Oscar Valdez tuned up for a fall showdown with Miguel Berchelt by stopping veteran Jayson Velez in the final round of their 10-round junior lightweight bout at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas,

In the waning seconds of round five, Valdez dropped Velez with a powerful left hook to the chin.

In round nine, Velez was deduced a point for a low blow. In round ten, Valdez put Velez down with a left hook. Upon getting up, Velez ate more left hook that made him stumble in to the ropes, and the bout was stopped at 2:23.

Valdez, 129.9 lbs of Nogales, MEX is 28-0 with 22 knockouts. Berchelt, 130 lbs of Juncos, PR is 29-7-1.

“Miguel Berchelt is the fight I want. He has the WBC title at 130 pounds. I want the WBC title. Miguel and I would make for a great fight,” Valdez said. “Velez was everything I expected, a tough warrior who fought his heart out. I commend him for a great performance and a great fight.”

Berlanga keeps 1st round KO in streak; Stops Moon in 1!!

Edgar Berlanga kept his perfect 1st round knockout streak in-tact as he stopped Eric Moon in the opening frame of their scheduled eight-round super middleweight fight.

Berlanga landed some hard body shots that was followed by a crushing right to the head that dumped Moon on the canvas. Moon tried to get up, but he fell back down, and the fight was stopped at 1:02.

Berlanga, 169 lbs of Brooklyn is 14-0 with 14 knockouts. Moon, 1687.7 lbs of Marietta, GA is 11-3.

“It was another step-up fight for me. We prepared to go rounds, but I got him hurt and got him out of there,” Berlanga said. “I still have so much room to grow as a fighter. The power is there, but I will show everyone that I am a well-rounded fighter. The knockout streak is cool, but there is more to me than first-round knockouts.”

Former world champion Isaac Dogboe stopped former world title challenger Chris Avalos in the final round of their scheduled eight-round featherweight bout.

Dogboe hurt Avalos with a hard combination and landed a booming left hook that had the fight stopped at 2:25.

Dogboe, 126 lbs of Ghana is now 21-2 with 15 knockouts. Avalos, 125.9 lbs of Lancaster, CA 27-8.

“I was off for 14 months. This was a long time coming. I felt great with my new trainer, Barry Hunter. We’re only getting warmed up,” Dogboe said. “I wanted to show everyone that Isaac Dogboe never went away. I’m still here, and I am only getting better.”

Elvis Rodriguez stopped Dennis Okoth in round two of their scheduled six-round junior welterweight bout.

Rodriguez, 141.8 lbs of The Dominican Republic is 8-0-1 with eight knockouts. Okoth, 141.5 lbs of Kenya is 4-4-1.

Kim Clavel won an eight-round unanimous decision over Natalie Gonzalez in a light flyweight bout.

Clavel out-landed Gonzalez 131-58.

Clavel, 109.8 lbs of Montreal, CAN won by scores of 80-72 on all cards is now 12-0. Gonzalez, 109.9 lbs of New Rochelle, NY is 6-1.

“I knew it would be a hard fight because she’s a good fighter. She had a good amateur background,” Clavel said. “This was my first time here. I had some pressure, but with every round, I felt better and better in the ring with my coach. We won all the rounds. This is what we wanted.

“I would love to stay active and fight again before the end of 2020. I want to be the best in the light flyweight division.”   

 •     Oscar Valdez 129.9 lbs vs. Jayson Velez 130 lbs 
(Junior Lightweight — 10 Rounds)

•    Edgar Berlanga 169 lbs vs. Eric Moon 168.7 lbs 
(Super Middleweight — 8 Rounds)

•    Kim Clavel 109.8 lbs vs. Natalie Gonzalez 109.9 lbs 
(Light Flyweight — 8 Rounds)

•      Elvis Rodriguez 141.8 lbs vs. Dennis Okoth 141.5 lbs 
(Junior Welterweight — 6 Rounds)

•     Isaac Dogboe 126 lbs vs. Chris Avalos 125.9 lbs 
(Featherweight — 8 Rounds)

•    Genc Pllana 167.3 lbs vs. Raphael Igbokwe 165 lbs 
(Super Middleweight — 8 Rounds)

(April 27, 2020) — Former featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez has one name on the brain when boxing resumes following the COVID-19 pandemic: WBC super featherweight world champion Miguel “El Alacran” Berchelt. Valdez moved up in weight last November, rising from a second-round knockdown to knock out last-minute replacement Adam Lopez. 

Valdez (27-0, 21 KOs) is riding out the pandemic at his ranch in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. This is what he had to say about Berchelt and other topics to Top Rank’s Crystina Poncher.  

On fighting Miguel Berchelt

“We only have one fighter in mind right now, which is ‘El Alacran’ Berchelt because I’m the mandatory fighter. It’s a mandatory fight, and there were rumors it was going to be May 9. I was already back in training camp in San Diego for May 9, but then we got the news that {May 9} was Jose Ramirez and Viktor Postol. We just continued training. It wasn’t going to hurt us to remain in camp.”

On whether the Berchelt fight will happen once boxing resumes

“The fight hasn’t been announced yet, but it’s a mandatory fight. The fight has to happen. I think, on our side, we’re ready to sign the contract because I’m going for my dream. I want that belt. We want to make it official, and I was already training for that fight. Right now, we just gotta train back home. It is what it is.”

On the Adam Lopez fight 

“It’s funny. I was in the best shape of my life pretty much, one of the best training camps I’ve had, but yeah, one of my worst performances I’ve had. It’s just pretty weird because, like I said, I was feeling great. 

“I think I was a little too confident in there {thinking} that I was going to take my opponent out of there. That’s something no boxer should ever do in the ring. Sometimes you make those mistakes, and I made one of those mistakes. I paid the price. I underestimated Adam Lopez inside the ring for a couple of seconds.”

How long does he plan to stay at super featherweight?

“I don’t think I’m moving up any time soon. I’ve been a featherweight for pretty much all my career, ever since I turned pro in 2012. I think it was time to go up to 130. I don’t see myself going up any time soon. I want to accomplish my dream to become a world champion again. That’s why I’m going after this challenge now.”

On whether Berchelt is the top super featherweight

“I think Berchelt is the toughest fighter in that division. That’s why we’re going after him. We want to go for everything.”

On potentially fighting Shakur Stevenson

“Of course I would love that fight, especially now. There’s a lot of people, including him, who think I’m avoiding that fight. I’m not. I’m chasing my dream to become a world champion {at super featherweight}.  I want to fight for the world title with ‘El Alacran’ Berchelt. ‘El Alacran’ Berchelt is a tougher opponent than him. No offense to Shakur. Shakur is a great fighter. He’ll be up there. We’ll have to fight sooner or later. If he goes up to 130, I’ll gladly fight him.”

On a Leo Santa Cruz fight

“We’ve been wanting to fight Leo Santa Cruz for a long time, but due to the politics of boxing, him being with PBC and other promotional companies, I think that’s the main reason why these fights don’t happen. That’s why I’m so excited right now that I get the chance to fight somebody like ‘El Alacran’ Berchelt because this is a big name. He has a title belt. If the fight happens with Santa Cruz eventually, I would love it because his style and my style would definitely be a fan-pleasing fight.”

(April 15, 2020) — His message is crystal clear. WBC super featherweight world champion Miguel “El Alacran” Berchelt (37-1, 33 KOs) wants all the big names. Whether it’s fellow Mexican action star Oscar Valdez, IBF champion Joseph “JoJo” Diaz, WBA champion Rene Alvarado, WBO champion and promotional stablemate Jamel Herring, or lightweight standouts Vasiliy Lomachenko and Gervonta Davis, Berchelt is itching to get back to action.
 
The Cancun native, who has made six defenses of his world title, recently spoke with Lupe Contreras. This is what he had to say.
 
On what he’s been doing during the COVID-19 pandemic
 
“We are still staying home and protecting ourselves from this bad virus that has knocked out a lot of people.
 
“We are taking care of ourselves by staying home. We are trying to stay active. We know that we have to take all the necessary precautions because we are high-performance athletes and we got to be careful.”
 
On training for a fight without knowing when he will fight again
 
“Well, it’s very difficult. Thankfully, we have the opportunity of having a stationary walker at home. I tried to run a little bit, and I do a little bit of shadowboxing, abs, push-ups. But it’s basically that. I believe it’s not the same as training in the gym, but we got to remember that we live off of staying in shape, and because of that, we must stay active.
 
“Nobody really knows when this pandemic will be over. But we have spoken to Top Rank President, Todd duBoef, and he has been giving us updates. We hope that this will be over soon. They have been thinking about all the alternatives, and one of them could be having fights without the public. I think that could be a big accomplishment because all fighters are standing by. A lot of us make a living by just boxing. I also believe that the TV networks are looking for content because they are running low on content right now. We hope for this to end soon so we can make the {Oscar Valdez} fight happen.”
 
On Oscar Valdez and his trainer, Eddy Reynoso
 
“Yes, of course I believe Oscar is a great fighter. I respect him a lot, but now we must face each other. I think Eddy Reynoso has come to add a lot of good things to his corner. He has also done a good job with Canelo Alvarez and Ryan Garcia. Now he is doing it with Oscar Valdez. It’s an excellent team, but on my side, I’m the champion and I also have a great trainer in Alfredo Caballero. It will be a great fight between Mexican fighters and Mexican trainers.”
 
On whether Valdez’s aggressive style will work against him
 
“No, I think they will have to come up with a good strategy. It’s worth noting that Oscar has already suffered an injury on his jaw. If I’m not mistaken, it happened in his fight against Scott Quigg. He broke his jaw. That’s why I believe they are going to try to fight a smart fight. He is also moving up in weight, and I don’t think he should be trading punches with me.”
 
On fighting Shakur Stevenson
 
“Of course! He is also a great fighter. Shakur Stevenson is a former Olympian and trains alongside Terence Crawford. I believe he is a fighter with a lot of ability and is one of the best fighters that Top Rank has right now, but like I mentioned, we are waiting for the fight with Oscar. I think he is still campaigning at 126. But when he gets to 130, I would like to face him. I think he is a great fighter, and I believe the fans want to see ‘El Alacrán’ Berchelt against the best.”
 
On his change once he became champion
 
“Well, it is a great responsibility. Everyone wants to be where you are. Now you become the target, and they are coming after you. Everyone wants to literally rip your head off. They want the crown. They want the belt. You realize that you have more responsibilities by having the belt, and you got to keep showing why you are the champion. That is why I’m still the champion after three years and six title defenses. We are going to keep walking this road. Losing my unbeaten record taught me a lot, and it didn’t only make me a better fighter, but it also made me a better person.”
  
On if he wants to unify the titles
 
“Of course! I would love to. JoJo Diaz was recently crowned as IBF champion. Also, Jamel Herring and Rene Alvarado. There are some great champions in the division, but right now, all I have on my mind is to face Oscar, be victorious on this seventh title defense, and after that, whoever comes, comes for Miguel Berchelt.”
 
On fighting Vasiliy Lomachenko
 
“Of course! Right now, he is one of the top three pound-for-pound fighters in the world. I think he is only behind Canelo Alvarez. I would like to. Right now, my focus is getting through this situation of the pandemic. Then I will begin training and returning to all activities so I can face Oscar Valdez. After that, we can talk moving up to 135 to face someone like Vasiliy Lomachenko. He is a fighter that I have always wanted to face, or Teofimo Lopez.”
 
On fighting Gervonta Davis
 
“There are a lot of good fights to be made, but without a doubt, I would love to face Gervonta Davis. He is a very dangerous fighter and a lot of people would like to face him, but his promoter, Floyd Mayweather, protects him too much.”

Oscar Valdez survived a hard knockdown to comeback and stop late-replacement Adam Lopez in round seven of their scheduled 10-round junior lightweight bout at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.

In round two, Lopez landed a perfect left hook that dropped Valdez.

In round seven, Valdez turned the tide when he landed a left hook that sent Lopez to the canvas. Lopez began to bleed from his nose. Valdez landed a hard right that sent Lopez back, and that gave Valdez the confidence to land a left and right that forced referee Russell Mora to stop the fight at 2:53.

Lopez took the fight on about 30 hours notice after original opponent Andres Gutierrez checked in at 11 pounds over the mandated 130-pound weight limit

Valdez, 129.8 lbs of Nogales, MX is 27-0 with 21 knockouts. Lopez, 126 lbs of Glendale, CA is 13-2.

The win sets Berchelt up for a spring battle with WBC champion Miguel Berchelt.

Former two-division world champion Carl Frampton introduced himself to a new weight class by winning a 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Tyler McCreary in a junior lightweight contest.

Frampton used his experience and made the fight an inside battle and started beating the body of McCreary.

In round six, Frampton sent McCreary to a knee from a left to the body. In round nine, it was a double left hook to the body that sent McCreary down.

While McCreary had some moments in the fight, Frampton was mostly dominant and won by scores of 100-88 on all cards.

Frampton, 128 lbs of Belfast, Northern Ireland is 27-2. McCreary, 127.5 lbs of Toledo, OH is 16-1-1.

Frampton will now look towards a showdown with WBO champion Jamel Herring.

