Expo is the largest and only Boxing Fan Expo held in the United States. http://boxfanexpo.com – @BoxFanExpo

Tickets to the Box Fan Expo are available at Eventbrite –https://bit.ly/BOXFANEXPO2024

Valdez will make his first appearance at this years’ Expo and will be signing gloves, photos, personal items and memorabilia. Valdez will also have merchandise to sell for fans to enjoy. Boxing fans will also have an opportunity to take pictures with this boxing star, born in Nogales, Mexico. For more info go to: https://oscarvaldezstore.com/ 

Valdez joins, Teofimo Lopez, Lennox Lewis, Devin Haney Mia St. John, Edgar Berlanga, Franchón Crews-Dezurn, Roy Jones Jr., Erik Morales, Shawn Porter, Fernando Vargas, Juan Manuel Marquez, Michael Spinks, Claressa Shields and Marco Antonio Barrera as an early commitment to this year’s Box Fan Expo, with more Boxing stars to be announced.

About Oscar Valdez

Valdez (32-2, 24 KOs) is a two-time Mexican Olympian who captured the WBO featherweight title in 2016 by knocking out Matias Rueda. In February of 2021, and after six successful defenses of his title, Valdez moved up to the junior lightweight division, to challenge Miguel Berchelt who was considered at the time one of the top fighters in the sport. In spectacular fashion, Valdez knocked out Berchelt, thus earning him the WBC world championship title. On September 10, 2021 Valdez successfully retained his championship belt in a competitive fight against Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceição. In a highly anticipated and unification belt showdown, Valdez suffered his first pro loss in a valiant effort against Shakur Stevenson in April 2022. The fighting pride of Nogales bounced back with a unanimous decision win, in a rematch against Adam Lopez in May 2023. In a warrior type match up, Valdez suffered a decision loss against world champion Emanuel Navarrete last August. Known for his resilient mentality, Valdez came back stronger by winning the interim WBO super featherweight title versus Australian puncher Liam Wilson, which took place on March 29 at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, in front of a pact audience that came out to support Valdez

Past boxing stars that have participated include: Floyd Mayweather, Mike Tyson, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Julio Cesar Chavez, Juan Manuel Marquez, Tommy Hearns, Roy Jones Jr, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, David Benavidez, Teofimo Lopez, Andre Ward, Ryan Garcia, Marcos Maidana, Devin Haney, Mikey Garcia, Errol Spence Jr, Fernando Vargas, Rolando Romero, Sergio Martinez, Tim Bradley, Jose Ramirez, Shawn Porter, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Deontay Wilder, Amir Khan, Abner Mares, James Toney, Jessie Vargas, Floyd Mayweather sr., Claressa Shields, Vinny Paz, Mia St.John, Franchón Crews-Dezurn, Seniesa Estrada, Jorge Linares, Leo Santa Cruz, Badou Jack, Terry Norris, Riddick Bowe, Earnie Shavers, Michael & Leon Spinks, Brandon Rios, Anthony Dirrell, Danny Jacobs, and many more.

Exhibitors include boxing promoters, gear, apparel, equipment, energy drinks, supplement products, broadcasting media, sanctioning bodies, and other companies who showcase their brand to fans and the boxing industry as a whole.

Throughout the next few weeks leading up to the Event, there will be weekly updates on the many stars that will commit their appearance at the Boxing Expo.

Tickets to the Box Fan Expo are available at Eventbrite –

To request information on exhibiting and sponsorship at the Expo:

For media credentials:

Contact us:

Telephone number: (702) 997-1927 or (514) 572-7222

For any inquiries please email: [email protected]

More information on Box Fan Expo visit: http://www.boxfanexpo.com

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GLENDALE, Ariz. –Never count out Oscar Valdez Jr.

That’s been the story of his career, one that has included broken jaws and busted eyes.

But that will is still there, still unbroken

Add another chapter to the Valdez edition, an ongoing example of resilience.

If somebody was to ever write a song about Valdez, the lyric would be Never Quit.

It was there all over again Friday night with a seventh-round stoppage of Australian Liam Wilson in a victory at Desert Diamond Arena that puts Valdez at the brink of re-claiming a junior-lightweight world title.

“People say you’re 30-something, they say this, they say that,’’ said Valdez, who won an interim 130-pound title and may be elevated to the World Boxing Organization’s real champion if Emanuel Navarrete wins a lightweight title in May and vacates the junior-lightweight version. “But I always come back. I always want to come back.

“In life you lose. It happens. But you have an obligation to come back.’’

This time, he did just months after a punishing loss to Navarrete last summer, also at Desert Diamond. That loss resurrected the familiar doubts about Valdez (32-2, 24 KOs).

The end is near they said, especially against Wilson, who knocked down Navarrete last summer. Arguably, Wilson was of robbed of a victory, a huge upset, on that controversial night,

But the Wilson we saw against Navarrete may have been a mirage. Now, you can wonder whether Navarrete took the then unknown Aussie seriously.

But Valdez did. Very much so.

Seconds after opening bell, the chants started, from a Desert Diamond Arena crowd of 7,102, which was populated by much of Nogales, a Mexican town south of Tucson where Valdez grew up.

Oscar, Oscar.

But the taller Wilson silenced them, at least for a few minutes. Wilson came out aggressively, trying to employ his advantage in height and reach with a long jab.

Initially, it worked. But Valdez quickly adjusted, almost as if he knew what was coming.

In the late seconds of the opening round, he slowed down Wilson with a couple of wicked body shots.

A more tentative Wilson came out for the second round. Valdez’ bodywork was an effective warning. Wilson’s forward progress stalled.

Valdez went on the attack, stepping inside and landing blows that appeared to bloody Wilson’s nose.

There was blood at his nostrils. In the third, however, there was also more aggression in the Aussie’s tactics.

Suddenly, he was willing to step inside and trade with Valdez. That, too left a mark, this time on Valdez. Suddenly there was swelling beneath his right eye.

But Wilson’s move inside proved to be his biggest mistake. That’s where Valdez is at his best. He brawls. He battles. The inside is his turf. By the fifth round, it was clear he had declared ownership of the bloody real estate.

In the seventh, he stunned a tiring Wilson with a big left hand. That was the beginning of the end.

“He caught me,’’ said Wilson (13-3, 7 KOs), who before opening bell vowed that he would knock out Valdez. Valdez saw Wilson stagger. Then, he capitalized, swarming him with punches. Wilson leaned on the ropes, looking defenseless.

Referee Mark Nelson had seen enough. He ended the fight at 2:48 of the with a stoppage that proved be a new beginning, another one, for Oscar Valdez Jr.

History; Made!

