Óscar Valdez stopped Liam Wilson and gained the World Boxing Group tremendous featherweight title.
Mexican Óscar Valdez beat up Australian Liam Wilson to cease him within the seventh spherical and earn the standing of interim 130-pound world champion within the World Boxing Group (WBO) model.
The definition of the principle occasion of Friday’s card on the Desert Diamond Area in Glendale, Arizona, got here at 2:48 minutes of the seventh spherical when the referee determined to cease the battle to keep away from punishment for Wilson.
“I wish to be an instance in boxing,” mentioned Valdez, a former two-division champion who entered the ring ranked No. 6 at 130 kilos by ESPN. “You’ll be able to lose in life, however there’s an obligation to come back again sturdy… (This victory) must be up there, it means quite a bit. I proved lots of people fallacious once more.”
Valdez, 33, was coming off a choice loss to Emanuel Navarrete in August. The loss was his second in his earlier three fights (the opposite to Shakur Stevenson in 2022).
However now he is able to as soon as once more be a full-fledged champion at 130 kilos. Navarrete holds the WBO junior light-weight title, however will face Denys Berinchyk for the group’s vacant light-weight belt on Might 18. Navarrete is predicted to relinquish his 130-pound belt and Valdez shall be elevated.
The previous featherweight champion fought Wilson with a deep reduce over his left eye, one thing he has performed previously. When he defeated Scott Quigg in 2018, he did so with a damaged jaw.
Guided by Eddy Reynoso (Canelo Álvarez’s famend coach), Valdez threw probably the most compact, sharpest and hardest punches. Wilson’s nostril was already bleeding profusely when he sat on his stool after the second spherical. Nevertheless, the Australian had his moments.
Valdez acknowledged that Wilson damage him within the ribs with a physique blow sooner or later.
“That is good to know,” Wilson mentioned.
Wilson additionally misplaced to Navarrete in 2023. The 28-year-old knocked down Navarrete within the fourth spherical final February earlier than being stopped within the ninth. Wilson bounced again with two wins in Australia to shut out the yr.
He’s one among three Australians competing in world title fights this weekend. Rising star Tim Tszyu fights Sebastian Fundora for the WBC and WBO junior middleweight titles on Saturday in Las Vegas, whereas Michael Zerafa challenges Erislandy Lara for the WBA middleweight title on the undercard.
“That is how boxing works,” Wilson mentioned. “Since I used to be a baby, I dreamed of being in these fights. I attempted to field within the first rounds and my coronary heart took over… I’ll study from it… (He’s) a real champion and I’m very proud to share the ring with him… I am nonetheless early in my profession. I am a younger man and I will be again.”
For Valdez this was the primary victory earlier than the restrict since February 20, 2021 vs. Miguel Berchelt. The 2-time Olympian out-power-hit Wilson 169-102 (126-87 power-hits).
Within the ultimate spherical, the brand new tremendous featherweight champion landed 42 energy blows en path to victory by technical knockout.
With the victory, Valdez improved his file to 32-2-0, 24 KO’s, whereas Wilson left his skilled file at 13-3-0, 7 KO’s.
Info from Mike Coppinger was used on this story