Frampton landed 141-461 punches. McCreary was 77-412

Patrick Teixeira dug own deep and although bloodied, came back to win the Interim WBO Jr. Middleweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Carlos Adames

Texieira started to bleed over his right eye in round five. Adames controlled the action through the first half of the fight.

In round seven, Adames came on and had Teixeira hurt on the ropes and bloodied both of his eyes. Somehow Teixeira was able to stage a huge comeback at the end of the round with some straight lefts and then a right hook put Adames down on the canvas. Teixeira continued on the momentum and won by scores of 116-111 and 114-113 twice.

Teixeira, 153 1/4 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA is 31-1. Adames, 153 1/2 lbs of Santiago, DR is 18-1.

“I am very happy to bring a world title back to Brazil,” said Patrick Teixeira. “I want to make boxing bigger in Brazil. Soccer is our biggest sport, and this is a great moment for boxing in my country. It was tough with the cuts, but I was able to get through it because of my experience. It was a little harder, but my corner did an excellent job on the cuts. I felt like I needed to win the last round. It was a close fight. Every point was crucial, and I won the final round to win the fight.” 

“We are so proud of Patrick Teixeira for capturing the interim WBO World Title at 154 pounds,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “It was a brutal and bloody war, but Teixeira really dug deep to earn himself the most important win of his career against a very dangerous fighter. We look forward to starting the new year with yet another champion in our stable.”

Arnold Barboza Jr. stopped William Silva in round five of a scheduled 10-round junior welterweight bout.

In round three, Barboza dropped Silva with a left hand. In round five, Barboza landed a hard right hand to the body that made Silva crumple to the canvas for the 10-count at 2:59.

Barboza, 140 lbs of South El Monte, CA is 23-0 with 10 knockouts. Silva, 139 1/2 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA is 27-3.

Larry Gomez won an eight-round split decision over Brian Mendoza in a welterweight contest

Mendoza started to swell around his left eye in round three.

Gomez, 146 lbs of West Jordan, UT won by scores of 77-75 on two cards. Mendoza took a card 77-75.

Gomez is 10-1. Mendoza, 146 1/2 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 18-1.

Guido Vianello remained undefeated with a one=punch stoppage over Colby Madison in a scheduled six-round heavyweight bout.

Vianello landed a hard right that sent Madison down for the 10-count at 45 seconds.

Vianello, 237 lbs of Rome, ITA is 6-0 with six knockouts. Madison, 239 lbs of Owings Mills, MD is 8-2-2.

Andy Hiraoka stopped Rogilio Casarez in round two of a scheduled eight-round junior welterweight bout.

Hiraoka dropped Casarez with a right hook, and then finished him off with a big flurry of punches at

Hiraoka, 140 lbs of Yokahama, JAP is now 15-0 with 10 knockouts. Casarez, 139 1/2 lbs of Batesville, AK is 13-9.

Xander Zayas stopped Virgil Windfield in round one of a scheduled four-round welterweight bout.

In round one, Zayas landed an overhand right that put Windfield on the canvas. It was another overhand right that sent Windfield down again, and the fight was stopped at 1:48,

Zayas, 146 1/2 lbs of Plantation, FL is 2-0 with two knockouts. Windfield, 148 lbs of Concord, NC is 2-3-1.

Oscar Valdez 129.8 lbs vs. Adam Lopez 126 lbs
(WBC Super Featherweight world title eliminator — 10 Rounds)
* Lopez stepped in to face Valdez after original opponent Andres Gutierrez missed weight by 11 pounds 
Judges/Referee: Glenn Feldman, Dave Moretti and Max De Luca/Russell Mora

    Carl Frampton 128 lbs vs. Tyler McCreary 127.5 lbs
(Super Featherweight — 10 Rounds)
Judges/Referee: Eric Cheek, John McKaie and Steve Weisfeld/Kenny Bayless

ESPN+ (6:30 p.m. ET)

    Carlos Adames 153.5 lbs vs. Patrick Teixeira 153.25 lbs
(Interim WBO Junior Middleweight world title — 12 Rounds)
Judges/Referee: Tim Cheatham. Glenn Trowbridge and Julie Lederman/Robert Byrd

                Arnold Barboza Jr. 140 lbs vs. William Silva 139.5 lbs
(Jr. NABF Super Lightweight title — 10 Rounds

Guido Vianello 237 lbs vs. Colby Madison 239 lbs
(Heavyweight — 6 Rounds)

        Andy Hiraoka 140 lbs vs.  Rogelio Casarez 139.5 lbs
(Super Lightweight — 8 Rounds)

        Brian Mendoza 146.2 lbs vs. Larry Gomez 146 lbs
(Welterweight — 8 Rounds)

SWING BOUTS

  Xander Zayas 146.6 lbs vs. Virgel Windfield 148 lbs
(Welterweight – 4 Rounds)

      Jared Anderson 237 lbs vs. Stephen Kirnon 214 lbs
(Heavyweight – 4 Rounds)
 Use the hashtags #ValdezLopez and #FramptonMcCreary to join the conversation on social media.

For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.
###

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ grew quickly to 3.5 million subscribers in 18 months, offering fans thousands of live events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content.
 
Programming on ESPN+ includes exclusive UFC and Top Rank boxing events, thousands of college sports events (including football and basketball) from more than a dozen sports at 20 conferences, hundreds of MLB and NHL games, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, Bundesliga – beginning in 2020, EFL Championship and Carabao Cup, Eredivisie), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, exclusive ESPN+ Original series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films.
 
Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) through the ESPN App, (on mobile and connected devices), ESPN.com or ESPNplus.com.  It is also available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+ ­— all for just $12.99/month.
 
About The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is a unique luxury resort and casino that offers a decidedly different perspective. Located in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, The Cosmopolitan’s distinct vertical multi-tower design features more than 3,000 guestrooms with residential living spaces, private terraces and breathtaking views of the city skyline. Luxury amenities include a premier lineup of world-class culinary experiences; an intriguing mix of bars, nightclubs and entertainment venues; 100,000-square-foot-casino; award-winning spa, salon and fitness center; unrivaled pool district and an eclectic line-up of hand-selected boutiques. For more information visit: www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 29, 2019) — Andres Gutierrez was removed from Saturday’s main event against former featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez, as he weighed in at 141 pounds, 11 pounds above the contract weight.

Featherweight contender Adam Lopez (13-1, 6 KOs), from Glendale, Calif., stepped up to replace Gutierrez, and he will be in the opposite corner at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in a WBC super featherweight world title eliminator. Lopez was originally set to defend his Jr. NABF featherweight title against Luis Coria, but he jumped at the opportunity to face Valdez, who will be making his super featherweight debut.

Valdez-Lopez and Carl Frampton-Tyler McCreary will headline a super featherweight doubleheader live on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service, beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

“I trained hard for three months making the sacrifices, and I am very upset with Andres Gutierrez,” Valdez said. “He was unprofessional. As soon as I heard 141 pounds, I still wanted to fight him, but my team and Bob Arum said Gutierrez was out. I give credit to Adam Lopez for stepping up. It will be a great fight tomorrow night.”

“It was surreal when I got the offer to fight Oscar,” Lopez said. “I‘ve known Oscar for a long time and I‘ve wanted this fight for a long time. I’m ready for it.

“Deep down, I’ll take anyone. Ultimately, I left it up to my trainer {Buddy McGirt}, and he gave the fight his blessing.
 Use the hashtags #ValdezLopez and #FramptonMcCreary to join the conversation on social media.

For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.
###

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ grew quickly to 3.5 million subscribers in 18 months, offering fans thousands of live events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content.
 
Programming on ESPN+ includes exclusive UFC and Top Rank boxing events, thousands of college sports events (including football and basketball) from more than a dozen sports at 20 conferences, hundreds of MLB and NHL games, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, Bundesliga – beginning in 2020, EFL Championship and Carabao Cup, Eredivisie), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, exclusive ESPN+ Original series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films.
 
Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) through the ESPN App, (on mobile and connected devices), ESPN.com or ESPNplus.com.  It is also available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+ ­— all for just $12.99/month.
 
About The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is a unique luxury resort and casino that offers a decidedly different perspective. Located in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, The Cosmopolitan’s distinct vertical multi-tower design features more than 3,000 guestrooms with residential living spaces, private terraces and breathtaking views of the city skyline. Luxury amenities include a premier lineup of world-class culinary experiences; an intriguing mix of bars, nightclubs and entertainment venues; 100,000-square-foot-casino; award-winning spa, salon and fitness center; unrivaled pool district and an eclectic line-up of hand-selected boutiques. For more information visit: www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 27, 2019) — Four days before they let their fists fly at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, former two-weight world champion Carl “The Jackal” Frampton and former featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez paid a surprise holiday visit to Opportunity Village, a nonprofit serving Southern Nevadans with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Frampton and Valdez toured the campus Tuesday morning, held a meet-and-greet with Opportunity Village clients, and visited the renowned and newly renovated Magical Forest.

In separate 10-round super featherweight bouts, Valdez will make his division debut against former world title challenger Andres Gutierrez, while Frampton will battle the unbeaten American Tyler McCreary (ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT).

Frampton (26-2, 15 KOs) is coming off nearly a one-year absence from the ring, as his planned August comeback bout was postponed after a freak accident at the fight hotel left him with a broken hand. Valdez (26-0, 20 KOs) made six defenses of his WBO featherweight world title before moving up to seek challenges against the likes of Frampton and WBC world champion Miguel Berchelt.

This is what Valdez and Frampton had to say about their upcoming bouts and their visit to Opportunity Village.

Oscar Valdez

On moving up to 130

“Making weight won’t be as difficult for me at 130 pounds. It won’t be easy, but not as hard as it was when I was fighting at 126. I have more energy in the gym and I feel healthy, which is the most important thing. You’ll see the difference in my fight Saturday against Andres Gutierrez.”

“I’ve been fighting at 126 my whole career, so it’s a long time coming. My last camps were more about cutting weight rather than training. It wasn’t healthy for me. I wasn’t eating much two, three days before the weigh-ins, so now I am in a much healthier position.”

On the future

“I want to fight Miguel Berchelt. Listen, there’s no personal beef there, but I feel like he’s the top guy at 130 pounds. I want to fight the best, and Berchelt is the best. I’m only focused on Gutierrez for now, but I also visualize the future.”

On Saturday’s fight

“Fans know I always give 100 percent in the ring, so you can expect a great battle on Saturday night. Andres Gutierrez is a tough guy who cannot be overlooked.”

On the visit to Opportunity Village

“Seeing this makes everyone want to be a better person and try and help our loved ones. If we can, why not support the great people at Opportunity Village? I thank them for their hospitality.”

Carl Frampton

On the injury that postponed his August fight

“I was upset at the time. I felt like a whole camp had been wasted, time away from my family had been wasted. Look, you just have to deal with it and move on and kind of try and forget about it and move on. I’m looking forward to the fight. By the time the fight comes around, it will be {nearly} a year since I’ve been in the ring.”

On McCreary

“McCreary is a good, hungry, young, undefeated kid, and this is his big chance. If he beats me, I’m pretty sure in his next fight he’ll fight for a world title. It’s not going to happen. I’ve prepared very hard for this fight. I’ve prepared like I’m an underdog, and I am going in to put on a show. To be honest, I want to win this fight, but I want to knock this kid out.”

On his future plans

“I’ve had some huge fights in my career. No matter who the opponent is, it’s always going to be the biggest fight because of the situation I’m in now. It’s a must-win. I have to win this fight to fight a champion in my next fight. I want to fight for a world title in my next fight, so I must beat Tyler McCreary.”

“The plan is to become a three-weight world champion. That’s my goal. Ireland has a rich history in boxing champions. We’ve produced so many great fighters — and we’re still doing it — but to be the guy on top and be the first and only guy to win three titles in three different divisions, it would mean the world to me. I want nothing more than my kids to be proud of me and say that their dad is a three-weight world champion.”

On the visit to Opportunity Village

“Many of us have loved ones who may not be as able-bodied as we are. This facility is fantastic. It was great to take a look around see all of the amazing work they do. You should give back to the community when you are in a position to do it.”

ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Oscar Valdez vs. Andres Gutierrez, 10 rounds, super featherweight

Carl Frampton vs. Tyler McCreary, 10 rounds, super featherweight

ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT

Carlos Adames vs. Patrick Teixeira, 12 rounds, interim WBO junior middleweight world title

Arnold Barboza Jr. vs. William Silva, 10 rounds, Barboza’s Jr. NABF super lightweight title

Adam Lopez vs. Luis Coria, 10 rounds, Lopez’s Jr. NABF featherweight title

Guido Vianello vs. Colby Madison, 6 rounds, heavyweight

Andy Hiraoka vs. Rogelio Casarez, 8 rounds, super lightweight

Brian Mendoza vs. Larry Gomez, 8 rounds, welterweight

Swing Bouts

Xander Zayas vs. Virgel Windfield, 4 rounds, welterweight

Jared Anderson vs. Stephen Kirnon, 4 rounds, heavyweight

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Queensberry Promotions and MTK Global, tickets priced at $100, $85, $65, $45 and $20 (general admission) are available online at www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com or through Ticketmaster at 800.745.3000.