The build up to this fight was nothing short of fire works, as it should be. This one is for all the minimum weight belts (105llbs) and the chance to become the first ever Undisputed Women’s minimum weight champion. Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada 25-0(9KOs) out of East Los Angles, CA took on Yokasta Valle 30-2(9KOs) fighting out of San Jose, Costa Rica. Estrada having the WBC, WBA and Ring belts, and Valle with the WBO and IBF titles. 

In a surprise to most in the audience, Estrada was escorted to the ring by the phoenix and boxing legend Micheal Carbajal. Who is the fore father of boxing in Arizona with the linage of his talents some would say this is why boxing is here tonight. Another reason one would have to think is it mind games to have  the AZ fans on her side giving her one advantage.

Both fighters came in at a ready 104.2 lbs and ready to go at it. With the first round going a little less than exciting then the lead up. Valle came out of the round with a cut over her right eye from a accidental head butt. Estrada also did some work with landing some over hand rights to Valles head

Perhaps tasting blood estrada came out with more intensity looking to capitalize on the cut. Maybe a little too aggressive Estrada took some clean shots 

The third was the most exciting round of the night it is too bad that the rounds only last 2 minutes. Each fighter having their moments landing significant punches in a good ole fashion brawl. Picking up where they left off in the forth it was all action, estrada looking like the better boxer jabbing and moving and Valle the more of the power puncher. 

In the fifth round Valle once again proved to be the stronger fighter taking over as she stunned estrada with a right, left combo to the head. Valle did not let off the gas as she pressed estrada till the end of the round. After the mid way point of the fight estrada was still trying to out box her opponent but Valle had different plans landing some crowd pleasing punches. With a lot of fight in her, estrada landed a strong left hook of her own. 

The next following round were just unbelievable each fighter going back and forth with their best game plan Estrada with her boxing skill going to the body most often and Valle using her power against her. So far the crowd has been on their feet in the sold out Desert Diamond Arena. 

Round 9 seniesa came out with a little bull fighting antics, baiting Valle to come and fight. As the old saying goes mess with the bull, get the horns. Valle took her up on that and went after estrada, both going at until estrada went back to boxing. 

The 10^th and final round was nothing short of fireworks, from beginning to the end both leaving it all out in the ring. As the blood of Valle started to trickle down her face again but did not play a role in the fight, As it went to the score cards. With all 3 judges scoring it the same 97-93 in favor of “Super Bad” Seniesa Estrada becoming the first Undisputed Minimum Weight champion. 

This will be one the best women’s fights not only for the significance but the action inside the ring. They gave the fans a fight possible the fight of the night. —-DAVID GALAVIZ

Muratalla wins decision over Ndongeni in awkward fight

Skillset versus puzzle.

Raymond Muratalla, an unbeaten lightweight trained by Robert Garcia, had all the skill, enough of it to win a unanimous decision over South African Xolisani Ndongeni on the Valdez-Wilson car at Desert Diamond.

But Muratalla (20-0, 16 KOs) didn have an answer for Ndongeni’s mix of awkward athleticism and resilient energy. Muratalla just couldn’t finish him. He tried repeatedly, with head-rocking shots throughout the late rounds of a 10-rounder. 

But Ndongeni (31-5, 18 KOs)  answered each challenge with a wild hook, foot speed and — in the end — gestures that said he would not fall. Repeatedly, he shook his head at Muratalla. He lost, 99-91, 98-92 and 97-93. But, in the end, he survived.  

Delgado scores seventh-round KO

Lindolfo Delgado turned boos into cheers.

Delgado (20-0, 15 KOs), booed loudly for a dull performance in his last visit to Desert Diamond Arena about a year ago, brought the  crowd to its feet with a two-knockdown stoppage of fellow Mexican Carlos Sanchez (25-3, 19 KOs) on the Valdez-Wilson card.

In the fifth, Delgado knocked down Sanchez, his former teammate on the Mexican National Team, with a left-right combo. In the seventh, the former Mexican Olympian finished the job with a short hook to the chin that put Sanchez onto the canvas — flat on his face — for a knockout at 48 seconds of the seventh.

Richard Torrez goes to 9-0, all by KO

 Richard Torrez Jr. a fan-friendly heavyweight, says he doesn’t pursue knockouts.

Don’t tell that to his opponents.

There have been nine. Torrez (9-0, 9 KOs) stopped all of them. The latest was Don Haynesworth (18-9-1, 16 KOs), a North Carolina heavyweight who was finished within three minutes on an ESPN card featuring Oscar Valdez Jr. and Liam Wilson at Desert Diamond Arena. 

Torrez (9-0, 9 KOs), a silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, unleashed more than 20 successive punches at a whirlwind rate. It looked as if most of them landed. At 2:19 of the first, referee Raul Caiz had seen enough. He ended it, a TKO. 

“I go in there to box,” Torrez said. “If a punch lands, it lands, I landed a body punch and I could kind of hear the air go out of him.” 

Sergio the home town attraction earned a unanimous Decision 

In what was a tall order before the fight having been sandwich between 2 of the top prospects on Top Rank Emiliano Vargas and Olympian Richard Torres. Sergio “Checo” Rodriguez in his return to the Desert Diamond Arena as he took on Sanny Duversome 12-6-2 (1KO) of Avon Park, Florida. Sergio stated earlier in the week he wanted to give the fans that came early a show.

Looking calm as if he has done this before, as he walked to the ring greeting the fans with a smile on his face. From the opening bell the fans made it known who they came to see. In what was mostly a feel out round sergio made the most of what he could get landing some clean shot, more importantly he showcased his head movement and eluding his opponents punches. 

The next 2 rounds were much of the same, however at the end of the 3^rd round Checo landed a few combination while backing Sonny into the ropes and then throwing his combos. He landed the best of the night at that point a upper cut followed by a shot to the body that got the crowd back into the fight. 

In the fourth both fighters came out with more intensity, with Checo winning the exchanges. Landing another uppercut with the left Checo stunned sonny which led to him backing into the ropes and Checos continued punches. Once Sanny got his legs back he than gave Checo some of his one medicine. 

The fifth was Sanny’s best round in what was still not much action. He caught checo with a clean left to the face. As the fight went on the crowd started to get inpatient and started with the boos. The best action came in at the last 10 seconds of the fight with both fighters exchanging till the closing bell. It went to the judges score card with one having it 60-54, and other 2 scoring it 59-55 all for Sergio “Checo” Rodriguez improving his record to 11-0-1 (8Kos). This was a really good challenge for Sergio who proved that he can go the distance and show his ring IQ and not just knocking his opponents out. The future is bright for him and will be exciting.—DAVID GALAVIZ 

Emiliano Vargas wins shutout decision

There was no knockout, but there was a workman-like performance from lightweight prospect Emiliano Vargas, who did a little bit everything in an evolving skill set for a shutout decision over Nelson Hampton in the fourth fight on the Valdez-Wilson card at Desert Diamond.

