By Miguel Rivera
Rising Mexican puncher Oscar Valdez will make the fourth defense of his World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight world title next March in a fight that will most likely take place at the StubHub Center in Carson, California, according to the champion's promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank.
"Last night I was talking to Frank Espinoza (Valdez's manager), and that's what we're planning, that Oscar will hold his next fight in March," said the head of Top Rank to ESPN Deportes.
Valdez, who maintains his unbeaten status in the pay ranks, with a record of 23-0, including 19 by way of knockout, is coming back from a very tough victory - where he won a twelve round unanimous decision over Filipino challenger Genesis Servania in Tucson, Arizona, on September 22.
Valdez had some tough moments with Servania. He was hurt more than once in the bout and suffered his first career knockdown. But he also rallied to drop Servania and punished the challenger in the later rounds.
Servania was not Valdez's only tough fight of the year. He also went through twelve grueling rounds to win a unanimous decision over then mandatory challenger Miguel Marriaga in April - a fight which saw Valdez get hurt in the tenth round but fire back to score a huge knockdown in the very same round.
At the moment Top Rank is working the rounds to line up an opponent for Valdez - with the fight likely being televised on ESPN.
The contest will likely take place at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.
"The matchmakers are discussing the issue of getting an opponent for Oscar," added Arum.
"We are thinking that this commitment could be held at the StubHub Center and not necessarily in Las Vegas. On February 3, Gilberto 'El Zurdo' Ramírez will fight in Corpus Christi, Texas, against the African champion, the Ghanaian Habib Ahmed, in the next defense of his super middleweight title of the WBO."