Use the hashtags #ValdezGutierrez and #FramptonMcCreary to join the conversation on social media.

For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

Top Rank on ESPN returns to Las Vegas, the Boxing Capital of the World, this Saturday, November 30 for a Thanksgiving Weekend super featherweight doubleheader at The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.  Former featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez makes his long-awaited super featherweight debut in a 10-rounder against former world title challenger Andres “Jaguarcito” Gutierrez in the main event.  

The co-feature of the evening will see the fighting pride of Belfast, former two-division world champion Carl “The Jackal” Frampton, take on the unbeaten Tyler “The Golden Child” McCreary in a 10-round super featherweight contest.  

Valdez-Gutierrez and Frampton-McCreary will stream live and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service, starting at 10 p.m. ET (undercards beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET). The undercards will feature junior middleweight contenders Carlos Adames and Patrick Teixeira for the WBO interim title.  

Calling the action will be Bernardo Osuna (play-by-play), former two-division world titleholder Timothy Bradley Jr. (analyst) and former pound-for-pound #1, two-division world titleholder and 2004?Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward (analyst).   

Top Rank on ESPN: Oscar Valdez vs. Andres Gutierrez on ESPN+ (All times Eastern) 

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ grew quickly to 3.5 million subscribers in 18 months, offering fans thousands of live events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes exclusive UFC and Top Rank boxing events, thousands of college sports events (including football and basketball) from more than a dozen sports at 20 conferences, hundreds of MLB and NHL games, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, Bundesliga – beginning in 2020, EFL Championship and Carabao Cup, Eredivisie), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, exclusive ESPN+ Original series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films.

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) through the ESPN App, (on mobile and connected devices), ESPN.com or ESPNplus.com.  It is also available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+ ­— all for just $12.99/month.

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 15, 2019) — Two of boxing’s foremost action stars are set to light up the Las Vegas Strip for a Thanksgiving Weekend fistic bash Saturday, November 30 at The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

In the main event, former featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez will make his long-awaited super featherweight debut in a 10-rounder against former world title challenger Andres “Jaguarcito” Gutierrez.

The co-feature will see the fighting pride of Belfast, former two-division world champion Carl “The Jackal” Frampton, take on the unbeaten Tyler “The Golden Child” McCreary a 10-round super featherweight contest (128-pound catchweight).

Valdez-Gutierrez and Frampton-McCreary will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service, starting at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The undercard will stream on ESPN+ beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Queensberry Promotions and MTK Global, tickets priced at $100, $85, $65, $45 and $20 (general admission) go on sale Friday, October 18, at 10 a.m. PT and are available online at www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com or through Ticketmaster at 800.745.3000.

“This a tremendous super featherweight doubleheader, and both Valdez and Frampton have their hands full against tough opponents,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “If Valdez and Frampton win, world title opportunities await them in 2020.”

‘I’m looking forward to November 30, as it’s my first fight as a super featherweight,” Valdez said. “I know my opponent is tough, but I plan on putting on a show for the fans. This is my third camp with Eddy Reynoso, and it’s going great. This is an important first step towards another world title, and I plan to make the most of it. Don’t miss it!”

“I am going to take full advantage of this opportunity,” Gutierrez said. “I hope Valdez is prepared for a super featherweight war. I’m now training in Las Vegas with the professor, Ismael Salas, and ‘Memo’ Heredia. Boxing fans, get ready for a true Mexican-style battle!”

Valdez (26-0, 20 KOs) made six successful defenses of his WBO featherweight world title, a reign highlighted by all-action brawls against Miguel Marriaga, Scott Quigg and Genesis Servania. A two-time Mexican Olympian, Valdez is seeking new challenges in a weight class loaded with premier talent. He closed out his featherweight world title reign with a pair of wins over then-unbeaten foes earlier this year, knocking out Carmine Tommasone in February and scoring a unanimous decision over Jason Sanchez in June. Valdez is 6-0 with six knockouts when fighting in Las Vegas and is looking for lucky number seven. Gutierrez (38-2-1, 25 KOs) has won three consecutive fights since dropping a technical decision to Abner Mares in October 2017 for the WBA featherweight world title. He last fought June 22 in San Juan del Río, Mexico, decisioning former world champion Tomas Rojas over 12 rounds.

Frampton (26-2, 15 KOs), a former super bantamweight and featherweight world champion, is ready to make his 2019 debut. He last fought December 2018 in Manchester, England, losing by unanimous decision to IBF world champion Josh Warrington in a Fight of the Year contender. He was scheduled to fight August 10 in Philadelphia against Emmanuel Dominguez but was forced to drop out the week of the fight after a concrete pillar fell on his hand at the fight hotel. Frampton is making his first appearance in Las Vegas since January 2017, when thousands of Northern Irish fans made the trip across the pond for his rematch against Leo Santa Cruz. One of his nation’s most decorated fighters, Frampton holds victories over Santa Cruz, Quigg, Nonito Donaire and Kiko Martinez.

McCreary (16-0-1, 7 KOs), from Toledo, Ohio, is a five-year pro who, at 26 years of age, is entering the prime of his career. In his last fight, July 19 in Oxon Hill, Maryland, he overcame a stiff challenge from Jessie Cris Rosales to prevail via eight-round split decision. In search of a signature win, McCreary will take a quantum leap in class, but he is confident that his youth and athleticism will prevail.

“I’m delighted to be making a comeback after what has been a horrific year in my career,” Frampton said. “I didn’t get the Top Rank deal off to an ideal start, but coming back in Vegas is great for me, especially against a really strong opponent. It needed to be someone who would test me. It’s what I want, it’s what ESPN wants, what MTK Global wants and what Top Rank wants, so I’m 100 percent confident it’s the right move for me. McCreary is a quality opponent, but if I want to be competing against the top guys in the world, which I believe I can, then I need to be beating guys like him and doing it in style.”

“I’m delighted we’ve got Carl out again before the end of the year,” said Frank Warren, Frampton’s co-promoter. “He had a tough time of it in August with the freak injury, which meant he couldn’t fight as planned. In this fight against McCreary, I believe Carl will prove that he is still an elite fighter and will be fighting for world titles again before long.”

“It’s a big step up for me, but I feel that I’m ready for it,” McCreary said. “It’s an opportunity I couldn’t turn down, and I feel that every fight is a risk. This is one where, if anything, I would love to risk my undefeated record against a fighter like Frampton. A win here means a world title shot next.

“I was in the gym training for my October 26 fight and my trainer {Lamar Wright} said we got a call that Carl Frampton was looking for a fight. They didn’t have anyone, and I said, ‘I’ll take it.’ I didn’t hesitate.”

Use the hashtags #ValdezGutierrez and #FramptonMcCreary to join the conversation on social media.

For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It reached 2 million subscribers in less than a year and offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL games, exclusive UFC, Top Rank boxing and PFL fights and events, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie, and more), thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and other sports), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and can cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices) and ESPN.com.

About The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is a unique luxury resort and casino that offers a decidedly different perspective. Located in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, The Cosmopolitan’s distinct vertical multi-tower design features more than 3,000 guestrooms with residential living spaces, private terraces and breathtaking views of the city skyline. Luxury amenities include a premier lineup of world-class culinary experiences; an intriguing mix of bars, nightclubs and entertainment venues; 100,000-square-foot-casino; award-winning spa, salon and fitness center; unrivaled pool district and an eclectic line-up of hand-selected boutiques. For more information visit: www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Oscar Valdez dropped Jason Sanchez en-route to a 12-round unanimous decision to retain the WBO Featherweight title at Reno-Sparks Convention Center in Reno, Nevada.

In the opening seconds of round five, Valdez dropped Sanchez with a hard left hook. The two had some nice exchanges that Valdez got the better in most of those skirmishes.

Valdez, 125.4 lbs of Nogales, MEX won by scores of 118-109 twice and 117-110, and is now 26-0. Sanchez, 124.8 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 14-1.

“I hope {to fight at featherweight again}. I also have to listen to my body. We’re going to see what’s best,” Valdez said. “Sometimes I get tired in there, and I’m not sure if it’s because of the weight loss. We’ll talk about {my next move} as a team and will do what is best. I want to fight everybody at 126, 130. Let’s do it.”

“Sanchez lacked experience, but he showed tremendous guts. Oscar Valdez fought him back and showed his championship heart,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “We’re going to look for a fight later on in the year between Valdez and Carl Frampton if Frampton is successful in his next fight.”

19 Year-Old Gabriel Flores Jr.remained undefeated by winning an eight-round unanimous decision over Salvador Briceno in a light weight bout.

Scores were 79-73 and 78-74 twice for Flores, 132.8 lbs of Stockton, California and is now 14-0. Briceno, 132.2 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is 15-4.

“I want to fight in the next two, three months. If they want me to fight next month, we can talk about it,” Flores said. “I am only 19, and I am only getting better. I’m staying busy and fighting better opponents. Top Rank is developing me perfectly, and it’s about fighting all different types of fighters to get me ready for the championship level.”

Robson Conceicao won an eight-round unanimous decision over Carlos Ruiz in a super featherweight bout.

Conceicao, 127.8 lbs of Baiha, BRA won by scores of 80-72 twice and 79-73, and is now 13-0. Ruiz, 127.2 lbs of Mexico City is now 16-7-2.

Sergio Vega and Diego Elizondo battled to a unanimous draw in a lightweight contest.

All three judges saw the score 38-38.

Vega, 133.6 lbs of Sacramento, CA is 2-0-1. Elizondo, 1348.8 lbs of Crason City, NV is 2-0-2.

Michael Seals scored a one-punch stoppage of Christopher Brooker in round two of their scheduled 10-round light heavyweight bout.

Seals landed a right hand to the top of the head that put Brooker out and briefly out cold and the fight was stopped at 2:00.

Seals, 175.2 lbs of Atlanta is 23-2 with 17 knockouts. Brooker, 174.6 lbs of Philadelphia is 14-7.

“He’s a tough guy. I did my homework on him,” Seals said. “I knew he was crafty, so I had to take my time. I knew I was going to walk him into something.”

In a battle of pro debuting super lightweights, J.J. Mariano stopped William Flenoy in the final round of their scheduled four-round bout.

Mariano registered a knockdown in round three from a left hook. In the next round, Mariano landed some hard shots, and Flenoy bowed out of the fight citing an injured shoulder.

Mariano, 138.2 lbs of Reno is 1-0 with one knockout. Flenoy, 139.4 lbs of Fresno, CA is 0-1.

ESPN & ESPN Deportes (10 p.m. ET)

• Oscar Valdez 125.4 lbs vs. Jason Sanchez 124.8 lbs
(Valdez’s WBO Featherweight world title – 12 Rounds)
Judges/Referee: Tim Cheatham, Eric Cheek and Glenn Trowbridge/Vic Drakulich

• Gabriel Flores Jr. 132.8 lbs vs. Salvador Briceno 132.2 lbs
(Lightweight  – 8 Rounds)
Judges/Referee: Robert Hoyle, Patricia Morse Jarman and Dave Moretti/Robert Byrd

ESPN+ (7:30 p.m. ET)

• Robson Conceicao 127.8 lbs vs. Carlos Ruiz 127.2 lbs
(Super Featherweight – 8 Rounds)

• Diego Elizondo 134.8 lbs vs. Sergio Vega 133.6 lbs
(Lightweight – 4 Rounds)

• Michael Seals 175.2 lbs vs. Christopher Brooker 174.6 lbs
(Light Heavyweight – 10 Rounds)

•  JJ Mariano 138.2 lbs vs. William Flenoy 139.4 lbs
(Super Lightweight – 4 Rounds)

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Let’s Get It On Promotions and Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, tickets for this world championship event priced at $103, $68 and $43 (including facility fees) are on sale now and can be purchased via Ticketmaster.com or in person at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa gift shop.

For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.
 
Sign-up to ESPN+ at www.espnplus.com.
 
Use the hashtags #ValdezSanchez and #FloresBriceno to join the conversation on social media.

RENO, Nev. (June 6, 2019) –  Oscar Valdez is set to make the sixth defense of his WBO world featherweight title, and for the third time during his title reign, he will be facing an unbeaten challenger.

Valdez (25-0, 20 KOs), the pride of Nogales, Mexico, will defend his belt against upstart Jason Sanchez (14-0, 7 KOs) Saturday evening from the Reno-Sparks Convention Center in Reno, Nevada. Sanchez is an Albuquerque product who has upset the odds before.

In the eight-round lightweight co-feature, 19-year-old sensation Gabriel Flores Jr. (13-0, 6 KOs) – 35 days removed from his last bout – will fight Salvador Briceno (15-3, 9 KOs). Valdez-Sanchez and Flores-Briceno will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Valdez is now two fights removed from the severely broken jaw he suffered in March of last year against an over-the-weight Scott Quigg. Sanchez burst onto the boxing scene last October, upsetting then-unbeaten Jean Carlos Rivera via 10-round decision in Panama City, Panama. But Sanchez, who received this title shot on a little more than a month’s notice, is ready to tackle the long odds yet again. Valdez bounced back from the broken jaw Feb. 2 in Frisco, Texas, knocking out Carmine Tommasone in seven rounds. 

Two days before the bright lights, Valdez, Sanchez, and Flores met the media at the final press conference. This is what they had to say.

