In Glendale, Arizona, at the Desert Diamond Arena, the previous champion in two weight classes Oscar Valdez overcame Liam Wilson (13-3, 7 KOs) from Australia in the seventh round, securing the WBO Interim junior lightweight world championship on Friday evening.
Valdez, after sizing up the competition in the initial round, took command by unleashing swift jabs, evading counters, and aiming for left hooks.
Wilson found some rhythm by maintaining space, yet Valdez managed to draw him within striking distance. In a gripping sixth round, the two exchanged blows fiercely, with Valdez landing punishing left hooks to Wilson’s body and right hooks to his head.
By the next round, Valdez had exhausted Wilson, who could no longer withstand Valdez’s assault, prompting referee Mark Nelson to stop the fight at 2:48.
Valdez reflected, “This win is monumental for me. It disproves many doubters. Despite my age and injuries, I never doubted my capacity to persevere.
“I encouraged Liam to persevere. A loss doesn’t spell the end in this sport. I’m living proof. He was close to besting me and claiming the world title. I hold immense respect for Liam Wilson and his crew.”
Wilson remarked, “Such is the nature of boxing. Initially, I aimed to fight strategically, but my passion took over. These are the battles I’ve envisioned since childhood. However, I must learn from this and apply more strategic fighting.
“Oscar is a genuine champion, and sharing the ring with him fills me with pride. My career is still in its early stages. I’m still young. I’ll make a comeback.”
Additional Fight Summaries:
Raymond “Danger” Muratalla displayed a masterclass in the sweet science, effortlessly securing a 10-round unanimous decision over the gallant, albeit last-minute substitute, Xolisani Ndongeni. With the poise of a seasoned maestro, Muratalla danced around the ring, peppering Ndongeni with jabs and crafting a symphony of one-twos and sly hooks to the midsection. Ndongeni, ever the stoic warrior, weathered the storm but found Muratalla’s defensive wizardry too intricate a puzzle to solve. The judges’ tallies read like a tribute to Muratalla’s dominance: 99-91, 98-92, and 97-93.
Across the ring, Lindolfo Delgado, hailing from the storied ranks of Mexican Olympians, displayed the art of the comeback, transforming an initial slow burn into a fiery crescendo. In the seventh, Delgado dispatched his compatriot Carlos Sanchez with a flourish, a testament to the old adage that in boxing, fortunes can pivot on a single punch. Early on, Delgado’s penchant for parrying left openings that Sanchez eagerly exploited, but as the rounds progressed, Delgado’s counter right hand in the fifth and a decisive right hook in the seventh spelled the end for Sanchez, stopping the clock at 48 seconds.
In the heavyweight division, Richard Torrez Jr., a silver medallist with fists of fury, preserved his unblemished knockout streak, dispatching Don Haynesworth with the ferocity of a tempest. As the round unfolded, Torrez, with the precision of an alchemist, found the golden moment to unleash a barrage that left Haynesworth with no recourse but to succumb at 2:19, as decreed by referee Raul Caiz Jr.
Phoenix’s own middleweight gladiator, Sergio Rodriguez, engaged in a six-round tussle with Sanny Duversonne, a bout that was as much a test of wills as it was of skill. Rodriguez, pressing forward with the tenacity of a desert storm, found in Duversonne an echo to his every move, a dance of equals that saw the judges favouring Rodriguez with scores of 60-54 and 59-55 twice.
The lightweight arena witnessed Emiliano Fernando Vargas in the crucible of his toughest battle to date, emerging victorious against Nelson Hampton through a unanimous decision that was hard-fought and well-earned. Vargas, wielding speed and power like twin swords, faced a worthy adversary in Hampton, who countered with the precision of a chess master, turning the bout into a spectacle of strategic warfare, culminating in scores of 60-54 across the board.
Alan “Kid Kansas” Garcia, the latest prodigy to grace the Top Rank banner, made short work of Gonzalo Fuenzalida, heralding his arrival with a TKO in the second round, a statement punctuated at 1:58.
And in the bustling junior welterweight division, Art Barrera Jr., a protege of the esteemed Robert Garcia and hailing from Linwood, California, delivered a stunning performance, sending Kevin Soto into the night with a left hook that will surely haunt Soto’s dreams, all within the span of 2:17. Meanwhile, Ricardo Ruvalcaba etched a mark of victory against Avner Hernandez Molina, sealing the deal with a fifth-round TKO at 1:44, a testament to the relentless pursuit of excellence that defines the sweet science.