Prime Rank promoter Bob Arum says WBC tremendous featherweight champion Oscar Valdez’s determination to attend till now to lastly face WBO champion Shakur Stevenson was as a result of there was a risk of a struggle towards Emanuel Navarrete that he was for some time.
As quickly as Valdez (30-0, 23 KOs) came upon there he may make more cash preventing Stevenson (17-0, 9 KOs)t than a match towards Navarrete, he then went in that division for a unification struggle.
Stevenson and Valdez can be assembly subsequent month on ESPN+ on April thirtieth at 10:00 p.m. ET. on the MGM Grand, Grand Backyard Area, in Las Vegas.
This can be a struggle that ought to make clear who’s the #1 fighter within the 130-lb division. Sadly, the division is now one of many weakest ones in boxing as a result of lack of huge names.
At one time, Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, Vasyl Lomachenko, and Leo Santa Cruz fought at tremendous flyweight. Not anymore. As an alternative of these proficient fighters, you’ve acquired these guys: Roger Gutierrez, Shavkat Rakhimov, Valdez, Stevenson, and Chris Colbert.
To carry a title at 130 these days not means a lot, and it would imply an entire lot if the winner of the Stevenson-Valdez struggle ultimately turns into the undisputed champion in 2023.
“Yeah, terrific struggle, I really like a struggle like this,” stated Bob Arum to Combat Hub TV on the Shakur Stevenson vs. Oscar Valdez match. “That’s going to occur, however once more the factor that’s so fascinating for me is it matches the African American model towards the Mexican.
“Both man may win the struggle, however on this nation, now we have tended to favor the African American model over each different model. Canelo Alvarez however, so I can see why Stevenson is the favourite, however that doesn’t imply essentially he’s going to win the struggle.
“You need to perceive that boxing promotion is a enterprise and the fighters take a look at the opponent and the reward for preventing.
“At one specific level, it was believed there was more cash in a [Emanuel] Navarrete struggle than a Shakur struggle. In order that was the hangup, after which when it turned out that wasn’t the case, Oscar pivoted to Shakur Stevenson.
“I feel every man goes to be round for some time as a result of they’re each good fighters. They’re each crowd-pleasing guys. One will win one will lose. Perhaps there can be a rematch or possibly there received’t.
“I’ve lastly in spite of everything these years stopped speaking about what’s subsequent down the street as a result of the easy truth is I don’t know and I wish to benefit from the second, which is that this struggle,” stated Arum.