Oscar Valdez

On his second camp with trainer Eddy Reynoso

“We’ve worked very hard in the gym. He’s put the time in. That’s one of the first things I thought could happen knowing he trains Canelo Alvarez, that I might not get the time I deserve in the gym to keep on improving. But on the contrary. We’ve been working very hard. Eddy has been 100 percent dedicated to me, and I can just say thank you to him for putting that time in, him and my father, my manager Frank Espinoza, my whole team.”

“I know Jason Sanchez. I know he’s a tough fighter, and I treat him with as much respect as any fighter out there. A lot of people might not know who he is. Unfortunately, in the boxing world, if you don’t know the opponent, they automatically think it’s an easy fight like he’s a bum, a walk in the park, a sack of potatoes, whatever anybody wants to call it. But I don’t see that. I see a young, hungry fighter with the same dream as any other fighter wants to have, which is become a world champion. I have that target on my back. I take no fighter lightly. I see Jason Sanchez as a strong opponent, and I’m going to do my best to win.”

“I don’t plan on leaving this belt anytime soon. I want to move and improve to bigger and better things. Right now, I got only one guy on my radar, which is Jason Sanchez. I got much respect for him and his team, but once the bell rings, all of that is over. We have to give a good fight for the crowd, for the fans all over the world that are watching. That’s what we plan to do, so I’m very excited for this fight, to be honest.”

“I expect the best from every fighter. I saw him when he fought Jean Carlos Rivera, the Puerto Rican. He put up a good fight. Congratulations to him for his career. He’s doing great. This is a dream every fighter has, fighting for a world title. That only makes me more disciplined in the gym. I work very hard in the gym because I worked hard to get here, and I don’t plan on leaving any time soon. I’m taking this belt back to Mexico.”

Jason Sanchez

“There’s been so much going on {since the Rivera fight}, but it’s awesome. I’ve been working hard. I’m ready.”

“We knew beating Jean Carlos Rivera would mean we’d get more opportunities for more stuff. And, yes, sure enough.”

On getting the call to fight Valdez

“I was excited. We took the fight right away. He’s a tough guy. I’ve seen him fight before, but we’re ready.”

“I just need to fight hard and stay smart and active. Bringing the title home to Albuquerque would mean so much.”

Gabriel Flores Jr.

“Let’s keep the ball rolling. I feel good, I feel confident, and fighting under Oscar Valdez is a big opportunity. I’ve been in his training camp and everything, so it’s great to fight {on the same card} as him. I’m always in the gym. This is my life, day and night. This is what I do, so to fight again, I’m ready.”

On fighting in eight-rounders now

“More mitts, more rounds of sparring, more conditioning. It’s perfect because I’m still in shape from my last fight {May 4}, and we jumped right into training camp. I did enough six-rounders, and here’s the eight-rounder. We’re ready.”

ESPN and ESPN Deportes, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Oscar Valdez (champion) vs. Jason Sanchez (challenger), 12 rounds, Valdez’s WBO featherweight world title

Gabriel Flores Jr.  vs. Salvador Briceno, 8 rounds, lightweight

ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT

Michael Seals vs. Christopher Brooker, 10 rounds, light heavyweight

Robson Conceicao vs. Carlos Ruiz, 8 rounds, super featherweight

JJ Mariano vs. William Flenoy, 4 rounds, super lightweight

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Let’s Get It On Promotions and Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, tickets for this world championship event priced at $103, $68 and $43 (including facility fees) are on sale now and can be purchased via Ticketmaster.com or in person at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa gift shop.

For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

Sign-up to ESPN+ at www.espnplus.com.

Use the hashtags #ValdezSanchez and #FloresBriceno to join the conversation on social media.

RENO, Nev. (May 30, 2019) — Gabriel Flores Jr., the 19-year-old pride of Stockton, California, had the night of his boxing life May 4 at Stockton Arena. More than 10,000 fans packed the venue, as Flores knocked out Eduardo Pereira Reis in three raucous rounds, establishing himself as the sport’s youngest hometown ticket-seller.

Flores will return June 8 against Salvador Briceno in an eight-round lightweight bout, which will be the ESPN-televised co-feature to Oscar Valdez’s WBO featherweight world title defense against fellow unbeaten Jason Sanchez at Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

Valdez-Sanchez and Flores-Briceno will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

The entire undercard will stream live on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service, beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

“I am excited to be back on ESPN, and once again, Stockton will be in the building,” Flores said. “Briceno is the toughest fight of my career, but I rise to the level of my opposition. I only fought a few weeks ago, so I am sharp and ready to put on another highlight-reel showing for the fans watching on ESPN.”

“Trust me when I say that Flores has never faced anyone like me,” Briceno said. “I am coming to Reno intent on putting on a great performance. Flores probably thinks I am a stop on the way to bigger things, but his team made the wrong decision in picking me.”

Flores (13-0, 6 KOs) signed with Top Rank at 16 years old and made his pro debut on May 5, 2017, four days after his 17^th birthday. His pro debut took place at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, a second-round TKO over Devon Jones. Flores went 6-0 in 2018 and will be making his third ring appearance of 2019. Briceno (15-3, 9 KOs) has fought as high as 140 pounds and is a heavy puncher whose last four victories have come via stoppage.

The ESPN+ undercard is scheduled to include the following bouts:

• Andy Vences (22-0-1, 12 KOs), one of the super featherweight division’s top contenders, will defend his WBC Continental Americas belt against fellow unbeaten Albert Bell (14-0, 5 KOs) in a 10-rounder that will thrust the winner into the world title conversation. Vences has made no secret of his desire to fight newly minted WBO champion Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring. 
• Robson Conceicao (12-0, 6 KOs), who captured Brazil’s first Olympic boxing gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, will take on Carlos Ruiz (16-6-2, 6 KOs) in an eight-round super featherweight bout. Conceicao last fought March 31 in Mangaratiba, Brazil, where he scored a first-round TKO.
• Diego Elizondo (2-0-1, 0 KOs), who hails from Carson City, Nevada, will look to get back in the win column versus Sacramento product Sergio Vega (2-0, 2 KOs) in a four-round lightweight shootout.
• Big-punching light heavyweight Michael Seals (22-2, 16 KOs) will fight Philadelphia native Christopher Brooker (14-6, 5 KOs) in a 10-rounder. Brooker is coming off an upset win over Lanell Bellows (18-2-2 at the time) last September in Las Vegas. 
• Reno native J.J. Mariano will make his pro debut in a four-round welterweight contest against William Flenoy (pro debut), 
• Dmitry Yun, a former Russian amateur standout, will make his pro debut in a six-round lightweight bout against an opponent to be named. 

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Let’s Get It On Promotions and Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, tickets for this world championship event priced at $103, $68 and $43 (including facility fees) are on sale now and can be purchased via Ticketmaster.com or in person at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa gift shop.

For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook:facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

Sign-up to ESPN+ at www.espnplus.com.

Use the hashtags #ValdezSanchez and #FloresBriceno to join the conversation on social media.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It reached 2 million subscribers in less than a year and offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL games, exclusive UFC, Top Rank boxing and PFL fights and events, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie, and more), thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and other sports), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and can cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices) and ESPN.com. They are the industry-leading all-in-one digital sports platform, delivering a rich, personalized experience to tens of millions of fans every month.

RENO, Nev. (May 9, 2019) — Boxing’s preeminent action superhero, Oscar Valdez, will make the sixth defense of his WBO featherweight world title Saturday, June 8 against the upset-minded Jason “El Alacrancito” Sanchez at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

Valdez-Sanchez and the 10-round light heavyweight showdown between title-hungry contenders Sullivan Barrera and Michael Seals will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Undercard bouts will stream live on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service, beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT. Gabriel Flores Jr. (13-0, 6 KOs), fresh off his third-round knockout over Eduardo Pereira Reis in front of more than 10,000 fans in his hometown of Stockton, California, will see action on the undercard.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Let’s Get It On Promotions and Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, tickets for this world championship event priced at $103, $68 and $43 (including facility fees) are on sale now and can be purchased via Ticketmaster.com or in person at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa gift shop.

“Jason Sanchez is the real ‘Cinderella Man,’” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “He is young, hungry and capable of pulling off a major upset. It should be an exciting battle.”

“I’m excited to be back in the ring for the sixth defense of my world title. I know there is a big target on my back because I’m the champion, but nobody is going to take this title away from me,” Valdez said. “This will be my second fight training with Eddy Reynoso. Training with Eddy, I feel the best I’ve ever felt. I felt great in the ring during my first fight with Eddy in my corner. I know that I will look even better this time out. The fans in Reno and watching on ESPN and ESPN Deportes can expect a great showing from me on June 8.”

“I am truly honored and blessed to have an opportunity like this,” Sanchez said. “Coming from Albuquerque, New Mexico, I knew I had to work extra hard to be noticed and to get where I’m at right now. I will be bringing this belt home to Albuquerque, to my family, my supporters, and most of all, my late brother Alan Sanchez. I believe he guided me down this road and that my journey is only beginning.”

Valdez (25-0, 20 KOs), Mexico’s first two-time Olympian, has thrilled boxing fans with his go-for-broke style. He won the WBO featherweight title in July 2016 and proved his mettle with a trio of 12-round bloodbaths against Miguel Marriaga, Genesis Servania and Scott Quigg in consecutive bouts. Valdez outlasted an over-the-weight Quigg last March by unanimous decision despite fighting more than half the bout with a severely broken jaw. Following the Quigg bout, Valdez took nearly a year off, returning Feb. 2 in Frisco, Texas, to knock out then-unbeaten Italian challenger Carmine Tommasone in the seventh round.

The 24-year-old Sanchez (14-0, 7 KOs) enters this championship fight as one of the featherweight division’s fastest-rising young guns. Last October, he stunned then-unbeaten Jean Carlos Rivera via unanimous decision in Panama City, Panama. Following the Rivera victory, Sanchez signed a long-term promotional contract with Top Rank. He impressed in his Top Rank debut Feb. 2 in Frisco, Texas, knocking out Daniel Olea in the second round. Sanchez hopes to become only the fifth men’s boxer from New Mexico to win a world title.

Barrera (22-2, 14 KOs), a former Cuban amateur standout, defected to the United States in 2009 and turned pro later that year. The Miami-based bruiser won the first 17 bouts of his career before dropping a decision to pound-for-pound great Andre Ward. A perennial contender, Barrera holds victories over Joe Smith Jr., Vyacheslav Shabranskyy, Karo Murat and former super middleweight world champion Jeff Lacy. He challenged Dmitry Bivol for a light heavyweight world title last year and fought valiantly before being stopped in the 12th and final round.

Seals (22-2, 16 KOs), a former linebacker for Alabama A&M University, traded in his cleats for trunks and turned pro after a five-fight amateur career. He was 19-0 when he clashed with Edwin Rodriguez in November 2015. In a seesaw battle that included five knockdowns, Rodriguez knocked out Seals in the third round of a Fight of the Year contender. Seals is 3-1 since the Rodriguez battle, the lone loss coming via disqualification after he hit his opponent while he was on the ground. The winner of this can’t-miss action fight will be in line for a potential world title opportunity.

“I am very excited to have signed with Top Rank, a world-class organization with the best light heavyweights in the world,” Barrera said. “I am excited about the future, but the first step is to handle business June 8 and then I can look forward to a shot at a world title. My ultimate goal is Sergey Kovalev. I’ve been chasing him my whole career. Hopefully, we can finally fight this year.”

“This means everything to me. I had a great opportunity with Edwin Rodriguez, but I went into that fight with a torn rotator cuff. I was basically fighting with just my right hand,” Seals said. “Now, I am 100 percent healthy. This is my time. Barrera had his time. I feel good. I feel sharp. I feel young. I have sacrificed so much and have had a lot of time to reflect on the decisions I’ve made and all of the hardships I’ve gone through. On June 8, I’m going to unleash all of my frustration on Barrera. I don’t want to take anything away from Barrera. He’s a world-class fighter, but I am as well.”

For more information, visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook:facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

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Use the hashtags #ValdezSanchez and #BarreraSeals to join the conversation on social media.

Sergey Kovalev quieted his many nay-Sayers by putting on a boxing clinic, and recapturing the WBO Light Heavyweight decision with a 12-round unanimous decision over Eleider Alvarez in a rematch that took place at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

Kovalev boxed very well as he showed consistent boxing with his jab that set up his workrate over the 36 minute fight.  Alvarez only threw 30 punches per round which did not provide him with the opportunities  to the land the big shots that propelled him to a knockout victory over Kovalev last August.

Kovalev took the advice of new trainer Buddy McGirt and took what the Alvarez gave him, which was jabbing through out the rounds and getting in his right hand which kept Alvarez on the defense.

Kovalev doubled up Alvarez on the punches landed, and won by scores of 120-108 and 116-112 to raise his mark to 33-3-1.  Alvarez is 24-1.

“We worked a lot on my jab,” Kovalev said. “Right now, I am working with {trainer} Buddy {McGirt} the way I was when I was an amateur

“After this, I want unification fights.”

Said Alvarez: “I don’t see myself as a loser tonight, but I do give him credit, especially in that 12th round. I think that he went out and proved that he wanted to win.”

