Felix Verdejo Braces For World Title Run in 2016

By Jake Donovan

Felix Verdejo is barely three years into his pro career yet is already drawing consideration for a title shot in the near future. 

For now, the 22-year old lightweight just needs his hands to remain healthy long enough to get through his next fight. He returns following a six-month absence due to extended rehabilitation to a badly damaged as he faces Brazil’s Josenilson dos Santos at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in his hometown of San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

A win on Friday by no means will guarantee a title shot in his near future. It’s no slight on dos Santos, but the perception is that Friday’s fight – which headlines the 2015 season finale of Metro PCS Friday Night Knockout series on truTV – is means to get Verdejo one more fight on the year before mapping out his immediate future.

It could mean fighting for a world title, or remaining as active as possible until such an opportunity presents itself.

“The level of opposition is dictated by the platform he fights on,” points out Carl Moretti, VP of Operations for Top Rank, lead promoter for Friday’s sold-out event. “The goal is when you fight for a world title is to win it and then defend it a lot. It's not about a certain date and a guy.”

Verdejo (18-0, 13KOs) – who represented Puerto Rico in the 2012 London Olympics - was due to face dos Santos this past Halloween in Kissimmee, Florida. The show went on but without the headlining act after the rising contender from San Juan had to withdraw due to severe discomfort in his previously injured hand that apparently never fully healed.

It was an injury he carried into his most recent win, a 10-round decision over Ivan Najera. He was actually urged to pull out of that fight, but Verdejo was determined to represent all Boricuas on a New York City show that came on the eve of the annual Puerto Rican Day parade. 

The insistence now is that he’s 100% healthy, with the hope that – free of injury, cuts or a loss – he can build towards a breakout campaign in 2016. 

“Honestly, I’m willing to fight any of the available champions,” Verdejo insists. “I’m willing to fight (recently crowned 130 lb. titlist) Francisco Vargas or any other champion once I’m ready to fight for a world title.

“Right now I can make lightweight comfortably - no problem. If the right opportunity comes along, we can fight for a world title at 130 as well.”

Of course, that could change depending on when it comes to surface. 

To date, he’s weighed in between 130-135 for every pro fight and is equally comfortable fighting at super featherweight or lightweight. The division at which he fights for his first world title opportunity will be dictated by whether or not his physical dimensions remain the same or if he continues to grow, which tends to be the case with young fighters. 

“We know he can make 130 - it's a matter of when that fight comes up,” notes Moretti. “It's a tough question to answer right now. You have to see how his body grows. It's not impossible. We have to see what (weight) he can make comfortably.”