Oscar Valdez vs Shakur Stevenson

An excellent trying unification match heads a Top Rank card on the MGM Grand Backyard Area this Saturday night time, as WBC tremendous featherweight champion, Oscar Valdez meets WBO ruler Shakur Stevenson in a battle of unbeaten skills.

Sky Sports activities televise reside Valdez vs Stevenson within the UK, with ESPN the US broadcaster.

Mexico’s tremendous gifted Valdez (30-0, 23 KOs) is a two-weight world champion, having first dominated as WBO featherweight champion in 2016, successful the vacant title with a second spherical stoppage win over Matias Carlos Adrian Rueda.

The 31-year-old made six profitable defences earlier than transferring as much as tremendous featherweight, and in his first contest on the weight, a ten spherical WBC title eliminator towards the little fancied Adam Lopez, Valdez discovered himself on the deck in in spherical two, earlier than dropping and stopping the American within the seventh in a tough baptism within the division.

A stoppage win over Jayson Velez result in a shot on the WBC belt, and Valdez put in a career-best show, ruthlessly knocking out Miguel Berchelt in ten rounds after having his countryman on the ground 3 times through the bout.

His first defence got here in September 2021, and it was a tough nights’ work earlier than he outscored Olympic Gold Medallist, Robson Conceicao.

He now faces one other Olympian, however a gifted expertise in 2016 Silver Medallist, Stevenson (17-0, 9 KOs).

The Virginia native can be a two-weight world champion, and have become WBO featherweight champion in simply his thirteenth contest, taking the vacant belt that Valdez had left behind with a large factors win over Joet Gonzalez.

The 24-year-old southpaw has barely misplaced a spherical in his profession so far, and took the WBO belt at tremendous featherweight in his final combat, in October 2021, dominating and overwhelming Jamel Herring, successful each spherical on two playing cards earlier than lastly stopping ‘Semper Fi’ within the tenth in Atlanta.

Prediction: Though Valdez is a formidable opponent for anybody, this feels prefer it could possibly be an actual popping out occasion for Stevenson, who has been itching to indicate the world simply how good he’s, and that began towards Herring in his final combat. I believe Stevenson can dominate, earlier than grinding Valdez down within the championship rounds.

Davis returns

2020 Olympic Silver Medallist, Keyshawn Davis (4-0, 3 KOs) is in motion, and ‘The Businessman’ ought to have an excessive amount of for Mexico’s Esteban Sanchez (18-1, 8 KOs), a person with a deceiving document having by no means fought outdoors of his homeland.

Prediction: Davis ought to take this light-weight contest inside schedule.

Ali Walsh options

21-year-old grandson of the legend Muhammad Ali, Nico Ali Walsh (4-0, 3 KOs) takes half in his fifth paid bout, and the middleweight ought to have the ability to cease Alejandro Ibarra (7-1, 2 KOs), who was halted in his solely defeat so far.

Remaining Undercard

Raymond Muratalla (13-0, 11 KOs) is constructing a reputation for himself, and the Californian light-weight comes up towards the sturdy Jeremy Hill (16-2, 11 KOs), who hasn’t beforehand been stopped. Muratalla may have the late rounds to do the job.

Andres Cortes (16-0, 9 KOs) ought to stay unbeaten, and the tremendous featherweight can snap the six combat unbeaten streak of Mexican, Alexis del Bosque (18-5-1, 9 KOs) with a factors success.

18-year-old light-weight prospect, Abdullah Mason (1-0, 1 KO) ought to cease Luciano Ramos (1-2), and in addition at light-weight, Charlie Sheehy (2-0, 2 KOs), can do the identical towards Burnell Jenkins (2-1, 1 KO).

Tremendous light-weight, Antoine Cobb (1-0, 1 KO) must also style early victory towards Jaylan Phillips (1-2, 1 KO).