Vargas (9-0, 7 KOs), wearing silver shoes as bright as his future, displayed agile feet, good head movement and solid combinations, especially to the body, in a thorough victory over six rounds.

Vargas, whose legendary dad — Fernando Vargas — was in his corner, appeared to hurt Hampton (10-9, 6 KOs), of McAllen TX, with a body shot in the sixth. But Hampton held on, taking the bout to the scorecards.

Kid Kansas impressive in Top Rank debut

Alan Garcia didn’t waste any time showing just why Top Rank signed him.

Garcia (12-0, 10 KOs), a lightweight nicknamed Kid Kansas, didn’t kid around, delivering a multi-punch combo that left Gonzalo Fuenzalida (12-4, 3 KOs), of Chile, exhausted and slumped along the ropes, a TKO loser at 1:58 of the second round in the third bout on the Valdez-Wilson card.

Art Barrera scores lethal, second-round KO

It was short.

And lethal

Art Barrera Jr., (4-0, 4 KOs, a Robert Garcia-trained junior-welterweight, unleashed a left hand that traveled a few inches, landed and dropped Keven Soto (5-2, 3 KOs), who was unconscious before he hit the canvas at 2:17 of the the second round in the second bout on the Valdez-Wilson card at Desert Diamond

First Bell: Knee injury forces TKO end to opener

There were empty seats and echoes. But there was nothing else ordinary about First Bell, the opening bout Friday on a card featuring Oscar Valdez versus Liam Wilson at Desert Diamond Arena.

It ended in a limp.

Avner Hernandez Molina had an iron chin, but a glass knee.

Molina (4-4), a stocky junior-welterweight from Mexico City, absorbed repeated right hands from a long, lanky Ricardo Ruvalcaba (11-0-1, 10 KOs), of Ventura, CA. But in the fifth round, he ducked a wide, looping attempt and suddenly came up lame. Immediately, he bent over and grabbed his right knee, his face twisted in  evident pain. He couldn’t continue. At 1:44 of the fifth,  the matinee bout was, Ruvalcaba a TKO winner because of a knee injury.

By Norm Frauenheim –

PHOENIX — Not much separated Oscar Valdez and Liam Wilson on the scale.

Not much figures to separate them in the ring either Friday at Desert Diamond Arena in nearby Glendale in an intriguing junior-light fight (8 p.m./PT), a potential stepping stone to a world title.

Both came in under the 130-pound mandatory Thursday, Valdez (31-2, 23 KOs) at 129.7 and Wilson (13-2, 7 KOs) at 129.6.

“I saw somebody who’s ready for war,’’ Wilson said after the ritual face-to-face stare down in a ballroom and lobby crowded with fans from Valdez’ Mexican hometown in Nogales, south of Tucson.

The weigh-in, at a hotel in downtown Phoenix, also included Seniesa Estrada and Yokasta Valle, who will fight for an undisputed women’s minimum-weight title on the ESPN televised card.

Both came in under the 105-pound mandatory, Estrada (25-0, 9 KOs) at 104.2 and Valle (30-2, 9 KOs) at 104.3.

There were only unblinking stares and no words between Estrada and Valle as they posed for the cameras the day before a women’s fight that has generated plenty of trash talk and lots of attention, including media from Costa Rica, Valle’s home country.

  •  Oscar Valdez 129.7 lbs. vs. Liam Wilson 129.6 lbs
(Vacant WBO Interim Junior Lightweight World Title – 12 Rounds)

   •  Seniesa Estrada 104.2 lbs vs. Yokasta Valle 104.3 lbs
(Undisputed Minimumweight World Championship  — 10 Rounds)

•  Raymond Muratalla 137.1 lbs vs. Xolisani Ndongeni 137.1 lbs
 (Junior Welterweight — 10 Rounds)

•  Lindolfo Delgado 140.7 lbs vs. Carlos Sanchez 140.4 lbs
 (Junior Welterweight— 10 Rounds)

•  Richard Torrez Jr. 236.6 lbs vs. Don Haynesworth 276.5 lbs
 (Heavyweight — 8 Rounds)

•   Sergio Rodriguez 163.9 lbs vs. Sanny Duversonne 163.7 lbs
 (Middleweight — 6 Rounds)

•   Emiliano Fernando Vargas 136.5 lbs vs. Nelson Hampton 136 lbs
 (Lightweight — 6 Rounds)

•   Alan Garcia 135.9 lbs vs. Gonzalo Fuenzalida 137.9 lbs
 (Lightweight — 8 Rounds)

•   Art Barrera Jr. 141.6 lbs vs. Keven Soto 139.7 lbs
 (Junior Welterweight — 4 Rounds)

•   Ricardo Ruvalcaba 140.9 lbs vs. Avner Hernandez Molina 140.6 lbs
 (Junior Welterweight — 6 Rounds)

LAS VEGAS, NV (March 27, 2024) – Top Rank’s undefeated super featherweight contender Andres “Savage” Cortes (21-0, 12 KOs), currently ranked #3 by the WBO, will be in attendance at the highly anticipated Oscar Valdez vs. Liam Wilson fight for the WBO interim title. The event is set to take place this Friday, March 29th, at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, and is being promoted by Top Rank.

Cortes, who currently holds the WBO Inter-Continental title along with the WBC Silver belt, will be sitting ringside at the event, closely observing the action as Valdez and Wilson battle it out for the interim title. With his eyes set on the winner, Cortes sees this fight as a potential future showdown in the super featherweight division.

“I’ll be watching the Valdez vs. Wilson fight closely because I see myself facing the winner in the near future,” said Cortes, born and raised in Las Vegas. “This is a significant matchup in the division, and I’m ready to take on the challenge against whoever emerges victorious.”

Known for his confidence and skill inside the ring, Cortes emphasized his belief in his abilities and willingness to face any opponent in the division. “I firmly believe that I am the best fighter in the super featherweight division, and I’m prepared to prove it by taking on all comers. I’m eager to showcase my talents and continue my journey towards becoming a world champion,” he added.

PHOENIX (March 27, 2024) — Mexican warrior Oscar Valdez (31-2, 23 KOs) will lock horns against Australian former world title challenger Liam Wilson (13-2, 7 KOs) for the WBO Interim junior lightweight world title this Friday, March 29 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. 

