By Miguel Maravilla
WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez (23-0, 19 KOs) of Tucson, Arizona by way of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico returns to the ring as he goes up against former world champion Scott Quigg (34-1-2, 25 KOs) of England this Saturday at the Stub Hub Center in Carson, California live in ESPN. We caught up with Valdez as he talked about his preparation and upcoming title defense vs. Quigg.
“Scott Quigg is a tough fighter. It’s not going to be an easy fight. I know there will be fireworks. I know him. I have sparred with him before. If the fight goes like the sparring then expect to have a good fight. We will give the fans what they want,” Oscar Valdez told Fightnews.com®.
“There is something magical about fighting at the Stub Hub Center. It always brings out good fights there has always been great fights there,” Valdez added.
Valdez held a 9 week camp in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, with his trainer Manny Robles in preparation for the former champion.
“It was great training in Guadalajara. In four weeks, I felt 100 percent. I am more than ready for this fight,” Valdez on training camp.
“He (Valdez) is looking great I am very pleased. We had a great camp in Guadalajara, Mexico it was just a great atmosphere,” Valdez’s trainer Manny Robles told Fightnews.com®.
The former world champion Quigg is coming off 3 straight wins since suffering his only defeat to former world champion Carl Frampton back in February of 2016. Scoring wins over Jose Cayetano, Viorel Simion, and a TKO over Oleg Yefimovych in his last fight.
“Just him fighting with a broken jaw proves that he’s a warrior. I know he’s a warrior. I have much respect for him and come March 10. I will prove that I am the best 126 pounder,” Valdez said about Quigg. “I’m expecting the best Scott Quigg and I expect to be 100 percent.”
On paper there is no doubt that this is the toughest opponent for Valdez.
“I would say this is the toughest fight of my career. Quigg is a respectable opponent, a former world champion and I don’t take anything away from him. I expect him ready to bring his best,” stated Manny Robles on Quigg.
For Valdez, he is coming off a unanimous decision over Genesis Servania, Valdez got off the canvas as he and his Filipino counterpart traded knockdowns. Valdez was decked in the fourth and returned the favor sending Servania to the canvas the following round in route to a decision win in a wild one.
“It was a tough fight but we were able to make the right adjustments and come out with the win,” Valdez on his last fight.
Since winning the WBO featherweight title in the summer of 2016 over Mattias Rueda, Valdez has defended his title 3 times Hiroshige Ogawa, Miguel Marriaga, and his last fight against Servania as he looks to defend his title for the fourth time.
Already a major player and champion in the stacked talented 126 pound featherweight division which also includes, Leo Santa Cruz, Carl Frampton, Lee Selby, Abner Mares, Gary Russell Jr. as well as undefeated WBC #1 contender Joseph Diaz Jr. Valdez gave us his take.
“Its a tough division. Every division is a tough division but in this division you have tough names. I would love to fight all the top fighters in the division,” Valdez on the featherweight division.
There is no question that with a win over Quigg, Valdez will look to take on one of the above names mentioned.
“If I keep winning the competition will keep growing and growing but this is the most important fight of my life,” Valdez said. “Just expect fireworks Saturday night. His style and my style are going to give the fans what they want.”
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