It’s official. Featherweight Adam “Bluenose” Lopez (13-1, 6 KOs) will step in at the last minute against former world champion Oscar Valdez on Saturday night in Las Vegas. After Valdez’ original opponent Andres Gutierrez weighed in eleven pounds over the limit, Lopez, who was scheduled to face Luis Coria on the undercard, was offered the opportunity and accepted.
“I trained hard for three months making the sacrifices, and I am very upset with Andres Gutierrez,” Valdez said. “He was unprofessional. As soon as I heard 141 pounds, I still wanted to fight him, but my team and Bob Arum said Gutierrez was out. I give credit to Adam Lopez for stepping up. It will be a great fight tomorrow night.”
Lopez said, “It was surreal when I got the offer to fight Oscar. I‘ve known Oscar for a long time and I‘ve wanted this fight for a long time. I’m ready for it. Deep down, I’ll take anyone. Ultimately, I left it up to my trainer {Buddy McGirt}, and he gave the fight his blessing.”
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman stated via Twitter “What just happened in Las Vegas is of extreme concern. Gutierrez weighs in 11 pounds over the weight limit in the WBC final elimination scheduled for super feather. Gutiérrez is officially suspended by the WBC and we will initiate a thorough investigation of the facts.”
Gutierrez was previously involved in a late cancellation against Carl Frampton two years ago in Belfast. Gutierrez fell in the shower and injured himself on the eve of the bout forcing the entire event to be scrapped.
Gutierrez is completely out of his mind, coming in 11 lbs over weight.
Adam Lopez is a decent fighter but no match for Valdez.
Unless there is some serious health issues that we don’t know about, it just seem like it’s carelessness and unprofessionalism.
cool they could make the fight. Can’t see how these guys come to the scales anymore than 2 lbs over. If you signed a contract and come in that heavy, why even bother coming to the weight in, tell the promoter 2 days before, you know, no way in hell I am going to make the weight.
Your are absolutely right – Gutierrez put the entire fight in jeopardy. He knew already 1 week ahead that there was no way he would make weight. It almost seems that he did it on purpose because he was on target the weeks before that and then decided to gain weight during the last week.
I still think a serious fine – paid to the opponent – would stop this crazy habit of coming in over weight.
I saw Adam’s dad fight. His dad was great. An Olympic silver medalist in the 1984 games in LA. I wish Adam well, even though I think he is going to lose.
Fear held him back from making weight.
That dude didn’t want to fight.