Oscar Valdez made a triumphant return to the ring at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas after over a year of inactivity. He secured a unanimous decision victory in a 10-round rematch against Adam Lopez.
In their previous encounter in 2019, Valdez overcame a knockdown in the second round and went on to stop Lopez in the seventh round. This time around, Valdez (31-1, 23 KOs) displayed early aggression, utilizing the refined head movement taught by his head trainer, Eddy Reynoso. The pride of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, effectively hurt Lopez in the third and fourth rounds, although Lopez (16-5, 6 KOs) started landing punches of his own in the subsequent rounds.
As the fight progressed, Valdez's relentless pressure began to visibly wear down Lopez, nearly leading to a stoppage in the final round. The judges' scores were 98-92, 98-91, and 97-93 in favor of Valdez.
Reflecting on his performance, Valdez stated, "I was trying to be the better fighter. With someone with his speed, you can’t get too confident. I was just trying to be the better and smarter fighter."
Valdez now sets his sights on a clash with Emanuel Navarrete, the WBO super featherweight champion. Originally scheduled to face Navarrete in February, Valdez was forced to withdraw due to injury, and Liam Wilson from Australia took his place. In what nearly turned into a disaster for Navarrete, Wilson severely hurt him, knocking him down in the fourth round and repeatedly damaging him throughout the match. Nevertheless, the Mexican fighter eventually broke down Wilson and scored a knockout victory in the seventh round.
Valdez eagerly anticipates his showdown with Navarrete, and Top Rank has targeted this fight for the summer. Valdez expressed his desire, saying, "We all want Emanuel Navarrete. Nothing but respect for him. He’s a great champion. The whole world wants to see that fight. Let’s make it happen now."
Beatrice Adamu is a writer for AceTVBoxing.com. She can be reached on Twitter @oh_stillbella or via email: adamubeatrice13@gmail.com.
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