By Steve Kim

So what's in store for 2018 for WBO featherweight belt-holder, Oscar Valdez, who defeated Genesis Servania in a back-and-forth fight on September 22nd?

His manager Frank Espinoza told BoxingScene.com - "I spoke to Top Rank and the plan is to bring Oscar back in 2018 in February or March, no later."

In 2017,  Valdez (23-0, 19 KO's) fought just twice, the hope is to be more active in the next year.

"I want to have at least three fights for the next year and we want to start off early in the year, do another one a few months later after that. See how things are going and barring injuries, do another one. But no less than three,"stated Espinoza, who has been told that with Top Rank's new deal with ESPN that his client will have more opportunities to showcase his skills.

''We're able to fight three times a year, we've already had a conversation where Oscar would be getting that number of fights. So with that said, that's what we're looking for in 2018," said Espinoza.

So the question is, who is out there for him to tangle with?

"I know that the name (Carl) Frampton had been mentioned," stated Espinoza. "I certainly think that's a fight that can happen later on in 2018. We'd look forwad to doing that fight. Oscar is ready to fight Frampton or any of the other title holders like Leo Santa Cruz. Those are the fights Oscar wants. So we're ready. Whenever they give us the green light, we'll be able to fight those guys..

As for the likes of Lee Selby( the IBF titlist) or Scott Quigg, Espinoza says - "all those guys are very big names we would like to fight and that's what we need. We want to fight the big names."

Steve Kim is the news editor for BoxingScene.com.