This is a time of firsts for Mexican star Miguel “El Alacran” Berchelt. The former WBC super featherweight world champion is now campaigning as a lightweight and will begin his quest to become a two-weight world champion Saturday against Jeremiah Nakathila in the 10-round main event at Resorts World Las Vegas.
Berchelt also moved his training camp from Mexico to Las Vegas to work with a new head trainer, Jorge Capetillo. The Nakathila bout will be his first since his title reign ended via brutal knockout at the hands of Oscar Valdez in February 2021. Berchelt (38-2, 34 KOs) made six successful defenses of the title he won in January 2017, and he hopes the Nakathila fight is the start of a fruitful lightweight campaign.
Berchelt spent camp training alongside UFC star Brandon Moreno, the first Mexican-born champion in the organization’s history. He ran the Mount Charleston roads and had access to more world-class sparring than ever before. This is what Berchelt had to say as he readies to tackle the lightweight elite.
“This will be a great comeback. I am very happy and excited to be the first athlete to bring a sporting event to Resorts World Las Vegas. I am ready to make my debut at 135 pounds against a great opponent like Jeremiah Nakathila. I’m going to put on a spectacular show for my people, and I’m sending a message to the lightweight division. They must contend with me!”
“My goal is to become world champion at lightweight. It will not be easy because I know that at 135 pounds there are a lot of great fighters. Most importantly, I have the desire and the potential to be crowned once again as world champion.”
About training alongside the first Mexican champ in UFC history
“It motivated me to train with Brandon Moreno. The truth is that he is a great person, and he has done amazing things to raise the Mexican flag very high. Right now, we are training together, and I feel very happy to be his training partner. We are both working hard to continue representing Mexico with great pride.”
About moving his training camp to Las Vegas to train with Jorge Capetillo
“The experience of changing my training camp to Las Vegas with coach Jorge Capetillo has been very good. In this city, there are many champions, and I think that God brought me here for a reason. There are many styles of sparring partners, which I was not able to find in Mexico. It has also been a great experience to run up Mount Charleston. I think all these changes are for the best, and we are ready to return to the ring with a big win!”
I think that fight with Valdez HAD to have taken something from Berchelt and going up to a bigger division doesn’t seem like the best idea, but best wishes to him. I don’t see him winning a title up there, but he will definitely make it fun. And respect to him for taking on a puncher like Nakathila in his very next fight.
Lucie gotta ask if you remember these fighters?
Anthony Jones
Bernard Mays
Ricky Womack
Alvin Hayes
I remember all of them except for Mays. I remember Anthony Jones was very talented. Stopped Julian Jackson late in his career.
Womack was regarded way better than Holyfield beat him several times as an amateur but I think lost to him twice in Olympic trials and lost the spot after he turned pro an was thought to be future heavyweight champ but ended up robbing a video store and spending 20 years in a Detroit prison made a comeback after but committed suicide. I sent him a couple of letters in prison but they were returned saying I did not have his prison id.
I had no idea that Womack was THAT good of an amateur. I had read about how his life turned out in the end (literally on his boxrec page it says it, on his record page, he committed suicide a couple of months after his last fight) and now reading about that fight, it seems that may have been the last straw. He got booed badly after beating Willie Chapman and just lost it apparently. That’s too bad.
Like I said, Mays’ is name completely new to me, but I’ll surely YT him and see if I can find anything. Went 26-1-1 as a pro but didn’t fight anyone I’ve heard of.
Emanuel Steward said Mays was the greatest amateur ever better than Breland Hearns or Leonard. Something like 200 wins and 1 loss for Kronk. Alcohol ruined him.
Hayes Mays and Womack all died very young
There’s a channel on YouTube “Rich the fight historian” that portrayed May’s and some other fighters from this era. Check his channel it’s entertaining.
I am not sure he has a choice but to move up Lucie. I think he really was killing himself to make 130lbs. You know I was very surprised by the way that Valdez fight went. Valdez never looked near that good to me before that fight or in his fight since. I know he failed a drug test in his following match. Was that a factor with Berchelt? I do not know. But he seemed to be on a different level that night.
Yeah, you’re probably right Pete. He had finally just grown out of the division. I thought Berchelt was going to win that fight as well. I’d seen Valdez get dropped a few times just before that fight and just be too easy to hit and I thought Berchelt was going to stop him late. Valdez never looked that good before that fight and I wouldn’t be surprised if he never looked that good again.
It is quite a devastating loss to recover from. He took a beating and the ending was brutal. I have been surprised recently when Chocolatito was able to bounce back from Sor run Visai. But his bad night was shorter at least. Roberto Duran comes to mind for resurrection. Someone else is Wlad Klitschko. So it maybe possible. But like I said Berchelt’s beating was harsh on top of the knockout. I have enjoyed watching Berchelt. Not certain I will catch his fight this weekend though. Have an early morning on Sunday and Top Ranks late nights are almost as brutal as the beating given by Valdez! LOL!
I agree with your comments Lucie. He had to have left something in the ring that night. If making 130 was truly the issue then maybe this move helps but there are too many good fighters at 35. He looked sluggish against Valdez
Looking forward to seeing him fight again. Always exciting, just never beaten the best of the best. Once you touch his chin, fights over. I still remember back in 2014 when Luis Eduardo Florez destroyed Berchalt in the first round. Jeremia Nakathila has above average power with a good chin and if he lands one or two punches to Berchelts chin, fights over.
Have always been a fan of Berchelt! I’m hoping he bounces back well and makes his way back to champion status!!
New Trainer Capetillo? I thought he was suspended for putting plaster in Margacheatos hand wraps.
Right decision to move up; too weak tryin to make 130lbs so all the best champ knowing you’ll be doing well amongst the best
Just stay away form those steroid users??No names!
Exciting fighter, wishing him good luck.