Rising star, Teofimo Lopez, beat up, bloodied and battered Diego Magdaleno and stopped him in round seven of a scheduled ten-round lightweight fight.

Magdaleno’s face started chopping up in round two from the hard blows from Lopez.

In round six, Lopez landed a blistering left hook to the chin that Magdaleno to the canvas.’In round seven, Magdaleno landed two of the powerful and concussive left hooks on a beaten Magdaleno that plummeted him to the canvas at 1:08 and the fight was halted.

Lopez, 134.8 lbs of Brooklyn is 12-0 with 10 knockouts.  Magdaleno, 134.7 lbs of Las Vegas is 34-3.

“I take nothing away from Diego Magdaleno. We picked our shots, and we knew that in the later rounds, he’d drown in those deep waters,” Lopez said. “As the competition gets tougher, you will see more of what I can do. I dissected him like a surgeon.”

Oscar Valdez shook off 11 months of ring rust and stopped Carmine Tommasone in round seven to retain the WBO Featherweight title.

In round four, Valdez dropped Tommasone with a right hand.  Tommasone began to bleed from his nose.  Later in the round, Valdez sent Tommasone down with a hard jab.  In round five, Tommasone began to bleed from his mouth.  In round Round six, Valdez sent Tommasone down with a left hook.

Valdez ended things just nine seconds into round seven, Valdez dropped Tommasone with a perfect left uppecut to the chin and Tommasone went to the deck, and the fight was stopped.

Valdez, 125.8 lbs of Nogales. MEX is 25-0 with 20 knockouts.  Tommasone, 125.4 lbs of Italy is 19-1.

“I was very excited. I kind of didn’t want to get too crazy in there. It was tough the first round to get {my rhythm},” Valdez said. “But finally, I got the job done. I congratulate him. He’s a great fighter. I wish him nothing but the best.

“We started 2019 well. The sky’s the limit.”

Richard Commey stopped Isa Chaniev in the 2nd round to win the IBF Lightweight championship.

In round one, Commey landed a perfect right that dropped Chaniev hard to the canvas.  In round two, Commey rushed out and landed a perfect left hook that sent Chaniev to the deck.  Commey was all over Chaniev, and landed power shots.  As referee Laurence Cole stopped the bout, Commey added two more shots and sent Chaniev to the deck at 39 seconds.

Commey, 134.3 lbs of Accra, Ghana now will face WBA/WBO champion Vasyl Lomachenko on April 12th with a record of 28-2 with 25 knockouts.  Chaniev, 134 1/2 lbs of Russia is 13-2.

“This is everything for me. This is what I worked so hard for,” Commey said. “Finally being a world champion, I feel like I fulfilled a destiny for me.”

Next up for Commey is a potential showdown with WBA/WBO lightweight champion and pound-for-pound great Vasiliy Lomachenko. He hurt his right knuckle in the opening round, and if receives a clean bill of health, Lomachenko will be next.

“When I hit him in the first round, I hurt my right knuckle,” Commey said. “I’m going to have to get it looked at and see what happens.”

Janibek Alimkhanuly stopped Steven Martinez in round five of a scheduled eight-round middleweight bout.

In round three, Alimkhanuly dropped Martinez with a left to the body.  Alimkhanuly continied to pound away on Martinez, who had his nose bloodied in the fourth and finally was pulled out the fight 21 seconds into round five.

Alimkhanuly, 162 lbs of Kazakhstan is 5-0 with two knockouts.  Martinez, 160 1/2 lbs of Bronx, NY is 18-5.

“I showed what I was capable of against a tough opponent,” Alimkhanuly said. “I am close to world title contention. It’s going to be a big year for me in 2019. This is only the beginning of my journey.”

Enriko Gogokhia stopped Vitor Freitas in round three of their six-round junior welterweight bout.

Gogokhia dropped Freitas in the 1st round with a straight left that barely touched Freitas.  Gogikhia was cut on his forehead in round two from an accidental headbutt.  In round three, Gogokhia landed a little left to the body that put Freitas down, and the bout was stopped.

Gogokhia, 142 1/2 lbs of Georgia Republic is 10-0 with five knockouts.  Freitas, 141 lbs of Salvador, BRA is 15-4-1.

Jason Sanchez stopped Daniel Olea in round two of their scheduled eight-round featherweight bout.

Sanchez was dominant and landed a big right hand that dropped Olea and the bout was stopped at 1:35.

Sanchez, 125 1/2 of Albuquerque, NM is 14-0 with seven knockouts.  Olea, 125 1/2 of Mexico is 13-7-2.

“I wanted to be patient in there. I wasn’t necessarily looking for the knockout right away,” Sanchez said. “But the opportunity came, and I took advantage of the opening.”

In an entertaining ten-round junior middleweight scrap, Patrick Day won a unanimous decision over Ismail Iliev.

Day, 153 3/4 lbs of Freeport, NY won by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94 to raise his mark to 17-2-1.  Iliev, 154 lbs of Russia is 11-1-1.

Bakhram Murtazaliev stopped Elvin Ayala in round nine of their scheduled ten-round junior middleweight bout.

In round two, Murtazaliev was credited a knockdown when he landed a combination that made Ayala stumble into the ropes.

In round nine, Murtazaliev dropped Ayala with a hard right hand.  Seconds later, a follow flurry of hard power punches forced the ref to stop the bout at 2:05.

Murtazailev, 153 1/2 lbs of Russia is 15-0 with 12 knockouts.  Ayala, 154 lbs of New Haven, CT is 29-13-1.

Follow all the action as Eleider Alvarez tries to retain the WBO Light Heavyweight title against the man he won the belt from in Sergey Kovalev.  The action starts at 10 PM ET / 9 PM CT with 2 world title fights.  Richard Commey and Isa Chaniev battle for the IBF Lightweight title.  Oscar Valdez defend the WBO Featherweight title against Carmine Tommasonne.  Rising star Teofimo Lopez takes on former two-time world title challenger Diego Magdaleno.

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED.  THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY

Round 1: Good body shot from Alvarez

Round 2 Right from Kovalev..Another..

Round 3 Left from Kovalev..Jab from Alvarez..Left hook from Kovalev..Kovalev outlanding Alvarez 47-28 through 3 rounds

Round 4  Body shot from Alvarez..Good uppercut from Kovalev..Left hook..Jab and right hand

Round 5 Good right from Kovalev..Left..Combination..Right from Alvarez..2 lefts and right from Kovalev..

Round 6 Right from Alvarez,,Good right..Right from Kovalev..Jab from Alvarez..Double left to body from Kovalev..Right from Alvarez…Swelling under right eye of Kovalev…Good right from Kovalev

Round 7 Good body work from Alvarez..Good right

Round 8 Good jab from Kovalev..Alvarez lands a right

Round 9  Good jab from Kovalev…2 more…Right hand land..Sweeping left..Over hand right from Alvarez..Hard jab from Kovalev…176-86 for Kovalev in punches landed

Round 10 3 punch combo from Kovalev..Left rocks Alvarez on the ropes

Round 11 Right from Alvarez..Double jab from Kovalev..Good counter right

Round 12 Right and left from Kovalev..Hard jab..Good right from Alvarez…Right from Kovalev..Right..

116-112 TWICE AND 120-108 FOR THE WINNER AND NEW CHAMPION SERGEY KOVALEV

Round 1 Hard right from Lopez

Round 2 Straight left from Magdaleno..Counter right from Lopez..Big right uppercut..Hard straight left..Uppercut and hard right..Left hook..sweeping right..Short right…Blood on bridge of Magdaleno’s nose..

Round 3 Lopez lands a counter uppercut..Straight right..Combination to the body

Round 4 Uppercut from Magdaleno…Combination from Lopez

Round 5 Right Hook from Magdaleno..Hard uppercut from Lopez..Left from Magdaleno..Lopez lands a punch from behind his back..

Round 6 Counter uppercut from Lopez..Hard right..HUGE LEFT HOOK AND DOWN GOES MAGDALENO..Big Right at the bell

Round 7 Lopez lands about 8 hard shots..Right uppercut...2 NASTY LEFT HOOKS AND DOWN GOES MAGDALENO…FIGHT OVER

Round 1 Right from Valdez..Tommasone goes to the body with a right..Jab from Valdez..

Round 2 Jab from Valdez..Nice right to the body

Round 3 Counter right from Valdez..Right to the body..

Round 4  Good left hook buzzed Tommasone…Blood from nose of Tommasone…RIGHT HAND AND DOWN GOES TOMMASONE…Jab and TOMMASONE GOES TO A KNEE

Round 5  Body shot from Valdez..Body/Right combo..Blood from Mouth of Tommasone

Round 6  Left froM VALDEZ AND DOWN GOES TOMMASONE..3 Punch combination

Round 7 HARD UPPERCUT TO THE CHIN AND TOMMASONE GOES DOWN AGAIN…FIGHT OVER

Round 1 Commey lands a left hook..Uppercut from Chaniev..Commey lands a right..Short right..another right..Straight right..Good exchange..COMMEY LANDS A PERFECT RIGHT AND DOWN GOES CHANIEV..Commey lands more power shots and then trips

Round 2 HUGE LEFT HOOK AND DOWN GOES CHANIEV…Commey all over Chaniev..STRAIGHT RIGHT AND LEFT AND DOWN GOES CHANIEV…FIGHT OVER

Eleider Alvarez 174.8 lbs vs. Sergey Kovalev 174 lbs
(Alvarez’s WBO Light Heavyweight world title – 12 Rounds)

Teofimo Lopez 134.8 lbs vs. Diego Magdaleno 134.7 lbs
(Lopez’s USBA, NABA, and NABF Lightweight titles – 10 Rounds)

ESPN/ESPN Deportes (10 p.m. ET)

Oscar Valdez 125.8 lbs vs. Carmine Tommasone 125.4 lbs
(Valdez’s WBO Featherweight world title – 12 Rounds)

Richard Commey 134.3 lbs vs. Isa Chaniev 134.6 lbs
(Vacant IBF Lightweight world title – 12 Rounds)

ESPN+ (7 p.m. ET)

Janibek Alimkhanuly 162 lbs vs. Steven Martinez 160.4 lbs
(Super Middleweight – 8 Rounds)

Pat Day 153.7 lbs vs. Ismail Iliev 154 lbs
(Vacant IBF Intercontinental Junior Middleweight title – 10 Rounds)

Jason Sanchez 125.4 lbs vs. Daniel Olea 125.5 lbs
(Featherweight – 8 Rounds)

Bakhram Murtazaliev 153.6 lbs vs. Elvin Ayala 154 lbs
(Murtazaliev’s WBC USNBC Super Welterweight title – 10 Rounds)

Enriko Gogokhia 142.5 lbs vs. Vitor Freitas 141 lbs
SWING BOUT
(Welterweight – 8/6 Rounds)
Promoted by Top Rank, Main Events and Krusher Promotions, in association with Groupe Yvon Michel, tickets priced at $225, $165, $85, $55, and $25 (including facility fees) are on sale now and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com.

About The Star
The Star is the 91-acre campus of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and training facility in Frisco, Texas. Developed as a first-of-its-kind partnership between the City of Frisco and Frisco ISD, The Star features Ford Center, a 12,000-seat stadium that hosts Frisco ISD football games and other events; Cowboys Fit, a 60,000 square-foot gym developed in partnership with leading fitness developer, Mark Mastrov; Cowboys Club, a members-only club where the country club meets the NFL; the Omni Frisco Hotel, a 16-floor, 300-room luxury hotel; Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research at The Star, a 300,000 square-foot center of excellence for sports medicine; as well as a variety of shopping, dining and nightlife options throughout The Star District. For more information on The Star, visit www.TheStarInFrisco.com.

About ESPN+
ESPN+, which surpassed one million paying subscribers in just five months, is the premium multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It offers fans thousands of additional live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL, thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and multiple other sports), domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie and more), exclusive Top Rank boxing, UFC, Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive documentary films and series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is an integrated part of the ESPN App, the leading sports app and the premier all-in-one digital sports platform for fans. The ESPN App is a showcase of the company’s culture of innovation, delivering a rich, personalized experience that curates all of ESPN’s content around each fan’s individual tastes. ESPN+ is also be available through ESPN.com.

By Norm Frauneheim-

“Everybody has a plan until you get hit.”

— Mike Tyson

A sensible quote from a dysfunctional life in a violent business has become a modern mantra. Philosophers and politicians, preachers and phonies, are using the line from a heavyweight champ who knows how much chaos one punch can spawn. Everybody is quoting Tyson these days. Who knew?

Saturday, Tyson’s scarred wisdom will be as relevant as ever in a place that helped create it when Oscar Valdez Jr. returns to the ring for the first time since suffering a broken jaw.

Valdez faces 2016 Italian Olympian Carmine Tommasone at the Dallas Cowboys training center in Frisco, Tex., (ESPN/10 p.m. ET)) in his first bout since an almost frightening display of courage, guts and blood in a decision over Scott Quigg on a rainy night in Southern California last March. If it wasn’t Fight of The Year, it was year’s bloodiest.