In the co-feature, WBC/WBA/Ring Magazine champion Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada (25-0, 9 KOs) and WBO/IBF ruler Yokasta Valle (30-2, 9 KOs) will collide for the undisputed minimumweight crown.

Valdez-Wilson & Estrada-Valle headline a stacked card streaming live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+. First bell is set for 6:10 p.m. ET/3:10 p.m. PT, and the co-feature will begin at approximately 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.

The undercard will feature rising contenders and prospects from the Top Rank stable, including lightweight Raymond “Danger” Muratalla (19-0, 16 KOs), who returns in a 10-rounder versus Xolisani Ndongeni (31-4, 18 KOs), and Mexican Olympian Lindolfo Delgado (19-0, 14 KOs), who will face compatriot Carlos Sanchez (25-2, 19 KOs) in a 10-round junior welterweight showdown.

Additionally, U.S. Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. (8-0, 8 KOs) looks to remain unbeaten in an eight-rounder against Don Haynesworth (18-8-1, 16 KOs), while lightweight phenom Emiliano Fernando Vargas (8-0, 7 KOs) takes on Nelson Hampton (10-8, 6 KOs) in a six-rounder.

Phoenix-based Sergio Rodriguez (10-0-1, 8 KOs) will square off against Sanny Duversonne (12-6-2, 9 KOs) in a six-round middleweight tilt.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with No Limit Boxing, tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com.

At Wednesday’s press conference, this is what the fighters had to say.

Oscar Valdez

“I’m going to be ready. I was preparing myself for a world championship fight. Then we got the news that it’s now for an Interim title. So, I’m more than excited and prepared, and we’re going to show that.”

“I was taking this fight as seriously as a world championship fight. I know Liam Wilson. He’s a tough fighter. I was there when he fought Emanuel Navarrete, and he sent him to the canvas. So you better believe that I’m coming with everything because I’m expecting that same Liam Wilson.”

“Liam Wilson is a dangerous fighter. But that makes it more exciting. And the Interim title adds fuel to the fire. I’m very motivated, and I will do everything possible to win this fight.”

Liam Wilson

“Every fight for me now is a world title fight. So, I’ve prepared really hard for it. This is my second run at a world title. And I’ve shown in the past that if I can get a second run, I can be very dangerous. I’m very ready for this fight.”

“I’m glad he was there {for my fight against Navarrete}. The whole world saw what happened. I should have already become world champion. This fight between me and Valdez should have already happened. I won the belt that night. It wasn’t awarded to me. But that’s just the way things played out. But, we’re here now and we’re going to settle the score.”

“I’ve grown as a person. I’ve grown as a fighter. I’ve had a year to reassess my abilities. So, I’m better prepared now. It has all led to my second run at a title.”

Seniesa Estrada

“This means everything. This is something that I have been wanting for a long time. It’s something that my team and I have worked so hard for, so I’m not going to let this moment slip away.”

“For me it’s personal, but I’m still professional. I’m not trying to fight her on stage or anything. We had our back and forth. But the talk is over. It’s time for us to get in there.”

“Now it’s about women’s boxing. It’s about us getting in there on Friday night and putting on a great performance for everybody. And it’s about showing the world that women’s boxing is here, it’s on the rise, and we are great.”

Yokasta Valle

“For me, it would be a dream come true to make history for women, for boxing. I’m more than enthusiastic for this week, and I’m looking forward to it.”

“On my end, it’s been professional. That’s the way I see it. I’ve trained hard for a great fight. This isn’t personal. I respect her as the champion that she is. And in the ring, we will see who is the real champion.”

Raymond Muratalla

“These last two fights have been impressive. I believe I’m ready for that title shot.”
“Come Friday, it’s going to amazing in Arizona. I can’t wait to put on a show. I can’t wait to feed off the crowd.”

Lindolfo Delgado

“I’m on a mission with myself to be the best version of myself. I haven’t reached that version yet. So, I have to push myself each time, and for that, I have to get better with each fight, not worse. I have to keep moving forward to try and improve with each camp and each fight.”

“He’s a good fighter, and we know him as he was a teammate of mine on the Mexican national team. We went to different places to compete. But now this is a totally different thing. We’re concentrated and we’re prepared. We know it’s going to be a hard fight, but we’re prepared.”

Richard Torrez Jr.

“Every time, you’re just trying to get better from your previous self. And do I think I’m getting better from my previous self.”

“It’s really hard for me to picture the long-term plan. Because I have so many short-term goals in front of me. So, I just want to keep winning. Whatever Top Rank has in store, it’s up to them and my dad. On my end, I will get through any obstacle.”

Sergio Rodriguez

“This is what I want to do, and I want to continue to do it as long as I can.”

“I want to put on another great performance. Even if it’s not a knockout, I want my people to be happy with my fight.”

Emiliano Fernando Vargas

“I want to dominate. There’s something about Arizona fans. It’s something special about here. I’m young. I’m hungry. I know where I’m supposed to be. I just want to be great. That’s all I want to do.”

“I’m just grateful to have this support system behind me. This sport gets lonely. If I’m cutting weight, if I’m doing my miles, I’m calling my brothers and saying, ‘Come run with me!’ It doesn’t matter if it’s 12 in the morning, if it’s one in the morning, if it’s two in the morning. That’s my support. That’s my backbone. If they’re throwing four punches on the bag, I’m throwing six, and that’s how we’ve always been.”

Friday, March 29

FIRST BELL: ESPN+ (6:10 p.m. ET/3:10 p.m. PT)
 

Oscar Valdez vs. Liam Wilson, 12 rounds, Vacant WBO Interim Junior Lightweight World Title

Raymond Muratalla vs. Xolisani Ndongeni 10 rounds, Lightweight

Lindolfo Delgado vs. Carlos Sanchez, 10 rounds, Junior Welterweight

Richard Torrez Jr. vs. Don Haynesworth, 8 rounds, Heavyweight 
 
Sergio Rodriguez vs. Sanny Duversonne, 6 rounds, Middleweight
 
Emiliano Fernando Vargas vs. Nelson Hampton, 6 rounds, Lightweight
 
Alan Garcia vs. Gonzalo Fuenzalida, 6 rounds, Lightweight

Ricardo Ruvalcaba vs. Avner Hernandez-Molina, 6 rounds, Junior Welterweight

Top Rank Boxing on ESPN presented by AutoZone: Valdez vs. Wilson & Estrada vs. Valle will be presented live this Friday, March 29, at approximately 11 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. PT exclusively on ESPN+. The event takes place at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

In the 12-round junior lightweight main event, Mexican warrior Oscar Valdez will face Australian former world title challenger Liam Wilson.

