BoxRec

Boxing’s preeminent action superhero, Oscar Valdez, will make the sixth defense of his WBO featherweight world title Saturday, June 8 against the upset-minded Jason “El Alacrancito” Sanchez at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

Valdez-Sanchez and the 10-round light heavyweight showdown between title-hungry contenders Sullivan Barrera and Michael Seals will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Undercard bouts will stream live on ESPN+ beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT. Gabriel Flores Jr. (13-0, 6 KOs), fresh off his third-round knockout over Eduardo Pereira Reis in front of more than 10,000 fans in his hometown of Stockton, California, will see action on the undercard.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Let's Get It On Promotions and Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, tickets for this world championship event priced at $103, $68 and $43 (including facility fees) are on sale now and can be purchased via Ticketmaster.com or in person at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa gift shop.

“Jason Sanchez is the real ‘Cinderella Man,’” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “He is young, hungry and capable of pulling off a major upset. It should be an exciting battle.”

"I’m excited to be back in the ring for the sixth defense of my world title. I know there is a big target on my back because I'm the champion, but nobody is going to take this title away from me,” Valdez said. "This will be my second fight training with Eddy Reynoso. Training with Eddy, I feel the best I’ve ever felt. I felt great in the ring during my first fight with Eddy in my corner. I know that I will look even better this time out. The fans in Reno and watching on ESPN and ESPN Deportes can expect a great showing from me on June 8.”

“I am truly honored and blessed to have an opportunity like this,” Sanchez said. “Coming from Albuquerque, New Mexico, I knew I had to work extra hard to be noticed and to get where I’m at right now. I will be bringing this belt home to Albuquerque, to my family, my supporters, and most of all, my late brother Alan Sanchez. I believe he guided me down this road and that my journey is only beginning.”

Valdez (25-0, 20 KOs), Mexico’s first two-time Olympian, has thrilled boxing fans with his go-for-broke style. He won the WBO featherweight title in July 2016 and proved his mettle with a trio of 12-round bloodbaths against Miguel Marriaga, Genesis Servania and Scott Quigg in consecutive bouts. Valdez outlasted an over-the-weight Quigg last March by unanimous decision despite fighting more than half the bout with a severely broken jaw. Following the Quigg bout, Valdez took nearly a year off, returning Feb. 2 in Frisco, Texas, to knock out then-unbeaten Italian challenger Carmine Tommasone in the seventh round.

The 24-year-old Sanchez (14-0, 7 KOs) enters this championship fight as one of the featherweight division’s fastest-rising young guns. Last October, he stunned then-unbeaten Jean Carlos Rivera via unanimous decision in Panama City, Panama. Following the Rivera victory, Sanchez signed a long-term promotional contract with Top Rank. He impressed in his Top Rank debut Feb. 2 in Frisco, Texas, knocking out Daniel Olea in the second round. Sanchez hopes to become only the fifth men’s boxer from New Mexico to win a world title.

Boxing’s preeminent action superhero, Oscar Valdez,

I've got Valdez by KO. Other than the win over Rivera on his home turf I really dont think Sanchez is much better than Erick Ituarte, who was rejected by the WBO as a legit title challenger.

Wow. Valdez really needs to step it up. No one here even discusses him.

Not sure which is a bigger mismatch, this or the GGG fight.

Valdez (25-0, 20KOs) tipped the scales at a trim and ready 125.4 pounds, his lightest weight since his first title defense more than two years ago. Sanchez (14-0, 7KOs) checked in at 124.8 pounds, the lightest he’s weighed since Dec. 2016.

jujigatame wrote: ↑03 Jun 2019, 22:41 Not sure which is a bigger mismatch, this or the GGG fight.

Well according to oddsmakers, the Golovkin bout is expected to be the bigger farce.

Golovkin is a 50-1 favorite. But earlier this week he was as much as a 100-1 choice. Bettors apparently believe upsets are in the air.

In comparison, Valdez is only a 35-1 favorite over Sanchez.

Opening the telecast, Reno’s own JJ Wilfredo Mariano stopped Fresno’s William Flenoy in the 4th and final round in a battle debuting super lightweights.

Action as competitive in the first two rounds of the respective careers, before Mariano (1-0, 1KO) took control in round three. The frame began with Flenoy forgetting his mouthpiece and only getting worse from there. He was warned repeatedly by referee Jay Nady for what was deemed excessive holding before suffering the 1st knockdown of his career, getting caught with a left hook just as he landed his own right hand.

Flenoy (0-1) beat the count, but spent the rest of the round on the defensive as he complained of an injured shoulder. Mariano finished him off in the final round, going on the attack until forcing the stoppage at 0:45 of round four.

Michael Seals originally signed on to face Top 10 contender Sullivan Barrera in what would have served as the evening’s chief support.

Instead, the Mobile (Ala.) based light heavyweight was relegated to the second bout of the evening, not sticking around for long in scoring a frightening one-punch 2nd round knockout of Philadelphia’s Christopher Brooker.

The knockout came virtually out of nowhere, considering that Seals (23-2, 16KOs) offered next to nothing for the first four minutes of the bout. Brooker took advantage of his opponent’s inactivity for as long as he could, but eventually left himself open long enough to catch an overhand right which put him down and out at 2:00 of round two.

Brooker (14-7, 5KOs) laid along the ropes for several minutes before finally coming to his senses, although suffering his sixth loss in his past nine starts.

Seals has now picked up three straight wins, and is 4-1 since his memorable three-round slugfest with Edwin Rodriguez, trading knockdowns with the longtime contender before getting blasted out in the 3rd round of their Nov. 2015 war.

Flores v Briceno - 8 rounder

Round 1 =

10-9 Flores

Round 2 = just noticed I am watching it delayed.