Memories of the dramatic 12 rounds are Valdez’ misshapen jaw and a puddle of blood amid all the puddles of rain. Valdez’ blood collected on the canvas in front of his stool and it stayed there, seemingly undiluted by persistent showers at an outdoor ring in Carson, Calif. For six-plus rounds, he fought with a mouthpiece that could not be withdrawn for fear of further fractures.

It was stark and unforgettable. Defining, too. It said everything about Valdez’ character. But it said something else. As defining it was, it was also a reason for him to redefine his future. It’s not as if he’s starting over Saturday night on a card featuring a light-heavyweight rematch of Eleider Alvarez’ August upset of Sergey Kovalev. Valdez still has the WBO’s featherweight title. He’s still unbeaten (24-0, 19 KOs).

But he is fighting for a way to ensure he has a long career. He wants more defining moments beyond that dramatic night against a heavier Quigg.

That brings us back to Tyson’s increasingly-familiar quote. Valdez, a Mexican Olympian who began boxing as a schoolboy in Tucson, resumes his career against Tommasone (19-0, 5 KOs) with a new trainer — Canelo Alvarez cornerman Eddy Reynoso instead of Manny Robles — and an adjusted plan.

Newfound defense is its cornerstone.

For Valdez, it is as much a mindset as it is a tactical adjustment. It’s not as if he doesn’t know the fundamentals. Two-time Olympians know the basics. They know their way around the ring. The dilemma is in Valdez’ instincts. He loves to brawl and fans love him for it.

That instinct became dangerously evident against Miguel Marriaga in April 2017 in Carson, Calif. That’s when Valdez — comfortably ahead on the scorecards — invited Marriaga to step forward and into a give-and-take, head-rocking exchange over the last couple of rounds. The crowd went wild. Valdez survived and won on the cards. His Top Rank promoters were as relieved as they were happy.

Things got more dangerous five months later in front of a hometown crowd in Tucson against Genesis Servania, an unknown and then unbeaten Filipino. Servania knocked down Valdez in a wild fourth-round. Valdez, a survivor as much as he is a brawler, paid back Servania with a knockdown of his own in the tenth. Again, Valdez won on the cards, but not without mounting questions.

Then, there was Quigg. The broken jaw, subsequent surgery and months of rehab dictated that it was time to change.

“The injury opened my eyes in a lot of ways,’’ Valdez told Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times in a well-done story from the Mexican featherweight’s training camp in San Diego. https://www.latimes.com/sports/boxing/la-sp-oscar-valdez-20190130-story.html

“I need to learn from my mistakes, and listen to the people who know. If I was somewhat disciplined before, I have to become more disciplined, because I know now that my next fight could be my last. It’s made me become more cautious, more disciplined, more prepared, so that doesn’t happen again.”

An early answer is awaiting impact. Valdez has been hit on the surgically-repaired jaw repeatedly in sparring and at least once, according to Pugmire’s story, while playing softball. Thomas Valdez, Oscar’s cousin and a Tucson lightweight, said he sparred with him before Thomas beat Luis Coria at Casino Del Sol in November. His cousin’s jaw, Thomas said then, has healed. Oscar Valdez is better than ever, he said.

But sparring doesn’t include punches thrown in the heat of battle. There are questions about whether Tommasone, who is fighting for the first time in the U.S., has enough power to do any damage. Five stoppages in 19 bouts indicate he doesn’t.

Saturday’s bout, perhaps, is the first step in a longer process, one Valdez hopes will lead to a chance at unifying the featherweight title.

But it will provide the first hint at whether Valdez’ plan can withstand the hit that Tyson says will always land.

Attachments area

FRISCO, Texas (Jan. 31, 2019) – Super Saturday is almost here. Three world title fights, including one of the most anticipated rematches in recent memory, will take place Saturday at Ford Center at the Star, the practice home of the Dallas Cowboys.

At midnight ET on ESPN+, Eleider “Storm” Alvarez will attempt to repeat the deed when he defends his WBO light heavyweight world title against former two-time light heavyweight champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev. Back in August, Alvarez came from behind to starch Kovalev with three knockdowns in the seventh round. And, in the ESPN+ co-feature, 2018 Prospect of the Year Teofimo Lopez (11-0, 9 KOs) takes on former world title challenger Diego Magdaleno (31-2, 13 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight fight.

In the ESPN main event (10 p.m. ET), Oscar Valdez (24-0, 19 KOs) defends his WBO featherweight title for the fifth time against Carmine “Mr. Wolf” Tommasone (19-0, 5 KOs). In the ESPN co-feature, Richard Commey and Isa Chaniev will duke it out for the vacant IBF lightweight title with the winner set to fight unified champion Vasiliy Lomachenko later this year.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday from Ford Center at the Star.

Eleider Alvarez

“Things have changed a lot for me. This is my first time being a main event {defending my world title}. What has changed is my popularity, but I’m still the same guy.”

“Thanks to God, I’m a mentally strong person. I have come from the bottom, basically, and little by little, I’ve been getting my stuff. Now I have more, so that’s why I think I’ve been able to handle everything well. That’s why I am a mentally strong person.”

On Kovalev saying he was overtrained for the first fight

“I believe that’s a lot of excuses he’s making. When you lose, you have a lot of excuses. I had a great game plan with my team. If he says that was an accident, then he needs to get ready for another accident.”

Sergey Kovalev

“I want to say a big thanks to Top Rank and my team at Main Events to make this rematch and get my belt back. This is the most important {fight} for me because I couldn’t stop my boxing career as a loser. It’s not in my character. First of all, this is my goal, to get back my belt that I dropped on the way to my big goals. I made a mistake last time {against Alvarez}, but this time I will fix it. This Saturday, I will fix this situation and be on top again. If not, I am not the Sergey ‘Krusher’ Kovalev. Believe me, this Saturday will be the best version of me because I turned everything on to get in the best shape of my boxing career.”

“My goal is to collect all four belts, but I dropped this belt on my way to my huge goal. After {the Alvarez loss}, a lot of people thought I should stop my boxing career. No, that’s not in my character to stop my career by losing. When I win, I will think, stop or not to stop? But when I lose, it was 100 percent no.”

Oscar Valdez

On recovering from the broken jaw suffered in the Scott Quigg fight

“It was one of the most difficult times of my life. Having my jaw wired shut for two months was the hardest thing I’ve ever dealt with. That’s in the past now. I’m ready to focus on this fight. I’m 100 percent healed from that injury. That’s not going to bother me no more. I’m just excited to get back in the ring. It’s been almost a year since my last fight. I’ve been training hard with my new trainer, Eddy Reynoso. It’s been a great training camp, and I just can’t wait to get in there and start again where I left off.”

“We had a great training camp, me and Eddy Reynoso. I never take no fighter lightly. There was a point where no one knew who Manny Pacquiao was when he came to the United States and had his first fight. And he became a star. So, we don’t know what Tommasone can bring. I will be 100 percent ready for him, or for any fighter, because I don’t take no fighter lightly. I have the same respect for all fighters inside the ring, and I’m going to do whatever I have to do come out victorious. One thing in my mind is to not take him lightly and just try to get the job done and keep on improving my career. I’m definitely focused on this fight and start where I left off.”

Eddy Reynoso

“Working with a world champion and an athlete that works as hard as Oscar does is a proud moment for me to be part of that team.”

Carmine Tommasone

“I fought in America as an amateur. This is my first time as a professional. When I got the call {to fight Valdez}, it was like an early Christmas present because it was early December. I prepared well for this opportunity.”

“Winning a title in the United States is every boxer’s dream. It would be a great opportunity.”

On people calling this a “tune-up fight” for Valdez

“It doesn’t bother me. I’m confident in my skills, and this is an opportunity to show my skills.”

Teofimo Lopez

“I’m taking over the show, and it’s with all due respect to these fighters out here. What we came out to do, and what we plan to do, is take over and exceed everybody’s expectations. People are talking very highly of me, so I have to back it up. I’m used to it through my father, who is my coach, who talks very highly of me already. Come Saturday night, you will see something bigger and better. As the opponents get tougher, we’re going to get better.”

“I believe the fight with Mason Menard on Dec. 8 (a 44-second KO) proved to everyone at that point that we are contenders. To me, I already feel like I’m a world champion. To me, the only thing {missing} is a world title.”

Diego Magdaleno

“Top Rank, they built my whole entire career. You’ve been there to watch it. Some of the best people in boxing are with Top Rank. Brad Goodman is matchmaker of the year for a reason. I just have to use my personal experience and thank Top Rank for building me and putting me in this position. I thank you guys because everything leading up is going to win me this fight. Everything I’ve been through is gonna {help me}. Even the losses I’ve had or whatever only made me stronger. I am here with fuego, and I will bring everything I need to. I’ve been in the ring, but you haven’t been seeing me. My last two fights were in Mexico, but what you haven’t seen is who I’ve been in the ring with. Pedraza, I got him ready for Lomachenko. Linares, I got him ready for two fights.”

“It’s nothing but fire. We are ready to do this.”

Richard Commey

“After my fight with Robert Easter Jr. (split decision loss in 2016), I felt like I won that fight. I kept working. I’ve got good management and I met {trainer} Andre {Rozier}. I feel like everything is working for me. I’ve got to do this. I kept working, and here I am today.”

On the fighting tradition of Ghana

“It means the world to me. This is the opportunity I’ve been working for since I started boxing, and thank God I’ve got the opportunity to fight come Saturday. I have to win this fight. No matter what, I have to win this fight. It means a whole lot to me. It’s all about winning. That’s it.”

Isa Chaniev

“I am very pleased that I have a chance to showcase myself, showcase my skills here in a big arena on ESPN. I’m ready for whatever, and I am here to win.”

“I never lost a fight. The loss I have on my record, I didn’t really lose that fight. I am ready for this fight. This is the most important fight of my life. My team trusts in me, and I trust in myself. Other things don’t matter to me.”

ESPN+, 12 a.m. ET

Eleider Alvarez (champion) vs. Sergey Kovalev (challenger), 12 rounds, WBO light heavyweight world title

Teofimo Lopez vs. Diego Magdaleno, 10 rounds, Lopez’s NABF, NABA, and USBA lightweight titles

ESPN/ESPN Deportes, 10 p.m. ET

Oscar Valdez (champion) vs. Carmine Tommasone (challenger), 12 rounds, WBO featherweight world title

Richard Commey vs. Isa Chaniev, 12 rounds, vacant IBF lightweight world title

ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET

Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Steven Martinez, 8 rounds, super middleweight

Jason Sanchez vs. Daniel Olea, 8 rounds, featherweight

Ismail Iliev vs. Pat Day, 10 rounds, vacant IBF Intercontinental junior middleweight title

Bakhram Murtazaliev vs. Elvin Ayala, 10 rounds, Murtazaliev’s WBC USNBC super welterweight title

Enriko Gogokhia vs. Vitor Freitas, 8/6 rounds, welterweight (swing bout)

Promoted by Top Rank, Main Events and Krusher Promotions, in association with Groupe Yvon Michel, tickets priced at $225, $165, $85, $55, and $25 (including facility fees) are on sale now and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com.

Top Rank on ESPN is bringing a fistic extravaganza to Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, on Saturday, Feb. 2 with three world title fights, the return of 2018 ESPN “Prospect of the Year” Teofimo Lopez, and an action-packed undercard spread across ESPN/ESPN Deportes and ESPN+.

The light heavyweight world title rematch between champion Eleider Alvarez and challenger Sergey Kovalev and Teofimo Lopez-Diego Magdaleno will stream LIVE in English and Spanish exclusively on ESPN+ at 12 a.m. ET. Alvarez knocked out Kovalev last August in a come-from-behind upset that shook up the boxing landscape. Kovalev, one of the most dominant champions of this era, is seeking to become a three-time world champion. Lopez, the consensus 2018 Prospect of the Year, is coming off a stunning 44-second knockout over Mason Menard December 8 on the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Jose Pedraza undercard.

The Oscar Valdez-Carmine Tommasone featherweight world title fight and the Richard Commey-Isa Chaniev lightweight world title bout will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes beginning at 10 p.m. ET. Valdez, one of boxing’s elite action heroes, returns to the ring for the first time since suffering a severely broken jaw in a decision win over Scott Quigg last March 10. The winner of Commey-Chaniev will eye a unification bout against Lomachenko later this year.

The scheduled five-fight undercard, which includes top middleweight prospect Janibek Alimkhanuly, will kick off the evening at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

ESPN’s coverage of Top Rank on ESPN: Eleider Alvarez vs. Sergey Kovalev 2 also includes live streaming on ESPN+ of the Official Press Conference Thursday, Jan. 31 at 1 p.m. ET and live television coverage (ESPN2) and streaming (ESPN+) of the weigh-in on Friday, Feb. 1 at 5 p.m. ET.

Top Rank on ESPN Alvarez vs. Kovalev 2 LIVE on ESPN+, ESPN and ESPN Deportes

Date

Time (ET)

Event

Platform

Thurs., 1/31

1 p.m.

Top Rank on ESPN: Alvarez vs. Kovalev 2/Valdez vs. Tommasone Official Press Conference

ESPN+

Fri., 2/1

5 p.m.

Top Rank on ESPN: Alvarez vs. Kovalev 2/Valdez vs. Tommasone Weigh-In

ESPN2, ESPN+

Sat., 2/2

7 p.m.