Valdez (31-2, 23 KOs), the fighting pride of Nogales, represented Mexico at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. As a pro, he won world titles in two weight classes. After a competitive fight against Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceição in 2021, Valdez suffered his first pro loss in a unification battle against Shakur Stevenson in 2022. He bounced back with a decision victory in a rematch against Adam Lopez in May 2023 before suffering a points loss against Emanuel Navarrete last August. 

Wilson (13-2, 7 KOs) is a five-year pro who made his U.S. debut versus Navarrete for the vacant WBO junior lightweight title last February. Wilson dropped Navarrete and almost scored the upset in the fourth round before being stopped in the ninth. He rebounded with triumphs over Carlos Alanis last August and Jackson Jon England in December. 

In the co-feature, WBC/WBA/Ring Magazine champion Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada and WBO/IBF ruler Yokasta Valle will collide in a highly anticipated showdown to crown the first-ever undisputed minimumweight champion.

Estrada (25-0, 9 KOs) is a 13-year pro and two-weight world champion. She signed with Top Rank in 2022 and shut out Jazmin Gala Villarino in November of that year. In 2023, she picked up the WBC strap against the previously unbeaten Tina Rupprecht in March and retained her unified titles with a points verdict over Leonela Yudica in July.

Valle (30-2, 9 KOs) seized the vacant IBF atomweight world title by overcoming Ana Victoria Polo in 2016. After an unsuccessful bid for the WBO light flyweight title against Naoko Fujioka in 2017 and an interim title loss to Rupprecht in 2018, she snatched the IBF minimumweight world title from Joana Pastrana in 2019. Valle added the WBO title to her collection with a win over Thi Thu Nhi Nguyen in 2022 and has since defended her unified crown four times, including a decision over Anabel Ortiz in November.

The undercard begins at 6:10 p.m. ET/ 3:10 p.m. PT.

Calling the action will be Hall of Famer, Timothy Bradley, Jr., Mark Kriegel, and Bernardo Osuna. 

ESPN.com

Valdez’s Quest to be a Three-Division Champ, and become a Mexican Great

Original Program: Talk That Talk” Seniesa vs. Valle

Ahead of the blockbuster Top Rank event on March 29, ESPN will air the original program: Talk That Talk: Seniesa vs. Valle. Hosted by Crystina Poncher, the 30-minute all-access preview debuts ahead of one of the most heated world title bouts of the year. Fight fans will hear both athletes sound off in a verbal war ahead of the Undisputed Minimumweight Championship between undefeated WBA/WBC/Ring Magazine champion Seniesa Estrada (25-0, 9 KOs) and unified IBF/WBO queen Yokasta Valle (30-2, 9 KOs). A two-division world champion proudly representing East Los Angeles, Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada is aiming to deliver the undisputed world title to her Mexican-American fans while Valle, the three-division world titlist from Costa Rica, is seeking to extend her winning streak to 18.

 Talk That Talk: Seniesa vs. Valle  (All Times ET)

*Also available for On-Demand Replay in the ESPN App

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Valdez vs. Wilson(All Times ET)

About ESPN

By Norm Frauenheim –

PHOENIX – Kids and fans stood and waited in a line that stretched out into a parking lot and almost onto a busy westside street just for a chance to say hello to Oscar Valdez Jr.

Champ, they called him.

He hasn’t been one for a while.

But a real chance to prove them right all over again opened up Tuesday when the World Boxing Organization ruled that Valdez (31-2, 23 KOs) and Liam Wilson (13-2, 7 KOs) will fight for the acronym’s interim junior-lightweight title at Desert Diamond Arena Friday night in nearby Glendale.

“It’s added motivation,’’ Valdez said after signing autographs for a crowd of moms, dads, kids and fans at Old School Boxing, a gym in the industrial section of central Phoenix. “I always train like I’m fighting for a world title.

“But that chance is closer now than I thought it would be.’’

Valdez, a former featherweight and junior-lightweight champion, said the news surprised him.

“I had no idea this might happen,’’ said Valdez, a popular fighter in Arizona who was born in the border town of Nogales and has roots in Tucson.

It did because of Emanuel Navarrete’s pursuit of a fourth division title. He’ll fight for the WBO’s vacant lightweight title against Ukrainian Denys Berinchyk on May 18 in San Diego.

In its ruling, the WBO announced that the Valdez-Wilson winner would be elevated to champion if the favored Navarrete beats Berinchyk and then decides to defend the 135-pound belt instead of the 130-pound version.

The announcement was not without controversy. The WBO currently ranks Wilson No. 2 and Valdez at No. 4.

The WBO’s top-ranked contender is unbeaten Albert Bell (27-0, 9 KOs), a Toledo fighter who is coming off a first-round KO of Jonathan Romero. The No. 3-ranked contender is Andre Cortes, also unbeaten (21-0, 12 KOs).

Valdez is coming off a punishing scorecard loss to Navarrete in August, also at Desert Diamond.

“I have a tough battle facing me now,’’ Valdez said. “That’s my focus.’’

Valdez is the betting favorite, but Wilson represents a significant challenge in an EPSN-televised bout. Wilson, an Australian still pursuing his first world title, lost a controversial bout to Navarrete in February, also at Desert Diamond.

In a wild fourth round, Wilson knocked down Navarrete, clearly hurting him. In an apparent attempt to gain extra time to recover, Navarrete spit out his mouthpiece.

On the clock, it was 27 seconds before the referee retrieved the mouth piece. It was time enough for Navarrete to regain his consciousness and composure.  

Five rounds later, Navarrete won, scoring a ninth-round TKO over Wilson to take the WBO’s 130-pound title.

It was vacant then. It might be again, leaving it open for the winner of a Friday night fight that suddenly has some heightened stakes.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (March 26, 2024) — The stakes have just gotten higher.

When Oscar Valdez and Liam Wilson face off this Friday at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, the vacant WBO Interim junior lightweight world title will now be on the line. The Interim title became available after the current champion, Emanuel Navarrete, elected to fight Denys Berinchyk for the vacant WBO lightweight world title on Saturday, May 18 in San Diego, California.

Per the WBO, “If Navarrete is successful in winning the vacant WBO Lightweight championship and determines to retain the WBO Lightweight championship, the WBO Jr. Lightweight Interim champion shall be elevated to ‘Full Champion’ status…”

In Friday’s co-feature, an undisputed minimumweight queen will be crowned, as WBC/WBA/Ring Magazine champion Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada and WBO/IBF queen Yokasta Valle battle to unify all the belts.

Valdez-Wilson, Estrada Valle, and a loaded undercard will stream live and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+.

