BoxRec

Shakur Stevenson, Oscar Valdez working to finalize title unification fight, sources say

Shakur Stevenson and Oscar Valdez are in the process of finalizing a deal for a 130-pound title unification fight on April 30 in Las Vegas, sources told ESPN on Sunday.

Sources said no financial agreement has been reached for the proposed ESPN main event.

After Valdez (30-0, 23 KOs) scored a brutal knockout of Miguel Berchelt in February to claim a junior lightweight title, Stevenson (17-0, 9 KOs) publicly lobbied for the title opportunity. Instead, Stevenson settled for a shot at Jamel Herring, another 130-pound titleholder promoted by Top Rank.

Stevenson, 24, seized his chance with the best performance of his career, a 10th-round TKO of Herring in October. Long dogged by criticism that he doesn't fight aggressively, the Newark, New Jersey, native applied nonstop pressure during the one-sided beating.

Now, Stevenson is on the verge of landing the fight he wanted all along but with two belts on the line.

While the Olympic silver medalist enters the potential fight with momentum on his side, Valdez is looking for redemption. The two-time Olympian from Mexico tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug phentermine in August, just weeks before he was set to make the first defense of his title.

Despite the adverse finding, Valdez was allowed to fight Robson Conceicao as planned. Valdez was installed as a heavy favorite but struggled during the first half of the bout en route to a controversial decision victory.

Valdez, 31, was ESPN's No. 1 boxer at 130 pounds before he was dropped from the rankings due to the failed test. Stevenson is currently ESPN's No. 1 junior lightweight.

shak gonna take him to school yo

Maybe Eddy Reynoso will come and say this isn’t even being talked about..

A great matchup. Hopefully happens. Stevenson gotta be favored, he seems to be more talented.

Oscar’s gonna be all juiced up on Mexican beef and at 31, In his prime. SS is fantastic but well before his prime so I think that this is a bold but smart play by Oscar. It reminds me a little of Floyd fighting A young Canelo. Could be smart.

caldo2025 wrote: ↑17 Jan 2022, 20:58 Oscar’s gonna be all juiced up on Mexican beef and at 31, In his prime. SS is fantastic but well before his prime so I think that this is a bold but smart play by Oscar. It reminds me a little of Floyd fighting A young Canelo. Could be smart.

I'm a big fan of Stevenson's skills, and disagree with many thinking he or someone like Boots Ennis (or Canelo then) are too young.

When Floyd and Canelo fought, Canelo was basically the same age as Leonard when he fought Duran. Duran was 71-1 and in his late 20's if I remember right. Floyd was past his prime at 36 moved up in weight. Leonard was totally shot at 34. Canelo had over 40 professional fights at that time. He'll never be the level of boxer that Floyd was.

Unfortunately, boxing politics prevent guys like Ennis and Stevenson to showcase their skills until they are closer to 30. Stevenson and Loma should fight now. Boots and Crawford should fight now. Probably won't see either one.

Top notch fight. I got Shakur by wide UD.

Good fight.
So far away to get excited, end of April

This will be a beautiful fight. A lot of people picking Shak early. I think it’s a tossup. Valdez looked like a monster against Berchelt. He knows Shak lacks the power to seriously hurt him, so there’s nothing stopping him from taking chances and trading combos all night. He’s the bigger puncher of the two by far. Shak the better boxer. Going to be a hell of a fight.

wow, thats a fight!

I hope it gets made!

apollo creed wrote: ↑22 Jan 2022, 09:10 wow, thats a fight!

I hope it gets made!

Terms agreed. I think it’s just about formally announcing it now.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑22 Jan 2022, 09:32

apollo creed wrote: ↑22 Jan 2022, 09:10 wow, thats a fight!

I hope it gets made!

Terms agreed. I think it’s just about formally announcing it now.

Yeah yeah let’s go!

Hope Shakur is going to school him.

JxhDel. wrote: ↑23 Jan 2022, 00:32 Hope Shakur is going to school him.

I'm glad Stevenson really pushed for this fight. He was also game to fight Loma if that didn't happen. High praise for him wanting the big challenges.

ya nice to see shak stepping up vs top level, he'll win too

now if only other less brave cats like like the lhw and smws, ortiz, andrade, etc followed his lead

I hope Stevenson is demanding random drug testing, with Valdez's positive test last fall.

Valdez has been treated like a minime Canelo.

I hope Stevenson stops him.

great fight, tough to call just yet , the boxer better be ready to stand his ground, i dont think weve seen shakur really in a tough fight that could go against here , yea he is a great boxer but valdez has fought many before him will he handel oscar pressure be interesting, deffo rate shakur thought he would be a champion not sure if this will be the fight yet wait closer to fight night

Stevenson To Valdez: 'Oscar, Stop Ducking Me, Sign The Contract!'

“It definitely is [happening],” Stevenson said of the proposed bout to ES News, “but Oscar is halfway in, halfway out.”

“We’re still waiting for him to say fully ‘yes’ and fully to be ready to fight,” Stevenson said. “But somebody’s got to force him into it. I believe Eddy Reynoso or Canelo gonna try and force him into fighting me. Hopefully they do their job.”

“At the end of the day all that matters is what [Valdez] put on the paper,” Stevenson said. “If he sign his name on the paper and say he gonna fight, then I’ll believe him, until then— I’ve been trying to get this fight ever since I was at 126 pounds.

“Oscar Valdez, please fight me now. Champion vs. champion. Duck vs Gold. You know. Gold gon’ beat the duck. You already know how it goes.”.

“Oscar, stop ducking me,” he said. “Sign the contract. Let’s fight. The whole world hearing that we’re fighting. Let’s make it happen, April 30th. You can’t run forever.”

“You can expect another regular Shakur Stevenson night,” Stevenson said. “Go in there and show what I’ve been doing my whole career.”

ironbeard wrote: ↑28 Jan 2022, 14:58 Valdez has been treated like a minime Canelo.

I hope Stevenson stops him.

Probably because he's easy to promote and has an exciting style. I hope Valdez wins. Stevenson's style is so ugly and safety-first. Very contrary to his personality, same with Mike Conlan. I'd hate to have to sit through more Stevenson fights if he wins, which I won't.

Mexi-Box wrote: ↑29 Jan 2022, 12:59

ironbeard wrote: ↑28 Jan 2022, 14:58 Valdez has been treated like a minime Canelo.

I hope Stevenson stops him.

Probably because he's easy to promote and has an exciting style. I hope Valdez wins. Stevenson's style is so ugly and safety-first. Very contrary to his personality, same with Mike Conlan. I'd hate to have to sit through more Stevenson fights if he wins, which I won't.

Valdez clearly lost to Conceicao, imo. That was a fight that should not even have happened, as you well know.

Conceicao completely nullified Valdez’s offense. Robson was far more entertaining, active, and skilled in that fight. He controlled the action.

Valdez was gifted in the corrupt way.

Shakur eviscerated Herring. Of course, Herring has nowhere near the power of Valdez, which makes this an interesting match, if Valdez signs on.