Super Saturday ESPN+ Undercard INCLUDING

Janibek Alimkhanuly (4-0, 1 KO) vs. Steven Martinez (18-4, 13 KOs) & Jason Sanchez (13-0, 6 KOs) vs. Daniel Olea (13-6-2, 5 KOs)

ESPN+

10 p.m.

Super Saturday ESPN Main Events

Oscar Valdez (24-0, 19 KOs) vs. Carmine Tommasone (19-0, 5 KOs), 12 rounds, Valdez’s WBO featherweight world title

Richard Commey (27-2, 24 KOs) vs. Isa Chaniev (13-1, 6 KOs), 12 rounds, vacant IBF lightweight world title

ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Sun., 2/3

12 a.m.

Super Saturday ESPN+ Main Events

Eleider Alvarez (24-0, 12 KOs) vs. Sergey Kovalev (32-3-1, 28 KOs), 12 rounds, Alvarez’s WBO light heavyweight world title

Teofimo Lopez (11-0, 9 KOs) vs. Diego Magdaleno (31-2, 13 KOs), 10 rounds, lightweight

*ESPN+

*ESPN+ to stream in English and Spanish

To subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 per month, go to www.espnplus.com.

###

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FRISCO, Texas (Jan 9, 2019) — Two of boxing’s biggest stars — WBO featherweight champion world champion Oscar Valdez and undefeated lightweight sensation Teofimo Lopez — worked out for fans and media Wednesday to promote the Super Saturday quadruple-header, which will take place Saturday, Feb. 2 at Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas.

Valdez vs. Carmine Tommasone will headline the ESPN/ESPN Deportes world championship doubleheader (10 p.m. ET) that also features the IBF lightweight world title fight between Richard Commey and Isa Chaniev.

The action will then turn to the OTT streaming service ESPN+ at 12 a.m., as Lopez versus Diego Magdaleno will serve as the co-feature to boxing’s most anticipated rematch — the WBO light heavyweight world title bout between champion Eleider “Storm” Alvarez and former division kingpin Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev.

From the Tostitos Championship Plaza at Ford Center at The Star, this is what Valdez and Lopez had to say.

Oscar Valdez

On training with Eddy Reynoso

“It’s been great training with Eddy. He’s not only worked on the things I’m good at, but he’s added a new element to my game. I know I can improve my defense while still being the same action fighter that fans are used to seeing.”

On Carmine Tommasone

“He is a tough, undefeated fighter, and I know I have to be 100 percent ready. Camp has gone great, and after a long time off, I can’t wait to fight again.”

On the recovery from the broken jaw suffered versus Scott Quigg

“Everything is great. I took enough time off to make sure my jaw was fully recovered, so when I got back to training, I was 100 percent ready. I can’t wait to show the fans a new Oscar Valdez on Feb. 2.”

Teofimo Lopez

“‘The Takeover’ is coming to Frisco on Feb. 2. Every time I fight, I steal the show, and Feb. 2 will be no different.”

“I’m not a prospect anymore. 2019 is the year I go from contender to fighting for a world title.”

“I don’t feel the pressure. When you’re blessed with the talent that God has given me, you don’t worry about that. This is another great opportunity to showcase my talent.”

On his first-round KO of Mason Menard

“A lot of people wanted to see if I could come back from the hand injury, and I showed everyone that it wasn’t an issue. No matter what, I’ll overcome any adversity.”

On fighting a southpaw in Diego Magdaleno

“I look at it as I want to show everyone that we enjoy fighting southpaws. Orthodox or southpaw, it doesn’t change anything. The outcome will be the same.”

Promoted by Top Rank, Main Events and Krusher Promotions, in association with Groupe Yvon Michel, tickets priced at $225, $165, $85, $55, and $25 (including facility fees) are on sale now and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com.

7 p.m. – 10 p.m. — ESPN+ — Undercard Fights
10 p.m. – 12 a.m. — ESPN / ESPN Deportes — Oscar Valdez vs. Carmine Tommasone & Richard Commey vs. Isa Chaniev
12 a.m. — ESPN+ — Eleider Alvarez vs. Sergey Kovalev 2 & Teofimo Lopez vs. Diego Magdaleno

FRISCO, Texas (Dec. 19, 2018) — Four significant fights, three world title bouts, one rematch for the ages, all on ESPN and ESPN+. The best card of 2019 is coming to North Texas.

The hotly anticipated light heavyweight world title rematch featuring WBO champion Eleider “Storm” Alvarez and challenger Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev will stream live on ESPN+ and headline a huge night of boxing that will showcase a quartet of meaningful fights — including three world title bouts — spread across ESPN/ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ on Saturday, Feb. 2 at Ford Center at The Star, home to the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and training facility.

Alvarez-Kovalev 2 and the return of unbeaten lightweight sensation Teofimo “Brooklyn” Lopez, fresh off a 44-second knockout of Mason Menard on Dec. 8, will stream live starting at 12 a.m. ET on ESPN+ — the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment and ESPN.

Before the action turns to ESPN+, a pair of world title fights will take place on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, beginning at 10 p.m. ET.

Oscar Valdez will make the fifth defense of his WBO featherweight title against the unbeaten Carmine “Mr. Wolf” Tommasone. Valdez will be making his first ring appearance since suffering a severely broken jaw in a March 10 unanimous decision win against an overweight Scott Quigg.

In the ESPN-televised co-feature, presented by DiBella Entertainment, Richard Commey will battle Isa Chaniev for the vacant IBF lightweight world title.

Before the ESPN telecast, the entire undercard will stream live on ESPN+ starting at 7 p.m. ET.

Promoted by Top Rank, Main Events and Krusher Promotions, in association with Groupe Yvon Michel, tickets priced at $225, $165, $85, $55, and $25 (including facility fees) are on sale now and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com.

“It’s Super Saturday, and by syncing the ESPN linear and ESPN+ platforms for one night, fans have an incredible opportunity to watch a stacked show with many of the world’s best fighters and rising superstars,” said Top Rank President Todd duBoef.

7 p.m. – 10 p.m. — ESPN+ — Undercard Fights
10 p.m. – 12 a.m. — ESPN / ESPN Deportes — Oscar Valdez vs. Carmine Tommasone & Richard Commey vs. Isa Chaniev
12 a.m. — ESPN+ — Eleider Alvarez vs. Sergey Kovalev 2 & Teofimo Lopez vs. TBD

Valdez (24-0, 19 KOs) made his name as one of the sport’s foremost action stars with a trio of 12-round wars against Miguel Marriaga, Genesis Servania and Quigg. The Quigg fight was shrouded in controversy as the Englishman missed the featherweight limit by nearly three pounds and refused a day-of weight check. Valdez fought with a broken jaw against Quigg for more than half the fight and still managed to prevail via clear unanimous decision. Valdez, whose jaw was wired shut for two months after the bout, is ready to move on and prove that the injury was nothing more than a speed bump.

“It will be great to see our little warrior, Oscar Valdez, back in action on Feb. 2 after his full recovery from a broken jaw and a courageous victory over Quigg,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Oscar always brings thrills and excitement to his fights.”

“The fans can expect the same Oscar Valdez as far as being an aggressive and exciting fighter,” Valdez said. “They are also going to see a different side that nobody has seen, which is the boxing skills that I also have and that I’m perfecting and learning with my new trainer, Eddy Reynoso.”

Tommasone (19-0, 5 KOs), an eight-year pro from Avellino, Campania, Italy, is a former Italian, European and WBA Intercontinental champion who will be making his first ring appearance outside of his home country. He captured the vacant European crown on Sept. 26, 2015 with a wide unanimous decision win against Jon Slowey. Tommasone made history at the 2016 Rio Olympics as the first professional to take part in an Olympic boxing match. One of three pros to participate at the 2016 Olympics, Tommasone won his opening bout before losing to the eventual bronze medalist, Cuba’s Lazaro Alvarez.

Lopez (11-0, 9 KOs) has established himself as one of the sport’s rising superstars, a 21-year-old power-punching prodigy who is on the cusp of a world title shot. The one-punch KO of Menard, a “Knockout of the Year” candidate, was televised by ESPN on the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Jose Pedraza undercard. Following the knockout, Lopez went viral after he struck the Heisman pose and wore the jersey of Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray of the University of Oklahoma.

“I took over my last show, and I am going to do it again,” Lopez said. “‘The Takeover’ is coming to Texas, and I can’t wait to get back in the ring.”

Commey (27-2, 24 KOs), a native of Ghana and the IBF’s No. 1 contender, has won three consecutive bouts since a two-fight losing skid. He lost a razor-thin split decision to Robert Easter Jr. for the vacant IBF lightweight title on Sept. 9, 2016, knocking down Easter in the eighth round. Less than three months later, he was on the short end of another split decision, a controversial verdict against Denis Shafikov in Shafikov’s home country of Russia. Commey last fought Aug. 4 against Yardley Armenta Cruz and had little trouble in notching a second-round TKO.

Chaniev (13-1, 6 KOs) is battle-tested, having gone 10 rounds or more in five of his past six bouts. He is on a three-bout winning streak since a close 12-round unanimous decision to Fedor Papazov on May 25 of last year. He is coming off his most impressive victory to date, a unanimous decision against former interim lightweight world champion Ismael Barroso. Chaniev survived a second-round knockdown to score a pair of knockdowns and secure the win.

“When I started working with Richard in September 2016, our plan was to give him another chance to fulfill his dream of becoming a world champion,” promoter Lou DiBella said. “While Chaniev is a very tough Russian fighter, I’m confident that Richard has the skills, punching power and the mental toughness to come out victorious. Thanks very much to ESPN and Top Rank for partnering with DiBella Entertainment in televising this outstanding lightweight championship battle.”

“I have to say a big thank you to my promoter, Lou DiBella. I know how hard it is for Ghanaian fighters to get promoted by the top promoters, but Lou has consistently shown that if he thinks you’re the man, then he will be the man for you,” Commey said “He has shown this by the investment DiBella Entertainment has put in me and by getting me this shot at the title and securing it in the United States. I also want to thank my manager, Michael Amoo-Bediako, for the faith he has put in me over all these years. He is more than a manager to me, and come Feb. 2, I will be repaying him in full.”

“I have the biggest motivation ever to win, and there is no other result that will satisfy me,” Chaniev said. “On Feb. 2, I will demonstrate all my skills and hard preparation. Some people don’t think I will win, but they will be shocked on Feb. 2. No bad words or any disrespect to Commey. He is an excellent fighter.”

To subscribe to ESPN+, visit plus.espn.com.

Use the hashtag #AlvarezKovalev2 to join the conversation on social media.

JOSH WARRINGTON is dreaming of hitting the boxing jackpot in Las Vegas so his friends can have a week of partying.

The Leeds hero defends his IBF World Featherweight title against Belfast’s Carl Frampton (26-1) at Manchester Arena on December 22.

Promoter Frank Warren is lining up a unification fight next year against WBO champion Oscar Valdez for the winner.

If Warrington wins his first defence next month he wants it to take place in America. Warrington (27-0) is a huge ticket seller and would take thousands of fans if he boxed in the world’s boxing capital.

He said: “I would like to go to the United States – that gets me excited!

“It is for all my fans. After I beat Lee Selby, they were all asking me; ‘When is Las Vegas happening?’ They want an away day and an excuse to take a holiday..

“My boxing bucket list is unifying the division and to box there like a lot of the great fighters have.

“When I went to watch Carl fight Leo Santa Cruz in their Las Vegas rematch I made it my intention then that I wanted to fight there.”

Valdez says he wants the Warrington/Frampton winner and his promoter Bob Arum has discussed the clash with Warren, who promotes both boxers.

Warrington, 27, added: “Valdez is very exciting, a helluva talent, likes a scrap, known how to get guys out when they’re hurt but at the same time I have seen weaknesses.

“He gets caught pretty clean and sometimes uses his chin as his defence. He has beaten good names though and I wouldn’t take any credit away from him.

“Right now all I’m thinking of is Carl, and I’m sure he is thinking of me more than Valdez or any boxer.”

Warrington is still young enough to take his time in cleaning up the Featherweight division, but is in a rush to secure his legacy.

“When there is a chance to fight another champion you are going to grab that opportunity with both hands,” he explained.

“I am reaching my peak years. I’m fresh, I’m hungry, I’m determined. When you have momentum and confidence in yourself go for the big ones.

“Some fighters look at it like they have a chance to pad out their record and get some paydays under their belt.

“It is a short career and I don’t want to be boxing forever. If I can get the big fights one after the other I will take them.

“In my mid-career I was headlining Leeds Arena and I wasn’t fighting big names, but I was building myself up.

“Now it is the time to get big fights and all I want to do is be involved in them.”

IBF world featherweight champion Josh Warrington takes on former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton at the Manchester Arena on December 22nd live on BT Sport Box Office. JJ Metcalf will defend his WBC International super-welterweight title against Liam Williams in support of the main event, while Mark Heffron will challenge for the British middleweight title.

Belfast’s blue chip featherweight prospect Michael Conlan (9-0) also features on the bill along with world flyweight title challenger Paddy Barnes (5-1) and unbeaten Light Heavyweight contender Steven Ward (9-0).