“This not only promises to be a sensational fight, but with the WBO Interim title on the line, the winner will have tremendous opportunities in a loaded weight class,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with No Limit Boxing, tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com.

HENDERSON, Nevada (March 25, 2024) — Liam Wilson is eager to claim his spot among the top fighters in the junior lightweight division.

The Australian former world title challenger will take on former two-division world champion Oscar Valdez in a special 12-round attraction this Friday, March 29 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

In the co-feature, WBC/WBA/Ring Magazine champion Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada and WBO/IBF ruler Yokasta Valle will collide in a highly anticipated showdown for the undisputed minimumweight crown.

Valdez-Wilson & Estrada-Valle headline a stacked card streaming live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with No Limit Boxing, tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com.

Wilson (13-2, 7 KOs) is a five-year pro who made his U.S. debut by nearly upsetting Emanuel Navarrete in a bid for the vacant WBO junior lightweight title at Desert Diamond Arena last February. The 28-year-old stunned Navarrete with a left hook before flooring him with a flurry of punches in the fourth. Wilson was eventually stopped in the ninth round, but he bounced back with victories over Carlos Alanis in August and Jackson Jon England in December. Valdez (31-2, 23 KOs), a two-time Mexican Olympian, returns following an August defeat against Navarrete at the same venue.

Following a recent training session in Henderson, Nevada, this is what Wilson had to say:

“I’ve had two fights since the Navarrete fight. I feel much more prepared this time around. I’m going back to the same place. I’m much more familiar with the whole atmosphere there. I’m really looking forward to March 29.”

“I think he’s going to want to prove himself in this fight. He wants to show that he still has what it takes to be a world champion. So, while I’m not sure what to expect, I know he is well rounded. You don’t become a two-division world champion by being one-dimensional.”
 
“It’s hard to predict what’s going to happen with him. In the past, he’s shown that he likes to go in there and brawl. But he’s also been boxing and moving more in his last couple fights. So, I’m not too sure what to expect from him, but I’m ready for anything.”
 
“He has been in a lot of wars. I have that tendency as well. If a fight gets rough, I get dragged into it. So, I’m ready for anything. I’m going to use my abilities. I’m going to stick to my game plan. But I’m also ready for a war.”

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (March 20, 2024) — Mexican Olympian Lindolfo Delgado is ready to enter the junior welterweight title picture.

Delgado will return in a 10-rounder against compatriot Carlos “El Tiburon” Sanchez on Friday, March 29 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. Delgado-Sanchez will be featured on the undercard of the 12-round junior lightweight main event between former two-weight world champion Oscar Valdez and one-time world title challenger Liam Wilson.

In the co-feature, WBC/WBA/Ring Magazine champion Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada and WBO/IBF ruler Yokasta Valle will collide in a highly anticipated showdown for the undisputed minimumweight crown.

Valdez-Wilson & Estrada-Valle headline a stacked card streaming live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with No Limit Boxing, tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com.

Delgado (19-0, 14 KOs) transitioned from prospect to contender in August 2022 with an upset decision win over then-unbeaten knockout artist Omar Aguilar. Delgado continued his momentum in 2023, with points victories over Clarence Booth in February and Jair Valtierra in August. He then blasted out Luis Hernandez in four rounds in November. The Booth and Valtierra fights took place at Desert Diamond Arena, where Delgado aims to shine once more. Sanchez (25-2, 19 KOs) is a former amateur standout from Mexico whose only setbacks have been to Pedro Campa and Steve Claggett. Sanchez, who used to train and spar with Delgado, heads into this assignment coming off a decision over Carlos Diaz in December.

Following a recent training session at Robert Garcia Boxing Academy, this is what Delgado had to say:

“Carlos Sanchez is a very good fighter. I’ve known him since we were kids because he would fight in the national Olympics as well. He’s a strong fighter. I remember a lot about him because we used to train together. And we used to spar together. The sparring was really good. It was always competitive. You never knew who would come out on top in our sparring. So, I think it’s going to be a really good fight.” 

“I’ve been working on myself. Like in every fight, I always try to improve myself. I don’t focus too much on my opponents. I try to improve anything I feel that needs work. So I’m working on moving in the ring better, moving my waist, and connecting punches with more power and with more accuracy.”

“Fans can expect a really good fight like always. You’re going to see a Lindolfo Delgado who is very prepared and concentrated. We’re working very hard. And I want to look better in every fight, so if I looked good in my last fight, I’m going to look even better in this one!”

Top Rank Boxing on ESPN presented by AutoZone: Valdez vs. Wilson/Estrada vs. Valle will be presented live Friday, March 29, at approximately 11 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. PT exclusively on ESPN+. The event takes place at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

In the 12-round junior lightweight main event, Mexican warrior Oscar Valdez will face Australian former world title challenger Liam Wilson.

Valdez (31-2, 23 KOs), the fighting pride of Nogales, represented Mexico at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. As a pro, he won world titles in two weight classes. After a competitive fight against Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceição in 2021, Valdez suffered his first pro loss in a unification battle against Shakur Stevenson in 2022. He bounced back with a decision victory in a rematch against Adam Lopez in May 2023 before suffering a points loss against Emanuel Navarrete last August.

Wilson (13-2, 7 KOs) is a five-year pro who made his U.S. debut versus Navarrete for the vacant WBO junior lightweight title last February. Wilson dropped Navarrete and almost scored the upset in the fourth round before being stopped in the ninth. He rebounded with triumphs over Carlos Alanis last August and Jackson Jon England in December.

In the co-feature, WBC/WBA/Ring Magazine champion Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada and WBO/IBF ruler Yokasta Valle will collide in a highly anticipated showdown to crown the first-ever undisputed minimumweight champion.

Estrada (25-0, 9 KOs) is a 13-year pro and two-weight world champion. She signed with Top Rank in 2022 and shut out Jazmin Gala Villarino in November of that year. In 2023, she picked up the WBC strap against the previously unbeaten Tina Rupprecht in March and retained her unified titles with a points verdict over Leonela Yudica in July.

Valle (30-2, 9 KOs) seized the vacant IBF atomweight world title by overcoming Ana Victoria Polo in 2016. After an unsuccessful bid for the WBO light flyweight title against Naoko Fujioka in 2017 and an interim title loss to Rupprecht in 2018, she snatched the IBF minimumweight world title from Joana Pastrana in 2019. Valle added the WBO title to her collection with a win over Thi Thu Nhi Nguyen in 2022 and has since defended her unified crown four times, including a decision over Anabel Ortiz in November.

Undercard action begins at 6:10 p.m. ET/ 3:10 p.m. PT.

