Berchelt Eager To Face Valdez: We'd Like an Audience For The Fight

WBC super featherweight world champion Miguel Berchelt is training hard, with an eye on returning in the coming weeks at the TV Azteca headquarters in Mexico City.

Zanfer Promotions will begin staging shows at the location, without spectators, on June 20. WBO super bantamweight champion Emanuel 'Vaquero' Navarrete as in the headline bout.

Berchelt (37-1, 33 KOs) is in full preparation for a non-title fight, over the ten round distance, to keep himself sharp and busy.

Berchelt was close to finalizing a deal to defend his title against mandatory challenger Oscar Valdez, who moved up from 126-pounds.

But then the coronavirus pandemic came around pushed back those plans. 

"I've always been training. I have a treadmill at home so I can run and I have a heavy bag. I've tried to stay active since I was on the verge of a fight with Óscar Valdez, but now comes this opportunity [for a stay-busy fight]. I'm doing it because I haven't fought since November, so as a world champion and a high performance athlete I must be active," Berchelt told the 'Boxeo a La Carrera' podcast.

"There will be no audience, I will not defend my championship, it will not be an opponent on the same level as some of the recent guys I recently faced.... but the best thing is that there will be boxing and in that there must be focus."

Berchelt emphasizes that he and Valdez are in agreement that an audience is needed for their showdown.

"Valdez is the mandatory. It is a fight that must take place and a fight between Mexicans are always the best . We are waiting for the United States to give us the green light. We both would like to do that fight with an audience. There are many people who want to see it. Although at the moment we are waiting for them to tell us what's going on. Health is the most important thing," Berchelt said.

"With all the great Mexican champions that came through at super featherweight, being able to see my name as the best to do it would be great, but I'm not obsessed with it either.. I would like to beat [the title defense record held by Julio Cesar Chavez at 130], but we will see if I have the time to reach that goal."