Tickets are priced at £50 Upper Tier, £80 Tier, £100 Tier, £150 Tier, £200 Floor/Tier, £300 Floor, £400 Floor, £600 Inner Ring VIP Hospitality and are available.

Tickets available via Manchester-Arena.com

WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez is demanding a unification showdown against Josh Warrington or Carl Frampton.

Warrington makes the first defence of his IBF title against Frampton at the Manchester Arena on Saturday December 22nd, live on BT Sport Box Office.

And the winner is set to be heading straight into a mega fight against Valdez who has made four defences of the title he won in July 2016 against Matias Carlos Adrian Rueda.

Valdez who has won all 24 professional fights, 19 by KO said: “I have always said that I want to fight the best.

“Frampton and Warrington are both big names in the sport. I’m ready to fight the winner and unify titles.”

Valdez’s promoter Bob Arum has said he has already spoke with Frank Warren about matching the winner of the Christmas cracker between Warrington and Frampton.

He told ‘The Boxing Beat’ on ESPN+: “We’re looking at January 12 for Valdez to fight on ESPN and then, assuming he wins that fight, then we would put him in with the Frampton-Warrington winner.

“I’ve already talked to Frank Warren about that.”

Valdez, 27, suffered a broken jaw when he outpointed Scott Quigg in March that has kept him sidelined since that win.

There had been speculation he may have boxed Frampton in August, but he hadn’t recovered from his injury in time.

Valdez warned Warrington and Frampton: “I want to prove I’m the best featherweight in the world.”

IBF world featherweight champion Josh Warrington takes on former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton at the Manchester Arena on December 22nd live on BT Sport Box Office. JJ Metcalf will defend his WBC International super-welterweight title against Liam Williams in support of the main event, while Mark Heffron will challenge for the British middleweight title.

Belfast’s blue chip featherweight prospect Michael Conlan (9-0) also features on the bill along with world flyweight title challenger Paddy Barnes (5-1) and unbeaten Light Heavyweight contender Steven Ward (9-0). Merseyside will be represented as Liverpool’s 9-0 Welterweight prospect Sam Maxwell returns to action on the show along with Formby’s 6-0 Heavyweight Alex Dickinson. Derbyshire’s highly touted Cruiserweight Jack ‘One Smack’ Massey will also feature.

Tickets are priced at £50 Upper Tier, £80 Tier, £100 Tier, £150 Tier, £200 Floor/Tier, £300 Floor, £400 Floor, £600 Inner Ring VIP Hospitality and are available.

Tickets available via Eventim.

By Norm Frauenheim-

TUCSON, Ariz. – They are first cousins. Sparring cousins, too. They even look alike.

Look into Thomas Valdez’ eyes, and you see Oscar Valdez Jr. looking straight back at you. Listen to Thomas Valdez speak, and you hear his cousin’s voice.

They went to the same schools in Tucson. They’ve worked out in the same gyms on the Mexican side of the border in Nogales. They’ve hit the same speed bags. They’ve hit each other, too. It sounds a little bit like a sibling rivalry. But it’s not.

“He’s my compadre,’’ Thomas Valdez said Thursday during a news conference for a Michelle Rosado-promoted card that will feature the super-featherweight against Jensen Ramirez on Nov. 17 at Casino Del Sol.

For Thomas and Oscar Valdez, it’s family, friendship and at times a significant business alliance. Oscar Valdez is not Mexican’s best-known fighter. That title belongs to Canelo Alvarez, and Canelo has unchallenged pay-per-view numbers for overwhelming proof.

At another level, however, Oscar Valdez Jr. might rank as Mexico’s most respected fighter. The World Boxing Organization’s featherweight champion earned lots of cred for all that blood he shed in a brutal decision over Scott Quigg on a rain-swept night on March 10 at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.

They say it never rains in Southern California. But it did that night. After 12 full rounds, there were puddles all over the canvas. Puddles of water. And puddles of Oscar Valdez’ blood. He won, beating a bigger Quigg, who was allowed to fight after missing weight at the official weigh-in.

But there was a price. Oscar Valdez suffered a fractured jaw, although that diagnosis sounds too clinical, if not quite accurate.

Valdez’ jaw was twisted out of shape, so much so that his corner had trouble removing his mouthpiece. It looked awkward. It had to be agony. But he fought through it for a unanimous decision in a brutal bout that is at the top of the ballot for Fight of the Year. Since then, however, the question has been whether Valdez was forced to pay too steep a price. Was it costly to his career?

It’s a nervous question for Top Rank, Valdez’ promoter, and all of the fans he won over last March. Against Quigg, Valdez was transformed into a fighter worth watching. But it all depends on how he reacts in his comeback, which figures to happen early next year. What will happen when that first punch lands on that jaw?

Thomas Valdez thinks he has a pretty good idea. He was the first fighter to test Oscar Valdez a few weeks ago.

“I was his first sparring partner,’’ Thomas Valdez said. “He’s solid, 100 percent.’’

First cousins know best.

Top Rank hopes so.

For now, Oscar Valdez’ comeback is planned for mid-January, possibly in Mexico City for a tune-up — a test run for Valdez’ jaw and his new corner. He hired Canelo trainer Eddy Reynoso, who replaces Manny Robles. He has been training in Guadalajara.

Meanwhile, there are hopes that Oscar Valdez Jr. will be in Tucson, his second home, for Thomas’ fight, which has been scheduled for seven rounds. The odd number was a compromise struck by Rosado’s fellow promoter and mentor, Russell Peltz. One fighter wanted to go six rounds. The other wanted eight. Peltz mentioned seven and they had a deal.

For Thomas, the bout represents a chance to hit the re-set button on 22-fight career (16-4-2, 6 KOs). He is anxious to fight in the United States for the first time since 2013.

“It’s been five years,’’ said Thomas Valdez, who graduated from Tucson High School in 2008 before returning to Nogales. “This is a real chance for me to return to Tucson, get my name back out there around here and all through Arizona.’’

He is doing it with Oscar Valdez’ father, Oscar Sr., as his trainer. Mostly, he’s doing because of his cousin, whose last performance is as unforgettable as it was frightening.

“The way we fight is different,’’ Thomas said. “I’m a little bigger. Physically, we aren’t the same. But our hearts and minds are alike. Watching him against Quigg was kind of crazy. As a fan, I was so excited. As a cousin, I was so worried. I kept thinking: Is he going to be OK?

“But what I see in him, I see in myself. We’re fighters.’’

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Featherweight champion Oscar Valdez Jr., is expected to undergo a physical exam next week to determine if his jaw is strong enough for a comeback fight in December or January, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said Thursday.

Valdez, the World Boxing Organization’s 126-pound champion, suffered a fracture to the jaw in a bloody decision over Scott Quigg on March 10 in the rain at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.

“We’re very optimistic,’’ Arum said after a news conference for Saturday night’s ESP-televised card featuring WBO lightweight champion Ray Beltran-versus-Jose Pedraza at Gila River Arena. “We just want to make sure that Oscar is at 100 percent.’’

Valdez (24-0, 19 KOs), a two-time Mexico Olympian who went to school in Tucson, underwent surgery for the fracture he sustained midway through the brutal 12-round fight.

Ten days ago, Valdez announced that he was leaving trainer Manny Robles for Eddy Reynoso, who trains Canelo Alvarez.

If Valdez is cleared to fight in December or January, he is expected to test the jaw a tune-up. If the jaw holds up, Arum then hopes to have him fight Carl Frampton of Belfast later next year.

Featherweight champion Oscar Valdez will switch trainers from Manny Robles to Eddy Reynoso, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I want to thank Manny Robles and his whole team for everything they have done for me over the last few years, but like everything in life, changes are sometimes needed to move forward, Valdez said. “I’m very grateful to them for their friendship and all they have taught me.”

Frank Espinoza, Valdez’s career-long manager, echoed his fighter’s sentiments.

“We are very grateful for everything that Manny Robles and his team did for Oscar, but as we move forward to bigger challenges in Oscar’s career, we felt as a team that Eddy Reynoso is better suited for what is ahead,” Espinoza said.

“This is a challenge for me because Oscar Valdez is a great fighter, and one of my goals is to work on what’s necessary to make him a complete fighter,” Reynoso said. “I think Oscar will bring out the best of me as a trainer, while I will bring the best out of him as a world champion and as a representative of Mexico.”

“As a boxer you have to [be] able to develop as much as you can, and I believe that this change to Eddy Reynoso will help me become an even better all-around boxer and fighter,” Valdez said. “I want to be one of the best fighters in the world and leave the best legacy that I can in boxing, and I will always work hard to achieve the greatness that I seek.”

By Norm Frauenheim-

For 48 minutes, Oscar Valdez Jr. showed more courage than you’ll see in a career. Six days later, I can only worry that maybe it was a career. Valdez’ epic battle in the rain against Scott Quigg at StubHub Center left him with broken teeth and a busted jaw. Only the heart wasn’t knocked out of place.

It was the kind of fight that can leave more than just scars. Truth is, it was more than one fight. There were several within the 36 minutes of exhausting punches and the one-minute between each three-minute battle. Those 60 seconds between rounds offered no refuge, no peace. Valdez spit up blood that fell into a pool faster and deeper than rain into puddles. The rain evaporated. The blood did not.

In the moments before the bell tolled and sounded a resumption of the conflict from round to round – from the second to the 12th, I wondered whether the carnage could continue. It could. It would. It still does. Now, Valdez sits with his jaw wired backed together. The fans and ESPN’s cameras are gone. The business has moved on. He’s left with pain, rehab and inevitable doubts about what kind of fighter he’ll be when he returns.

Valdez, who underwent the medical procedure on Monday, will be back, of course. But questions about whether that repaired jaw can hold up will be there. So, too, will questions about whether the wild fight exposed some newfound cracks in the psyche. The guess in this corner is that the psyche, like that heart, withstood the battle. But somebody will test it. Boxing is predatory art. Always has been.

Still, I wonder if this one could have been different. The controversial weigh-in leaves questions about whether Valdez could have avoided some of the damage he sustained in retaining his WBO featherweight title in winning a brutal decision over Quigg on March 10.

On the day before opening bell, Quigg came in nearly three pounds – 2.8, to be exact – above the limit, 126. He forfeited a chance to win the title and paid a 20 percent penalty of his documented purse, which in this case was a $100,000 contract filed with the California Commission. It’s believed Quigg’s real purse was about five times as big. The filing with California didn’t include UK money. But only the California number mattered, meaning Quigg forfeited at least $20,000, $10,000 of which went to Valdez. According to various sources, Quigg also agreed to pay an additional sum to Valdez, whose purse was $430,000, including Quigg’s penalty. The amount of the additional payment was never disclosed.

Whatever it was, it wasn’t enough, especially if the damage sustained by Valdez was enough to curtail a long career with potential for a lot more money. Quigg paid, but didn’t weigh.

Valdez manager Frank Espinoza demanded Quigg weigh in on the morning of the bout. Espinoza wanted the UK featherweight at 136 pounds. But Quigg, who said his road work was limited by a stress fracture suffered about month before the bout, and his promoter Eddie Hearn refused. At opening bell, Quigg came in at 142.2 pounds an Valdez at 135.6, according to ESPN.

In effect, Valdez was a lightweight fighting a junior-welterweight. Did it matter? Hard to say. Valdez had already shown a brawler’s instinct. He brawled in each of his two prior fights, first against Miguel Marriaga and than Genesis Servania. It was risky then and perhaps even riskier against a fighter who was said to be nearly seven pounds heavier. Midway through the fight, there were moments when Quigg’s advantage in size was hugely evident. In the sixth, he literally picked up Valdez and tossed him onto the canvas.

When Espinoza advised Valdez not to fight when Quigg said refused the morning weigh-in, Valdez – stubborn and determined – said no, he’d fight. From this corner, that was no surprise. The decision to fight was an expression of his brawling instinct and his heart. The purse also had to be a factor. His biggest payday ever hung in the balance.

My question is this: Shouldn’t there be a rule in the books of every state Commission mandating a morning weigh-in if one or both of the fighters in a title bout miss weight the day before? I understand all of the medical reasons for not doing a weigh-in on fight day for every bout. A fighter weakened by a battle to make weight can be a fighter in peril after opening bell. But a fighter with a significant, yet undisclosed weight advantage can put a smaller opponent in danger just as surely as a banned substance. Fighters missing weight is a trend. It’s as if they are using the scale like another PED.

The Japanese Boxing Commission has suspended Mexican bantamweight Luis Nery indefinitely. Nery was at 123 pounds, five heavier than the 118-limit, in his first trip to the scale for a March 1 bout with Shinsuke Yamanaka in Kyoto. Eventually, he got down to 121 and the fight was allowed to go on, although Nery was stripped of the WBC title. Nery went on to stop Yamanaka with four knockdowns in an overwhelming second round. The WBC suspended Nery within days after the bout. The Japanese Commission followed up Wednesday

It’s not clear whether the WBO will act, or even investigate. Valdez won, retained his title and the world moves on. But isn’t it a Commission’s duty to protect the fighters? It’ll be awhile before we know whether Valdez was protected enough to fight on.