Felix Verdejo Return Targeted For Top Rank's Tucson Card, 9/22

By Miguel Rivera

Although they still waiting for more detailed information on the injury and the date of the ring return of lightweight champion Terry Flanagan, Las Vegas based promoter Top Rank - who handle mandatory challenger Felix Verdejo - already have a date and venue in mind for the return of El Diamante.

The undefeated Puerto Rican was scheduled to face Flanagan, who holds the 135-pound world title of the World Boxing Organization (WBO). The fight was called off after Flanagan suffered a leg injury. Verdejo wants to take a stay busy fight while Flanagan recovers.

"Our plan is to get him a fight on September 22 in Tucson, Arizona. But we still need Frank Warren (Flanagan promoter) to inform us of the new date he plans to set up the fight," Carl Moretti, Top Rank's vice president, told Jose Sanchez. "It seems to me that Frank will not be able to stage the fight until, at least, December. That's why we want Felix to fight in September because waiting until December is a long time for him to be off and then go straight to challenge the champion."

The card which Top Rank plans  to include Verdejo (23-0, 15 KOs), is the same one where World Boxing Organization (WBO) champions Gilberto Ramirez (168 pounds) and Oscar Valdez (126 pounds) will defend their belts.

The Sinaloan Ramirez (35-0, KOs) will expose his crown against Jesse Hart (22-0, 19 KO's), while Valdez will take on undefeated Genesis Servania (29-0, 12 KOs). And Irish Olympian Michael Conlan (3-0, three knockouts) is also set to fight.

The billboard will be broadcast by ESPN, but in all likelihood the Verdejo will not be included as part of the TV package.

"I do not want to put him on television. I want Felix to go in, do his work and come back, "Moretti said. "We still have no opponent, but that's the plan."

If this scenario materializes, it would be the first professional fight of Verdejo that will not be transmitted on television.

The Flanagan-Verdejo fight has been postponed several times - the first time when Verdejo was involved in a motorcycle accident last year.