Calling the action will be Hall of Famer, Timothy Bradley, Jr., Mark Kriegel, and Bernardo Osuna.

Original Program: Talk That Talk” Seniesa vs. Valle

Ahead of the blockbuster Top Rank event on March 29, ESPN will air the original program: Talk That Talk: Seniesa vs. Valle. Hosted by Crystina Poncher, the 30-minute all-access preview debuts ahead of one of the most heated world title bouts of the year. Fight fans will hear both athletes sound off in a verbal war ahead of the Undisputed Minimumweight Championship between undefeated WBA/WBC/Ring Magazine champion Seniesa Estrada (25-0, 9 KOs) and unified IBF/WBO queen Yokasta Valle (30-2, 9 KOs). A two-division world champion proudly representing East Los Angeles, Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada is aiming to deliver the undisputed world title to her Mexican-American fans while Valle, the three-division world titlist from Costa Rica, is seeking to extend her winning streak to 18.

Talk That Talk: Seniesa vs. Valle (All Times ET)

Date
Network
Time
Sat., Mar 23
ESPN2
6:30 a.m.
Sun., Mar 24
ESPN2
6:00 a.m.
Mon., Mar 25

ESPN2
1:30 a.m.
Thu., Mar 28

ESPNEWS
12:00 a.m.
3:00 a.m.
Fri., Mar 29

ESPN2
2:00 a.m.
ESPNEWS
9:30 a.m.
*Also available for On-Demand Replay in the ESPN App

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Valdez vs. Wilson(All Times ET)

Date
Time
Event
Fights
Title
Platform
Wed. Mar 27
4:00 p.m.

Main Card Press Conference

ESPN+

Thu. Mar 28
4:00 p.m.

Weigh-in

Fri. Mar 29
11:00 p.m.
(estimated time)

Main

Oscar Valdez vs. Liam Wilson

Co-Feature
Seniesa Estrada (C) vs. Yokasta Valle (C) (Undisputed) WBA/WBC, IBF/WBO Minimumweight
6:10 p.m.
Feature
Raymond Muratalla vs. Xolisani Ndongeni

Undercard
Lindolfo Delgado vs. Carlos Sanchez
Undercard
Richard Torrez Jr. vs. Don Haynesworth
Undercard
Sergio Rodriguez vs. Sanny Duversonne
Undercard
Emiliano Fernando Vargas vs. Nelson Hampton
Undercard
Alan Garcia vs. Gonzalo Fuenzalida
Undercard
Art Barrera Jr. vs. Keven Soto
Undercard
Ricardo Ruvalcaba vs. Avner Hernandez Molina

LOS ANGELES (March 18, 2024) — WBO/IBF minimumweight world champion Yokasta Valle wants to make history for Costa Rica, but standing in her way is a fellow pound-for-pound queen for whom this rivalry has become personal. 

Valle will face WBC/WBA/Ring Magazine world champion Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada in a highly anticipated undisputed minimumweight showdown on Friday, March 29 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. Estrada-Valle will serve as the co-feature to the 12-round junior lightweight main event between former two-weight world champion Oscar Valdez and one-time world title challenger Liam Wilson.

Valdez-Wilson & Estrada-Valle headline a stacked card streaming live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with No Limit Boxing, tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com.

Valle (30-2, 9 KOs) claimed the vacant IBF atomweight world title by defeating Ana Victoria Polo in December 2016. Nearly three years later, she moved up and snatched the IBF minimumweight world title from Joana Pastrana in August 2019. Valle added the WBO title to her collection with a victory over Thi Thu Nhi Nguyen in September 2022. Since then, she has successfully defended her unified crown four times, including a decision win over Anabel Ortiz in November. Estrada (25-0, 9 KOs), a 13-year pro and two-weight world champion, looks to end a longstanding rivalry by fully unifying the division.

Following a recent training session at Wild Card Boxing Club, this is what Valle had to say:

“This fight is very important because becoming undisputed champion is a dream of mine and because I’d be making history for Costa Rica and for all Latinos. It’s also important because of the many years of effort in putting women’s boxing where it is now.”

“If she’s not concentrated on this fight and is thinking about other things that have nothing to do with it, then it can be to my advantage. If when she steps into the ring she’s thinking about my trainer or about something else, then I feel she will be distracted.”

“You will see the best version of me in this fight. I’m aggressive, and I’m a warrior. When the bell rings, I like to throw lots of punches. So you will see a Yokasta who is very aggressive and who will throw lots of punches, to the point where she won’t know where they are coming from!”

“My coach {Gloria Alvarado} knows her really well. But aside from that, I have an advantage because she is also an excellent trainer. It’s because of that and not because she’s known her since she was a kid. She knows how to work with me. We have a great connection.”

By Norm Frauenheim –

It looks as if stakes for the Oscar Valdez-Liam Wilson fight March 29 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, AZ have been heightened by news this week that Emanuel Navarrete and Denys Berinchyk are in negotiations for a vacant lightweight title.

The news, reported by ESPN Knockout Wednesday, could put the Valdez-Wilson winner in line for the World Boxing Organization’s junior-lightweight (130-pound) title if Navarette beats Berinchyk for the WBO’s 135-pound belt in a bout projected for May 18 in San Diego.

Navarrete retained the WBO’s version of the junior-lightweight belt in a punishing decision over Valdez last August, also at Desert Diamond. Navarrete, already a champion at three weights, has talked about moving up the scale in pursuit of a fourth.

He would be the likely favorite against Berinchyk. If he beat the Ukrainian, he’s likely to defend the new title and relinquish the old one, a potential scenario with immediate significance for Valdez-Wilson later this month.

Valdez, a former champion at featherweight and junior-lightweight, wants to regain a title.

“This is definitely a crossroads fight because it will determine who gets closer to a world-title opportunity,’’ he said this week from his training camp in San Diego. “My goal for 2024 is to be a world champion again. I miss being a world champion. Boxing is my life. If you are not striving to be the best, then what are you doing in this sport?

“I always train hard to be the best. So, this fight means everything because winning this will put me one step closer to a world-title shot.”

For Wilson, the unfolding story could lead to a second chance at his first world title. In a controversial fight in February 2023 at Desert Diamond, Wilson floored Navarrete in the fourth round. Navarrete, dazed, spit out his mouthpiece. Wilson, an Australian now training in Las Vegas, argued that Navarrete – with help from the referee — bought himself some extra time to recover. Navarrete went on to win the belt, then vacant, by a ninth-round TKO.

It’s expected that the Valdez-Wilson fight, initially called a special attraction by Top Rank, will be for the WBO’s so-called interim title.

