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Oscar Valdez is gearing up for a comeback as he prepares to face off against Liam Wilson in a highly anticipated junior lightweight clash. The bout is scheduled to headline an ESPN card at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on Friday.
Valdez (31-2, 23 KOs), a former 126 and 130-pound champion, is eager to bounce back after a tough loss to Emanuel Navarrete last August. This fight against Wilson (13-2, 7 KOs) will mark his first return to the ring since then.
"I feel incredibly blessed to have this opportunity to step into the ring," Valdez told BoxingScene. "I'm physically and mentally prepared for this fight and to give the fans an exciting matchup. My style and Liam Wilson's style will make for a fan-friendly fight. I'm thrilled and eager to showcase my skills once again."
Despite a career-defining knockout win against Miguel Berchelt in 2021, Valdez has struggled to maintain momentum. Following the Berchelt fight, he tested positive for a VADA-banned substance before defeating Robson Conceicao. Valdez then suffered a unanimous decision defeat against Shakur Stevenson in a 2022 title unification bout. Although he secured a win against Adam Lopez last May, Valdez faced another setback against Navarrete.
Meanwhile, Wilson, 28, from Queensland, Australia, is no pushover. In his last fight against Navarrete, he managed to drop the 130-pound titleholder with a fierce combination, although he ultimately lost via ninth-round stoppage.
"Liam Wilson is a tough competitor, and I have a lot of respect for him," Valdez said. "We've seen how he troubled Navarrete. He's the kind of fighter you can't underestimate in the ring because he carries that knockout power. I've been studying his reach advantage, and he has a great left hook."
Trained by Eddy Reynoso, Valdez is determined to climb the ranks at junior lightweight and sees himself competing at 130 pounds for the foreseeable future. However, he is open to a potential fight at 135 pounds if it means securing a career-defining bout against Top Rank stablemate Vasiliy Lomachenko.
"This fight against Wilson means everything to me because the winner is one step closer to a world title shot at 130 pounds," Valdez stated. "This is my division, and my goal this year is to regain a world championship. But first, I must win this fight. I'm mentally preparing as if it's a world title bout."