Oscar Valdez is noting Mexican boxing icons, and with each name, his enjoyment grows. And then he begins questioning what it will consider individuals to one day discuss his name in addition to the similarity Julio Cesar Chavez, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, and Canelo Alvarez.
“That’s my dream, my greatest dream is to turn into one of those Mexican icons that individuals will permanently keep in mind,” Valdez, a world champ in 2 weight classes, informed ESPN. “You have Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Canelo, Ricardo Lopez, Julio Cesar Chavez, Carlos Zarate, Jorge Arce. … When individuals discuss excellent Mexican fighters they discuss these guys and when I retire I wish to remain in that list.”
Valdez (31-2, 23 KOs), from Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, deals with a more youthful competitor in Liam Wilson (13-2, 7 KOs), from Queensland, Australia, for the uninhabited WBO interim junior light-weight title at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on Friday (ESPN+, 6:05 p.m. ET).
And Valdez requires momentum, after consentaneous choice losses to Emanuel Navarrete and Shakur Stevenson in 2 of his previous 3 battles.
“To remain in that list I need to win these battles and attain a lot more things,” Valdez informed ESPN. “Barrera lost, Morales lost. All these excellent fighters lost and returned to do excellent things, I wish to do the very same.”
Now at 33, Valdez is on an objective to end up being a three-time world champ after a six-defense reign as WBO featherweight champ (2016-2019) and one defense as WBC junior light-weight champ before suffering his very first expert defeat to Stevenson in a title marriage fight in April 2022.
“I simply enjoy boxing, it’s my life. There’s a great deal of things I wish to attain still. … I wish to dominate more things,” Valdez stated. “I’ve constantly been a fanatic of boxing and fighters like Chavez, Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Canelo and these guys dominated all the departments and ended up being unified champs, safeguarded their titles often times.
But Valdez confesses he requires to restore himself at this phase of a long expert profession that started soon after his involvement for Mexico as an amateur at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
“If I take a look at my resume, I have not not done anything yet so I need to be the most disciplined fighter to attain this,” Valdez stated. “To attain those things I need to win this fight, that makes it essential. If we are not searching for success, what are we doing it for? That’s why I have actually devoted my life and body to this sport since I wish to dominate larger and much better things.”
Valdez states he feels excellent in training, stating he still has the strength, endurance and head motion to contend at the greatest level, however he likewise comprehend that there’s no space for mistake against Wilson.
“I require to show to other fighters and to myself that I still have it,” Valdez informed ESPN. “I’m 33, however I do not feel 33. Whoever wins this fight is an action more detailed to a world title, that makes it really essential. I understand what it seems like to be world champ, and I miss it a lot, I need to win this.
With Navarrete (38-1-1, 31 KOs), ESPN’s No. 1 at junior light-weight and the WBO champ in the department going up in weight to face Denys Berinchyk for the uninhabited WBO light-weight title on May 18, it is most likely the winner of Valdez-Wilson will rise to complete world champ status later on this year.
“It’s unclear who is the very best at 130, there’s a chance there and where there’s a chance there’s hope and I’m taking a look at this as a world title fight, I’ve been training as though it is,” Valdez informed ESPN.
And Valdez misses out on being a world champ and the sensations that feature that eminence and the self-confidence he gets when he’s on top of the department.
“Every fighter out there understands what it seems like. Whoever’s been a world champ understands precisely what I’m speaking about,” Valdez stated on ESPN’s State of Boxing. “Just strolling to the fitness center, strolling to your home, or simply driving an automobile, sensation as a champ, understanding that you’re the world champ out there, understanding that you bring that belt, you feel pleased with yourself for achieving something that you imagined.
“Ever because I was a youngster, since I was 8 years of ages, I imagined being a champ and for a time I was a champ, and I enjoy that sensation. So I understand what that seems like. I understand what it seems like to lose a champion, so I do not wish to ever feel that once again.”
Wilson, 27, who has actually been training in Las Vegas for the fight against Valdez, is No 2. with the WBO world governing body and in his last fight floored Navarrete in Round 4, before getting dropped in the champ in the ninth round of a thrilling fight. Wilson felt Navarrete was provided a longer count than he need to have been, permitting him to recuperate.
“I’m dissatisfied, however I knocked him down in the 4th round, and I think the count was a bit longer,” Wilson stated after that fight. “I believed I won the fight because sense since I believe it had to do with a 20-second count. I’ll be back. Make no error about it.”
But Valdez stated that their battles against Navarrete are unimportant to compare, and included he’s repaired the errors he made because fight.
“I was a bit dissatisfied with my efficiency against Navarette. He’s an uncomfortable fighter, a volume puncher. … I made a couple of errors and I would alter a couple of things recalling, however you gain from your errors.”
And while larger and much better things remain in shop for Valdez if he wins, he stated he’s gotten ready for Wilson’s design, including his reach and power.
“I have absolutely nothing however regard for Liam Wilson,” Valdez informed ESPN. “He’s a genuine fighter, he has a great deal of heart and he has that long reach benefit. He had Navarrete hurt and he’s an unsafe fighter. I believe Wilson will turn it into a brawl and I will enjoy that, let’s have a traditional brawl.
And for Valdez to be thought about amongst the very best Mexican fighters, he cannot pay for to be on the losing side of that brawl against Wilson on Friday.
