After a phenomenal weekend of middleweight boxing last Saturday, this weekend proves to build the next generation of stars. Top Rank and ESPN continue their push to make the next generation of greats and tonight those uninitiated to the finesse of Oscar Valdez have a chance to become experienced.
Oscar Valdez – Highlights / Knockouts
Highlights of the up and coming Super Featherweight / Featherweight prospect. Oscar Valdez – Is a Mexican professional boxer who qualified for the 2008 Olympics at the age of 17 and became the first Mexican Youth World Champion. Four years later he qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Undefeated WBO featherweight world champion scar Valdez (22-0, 19 KOs) headlines an exciting bout tonight in Tucson, Arizona against fellow unbeaten Genesis Servania (29-0, 12 KOs). Valdez, who has held the belt since November of last year, is an underrated star from Mexico that is now going to receive the exposure needed to make him one of Top Ranks’ biggest stars. The fight, which airs tonight on ESPN, is part of a multi-year, multi-format deal reached between the promoter and the world’s biggest sports network.
Valdez was on a 5-fight KO streak that ended with his last bout against Miguel Marriaga. If successful, bouts against WBA champion Abner Mares, WBC champion Gary Russell, Jr and WBA Super featherweight champion, Leo Santa Cruz are on the horizon.
The Controversial Canelo vs. GGG Decision Was A Win For Everybody
Can we please stop crying over the draw at this Saturday’s best boxing fight of the year? From every corner of the globe there has been an opinion on the controversial decision by three judges who scored the bout so differently that an even draw was produced.
Saturday, WBA and The Ring lightweight champion Jorge “El Nino” Linares (42-3) faces 2012 London Olympic gold medalist Luke Campbell (17-1) from the UK. Campbell is on a 5-fight win streak and faces the champion who is currently on an 11-fight win streak. Linares is one of Golden Boy’s rising stars behind Canelo Alvarez with a huge Venezuelan fanbase. He needs stiffer and more notable competition to secure his name with an American audience but Linares is definitely one to watch. The fight airs live on HBO.
Richard Schaefer – Biggest Tournament in Boxing
Richard Schaefer discusses the World Boxing Super Series
When the World Boxing Super Series was initially announced, it received minimal fanfare from American boxing fans but that was of no consequence to CEO, Richard Schaefer; his outlook was always on the global stage. The tournament that focuses on the little-discussed cruiserweight boxing division was the emphasis and an international tour of the bouts was the platform. This weekend Schaefer has a chance to showcase his region when WBA cruiserweight champion, Yunier Dorticos (21-0) faces Dmitry Kudryashov (21-1) at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
The bout is the semifinals of a tournament that features notables like Oleksandr Usyk and Chris Eubank, Jr.