In the WBO’s current 130-pound ratings, Wilson is No. 2 and Valdez No. 4. That reflects how they did against Navarrete. Wilson had a real shot at beating him. Valdez had no chance.

However, Valdez, a two-time Mexican Olympian with roots in Tucson, is about a 3-to-1 favorite over Wilson. The odds reflect his popularity in Arizona. He was born in Nogales, about 178 miles south of Desert Diamond.

The WBO will already have a role on the card. Yokasta Valle has the WBO version of the women’s minimum tile in a challenge for the undisputed title against three-belt holder Seniesa Estrada.

Bam-Estrada negotiations

15 Rounds confirmed Thursday that Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Juan Francisco Estrada are close to completing a deal for a Super-Fly showdown on June 29 at Desert Diamond.

News of the possibility first broke in Phoenix during the week before Jamie Munguia’s stoppage of John Ryder on Jan. 27 at Footprint Center.

That’s when Eddie Hearn, Ryder’s promoter, said he wanted to stage Bam-Estrada in Arizona, a boxing market known for its appreciation of fighters in the smallest weight classes.

“There are a lot of very educated fans here,’’ Hearn told 15 Rounds then.

Bam-Estrada has potential to be among the best in the history of divisions between 108 and 115 pounds.

“Estrada-versus-Bam is just a stunner,’’ Hearn said on Matchroom Promotions’ YouTube channel this week. “You keep seeing these small guys giving us unbelievable nights.’’

It looks as if both Bam and Estrada will make second straight appearances at Desert Diamond.

Bam, of San Antonio, blew out Sunny Edwards, scoring a ninth-round stoppage on Dec. 17 at 108 pounds. In his last fight, Estrada, son of a Mexican fisherman in Puerto Penasco south of Phoenix, won a second rematch, a majority decision over legendary Ramon Gonzalez at 115 at Desert Diamond on Dec. 3, 2022.

Bam-Estrada, Hearn said, has Fight-of-the-Year contender “written all over it.’’

EAST LOS ANGELES, Calif. (March 13, 2024) —Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada understands the stakes as she approaches the biggest fight of her career. The WBC/WBA/Ring Magazine minimumweight world champion is one victory away from becoming the undisputed champion, one of the few accolades she has yet to achieve during a decorated 13-year professional career.

Estrada (25-0, 9 KOs), from East Los Angeles, will face longtime rival Yokasta Valle (30-2, 9 KOs), the reigning IBF and WBO champion, on Friday, March 29 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. The undisputed showdown and clash of pound-for-pound queens will serve as the co-feature to the 12-round junior lightweight main event between former two-weight world champion Oscar Valdez and one-time world title challenger Liam Wilson.

Valdez-Wilson & Estrada-Valle headline a stacked card streaming live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with No Limit Boxing, tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com.

Estrada and Valle have engaged in a verbal back and forth on social media over the years, which carried over to last month’s announcement press conference in Las Vegas. Valle’s trainer, Gloria Alvarado, trained Estrada as an amateur. Valle’s current promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, guided Estrada for several years. Despite a shared history, the rivalry is anything but friendly. 

Following a recent training session, this is what Estrada had to say:

“Becoming an undisputed champion is something I’ve been chasing and wanting for a very long time. I can’t wait for March 29.”

“You can’t let any of the emotions or anger from the past get to you. I’ve been in fights before where I was able to experience that. In my fight with Marlen Esparza, there was a huge rivalry between us. It all came down to who was going to stay mentally focused and stick to the game plan with all the tension leading up to the fight. This fight means even more because it’s for undisputed.”

“{During the kickoff press conference}, I was there for business. I wasn’t there to be friendly. This is the biggest fight of both of our careers. In all her interviews and Tweets, she always said I was ducking and afraid to fight her. But during the faceoff, I didn’t hear her say any of that, so that wasn’t expected.”

“I know I want this more than she does. I know she’s going to go in there and put up the fight of her life. And she wants it badly, too, but I want it more. I’ve been doing this since I was 8 years old.”

“Undisputed is in my head all day, from when I wake up in the morning until I go to bed. All day long, whether I’m driving or at the gym, undisputed is on my mind 24/7. That’s the way it has to be. You have to live, think, and breathe undisputed until my hands are raised and those belts are around me on March 29.”

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (March 11, 2024) — Oscar Valdez is on the hunt for another world title shot.

The former two division world champion will take on Australian puncher Liam Wilson in a special 12-round junior lightweight attraction on Friday, March 29 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

In the co-feature, WBC/WBA/Ring Magazine champion Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada and WBO/IBF ruler Yokasta Valle will collide in a highly anticipated showdown for the undisputed minimumweight crown.

Valdez-Wilson & Estrada-Valle headline a stacked card streaming live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with No Limit Boxing, tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com.

Valdez (31-2, 23 KOs) is a two-time Mexican Olympian who captured the WBO featherweight title in 2016 by knocking out Matias Rueda. After six defenses, he moved up to junior lightweight, where he knocked out Miguel Berchelt in February 2021 to earn the WBC strap. Following a close fight against Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceição, Valdez suffered his first pro loss in a unification showdown against Shakur Stevenson in April 2022. The fighting pride of Nogales bounced back with a points win in a rematch against Adam Lopez in May 2023 before suffering a decision loss against Emanuel Navarrete last August. Wilson (13-2, 7 KOs) returns following two victories in Australia after a stoppage loss in a world title showdown against Navarrete in February 2023.

Following a recent training session in San Diego, California, this is what Valdez had to say:

“This is definitely a crossroads fights because it will determine who gets closer to a world title opportunity. My goal for 2024 is to be a world champion again. I miss being a world champion. Boxing is my life. If you are not striving to be the best, then what are you doing in this sport? I always train hard to be the best. So, this fight means everything because winning this fight will put me one step closer to a world title shot.”

“Liam Wilson is a tough fighter. I was there when he fought Emanuel Navarrete. He’s the kind of fighter who doesn’t give up. You can’t count out a fighter like that, so I’m taking this very seriously. I know it’s not going to be an easy. But nothing is impossible. Every fighter is beatable. You just have to go in there with a smart game plan.”

“Fighting in Arizona means a lot to me because I know a lot of people from all over Sonora, Mexico, will be there as well as a lot of people from Tucson, Phoenix and all over Arizona. So it means everything, especially because of my last fight. I wanted to give the fans a good fight, and we lost. I was heartbroken because I wanted to give the fans a good fight and the victory. That wasn’t the case, so this is my chance again.”

“After seeing him in there with Navarrete and knowing my style, this will definitely be war. It will be a fan-friendly fight. I’ve seen that he has a lot of heart when he fought Navarrete. But we’re going to see who has more heart and who wants it more.”