Berchelt's Trainer, Caballero, Met With Delay Entering U.S. Due To Visa Issue

Miguel Berchelt will enter his next fight as the longest-reigning active titlist in the junior lightweight division.

At present moment, there is a chance that he could enter his upcoming WBC junior lightweight title defense without his full corner intact.

BoxingScene.com has learned that Alfredo Caballero, Berchelt’s longtime trainer has yet to make his way to the United States due to a discrepancy in his visa application.

Merida, Mexico’s Berchelt (38-1, 34KOs) is due to face countryman Oscar Valdez (28-0, 22KOs) this Saturday, live on ESPN from MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas. The 29-year old knockout artist will attempt the seventh defense of his 130-pound title, with hopes that his noted trainer will be along for the ride.

The team was due to make the trip from Mexico, only for Caballero—whose stable also includes World junior bantamweight king Juan Francisco Estrada—to be left behind. The gifted trainer is currently working with immigration officials in the U.S. The insistence from representatives from Berchelt’s camp—who otherwise declined further comment—is that all hands are on deck, including Top Rank’s lawyers to ensure that his trainer can cross the border and arrive in the Las Vegas bubble by no later than Thursday.

Berchelt claimed the WBC strap with an 11th round stoppage of Francisco Vargas in Jan. 2017. Six defenses have followed, including a one-sided 4th round stoppage of former titlist Jason Sosa in Nov. 2019. A showdown with Valdez was on tap to take place last spring, only to suffer several postponements due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Both boxers were instead afforded stay-busy fights on separate ESPN shows. Berchelt scored a 6th round knockout of countryman Eleazar Valenzuela last June in Mexico City. Four weeks later, Valdez—a former featherweight titlist who moved up in weight in Nov. 2019—toppled former title challenger Jayson Velez via 10th round stoppage in the very venue which will host Saturday’s contest.

Efforts to schedule the bout on Dec. 12th fell through after Berchelt tested positive for COVID-19.

Valdez has completed camp and en route to Las Vegas in an attempt to become a two-division champion. The unbeaten boxer from West Covina, California by way of Nogales, Mexico enters his fifth fight with renowned head trainer Eddy Reynoso.

The matchup is widely regarded as one of the best fights on the current 2021 schedule. 

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox