Undefeated WBO titleholders Oscar Valdez, Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, and Jessie Magdaleno will headline an exciting event in separate title defenses, Saturday, April 22, under the stars at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.
Produced and distributed live by Top Rank Pay-Per-View, the telecast will also feature the pro debut of U.S. Olympic silver medalist Shakur Stevenson in a six-round featherweight bout.
The live pay-per-view telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET and will be available on all conventional platforms, as well as www.TopRank.tv and mobile devices. Tickets go on sale today, Tuesday, March 7, at 1 P.M. ET. Priced at $128.50, $77.50, $52.00 and $36.70, at AXS.com or by visiting the StubHub Center box office.
Valdez (22-0, 19 KOs), from Nogales, México, will be making the second defense of his WBO featherweight title against No. 1 contender and NABO champion Miguel “Escorpión” Marriaga (25-1, 21 KOs), from Arjona, Colombia; Ramírez (34-0, 24 KOs), from Mazatlán, México, will be making his first defense of the WBO super middleweight title against Top-10 contender Max “Tiger” Bursak (33-4-1, 15 KOs), of Kiev, Ukraine; Magdaleno (24-0, 17 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nev., will be making the first defense of his WBO junior featherweight title against WBO Latino champion Adeilson “Dell” Dos Santos (18-2, 14 KOs), of São Paulo, Brasil, and Stevenson, the crown jewel of the 2016 U.S. Olympic team and the pride of Newark, NJ, will be making his eagerly-awaited professional debut in a four-round featherweight bout.
The six world championship warriors have a combined record of 156-7-1 for a winning percentage of 95% with a victory by knockout ratio of 71%.
“Óscar Valdez, Gilberto Ramírez and Jessie Magdaleno are becoming the new faces of boxing. They are in the hurt business and they love their work. That’s why their fan base is growing like the S&P, they give the fans great value — a big bang for the buck,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. “And with Shakur Stevenson, the sky is the limit. He is such a talent.”
“Every fight is important to me. I respect Marriaga just like every fighter I face. And I will do whatever I have to do to win,” said Valdez. “This will be the second defense of my belt and I know the challengers are going to come after me, but I will be more than ready to give the fans a great fight and retain my championship.”
“The only way I don’t win my Oscar on April 22 is if Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway read the decision,” said Marriaga. “Second chances are rare in boxing and I’m going to make the most of my second shot at a world title. My trainer. “Professor” [Samuel] Gómez, and I will be prepared to give the performance of a lifetime on April 22.”
“Óscar Valdez Is boxing’s next big star. He’ll be defending his title at the StubHub Center in front of the Southern California fans who love him so much,” said Frank Espinoza, Valdez’s manager. “He is an incredible talent and a future superstar. You have to see Óscar fight live. It’s always nice to catch a star on the rise so that someday you can say, ‘Hey I watched him back in the day,’ like they say about Julio César Chávez. Óscar Valdez is extremely driven and looking to be a legend. He’s ready mentally and physically for the next step.”
“I feel very happy and I’m thankful for the opportunity of defending my title for the first time,” said Ramírez. “I’m motivated and I feel a great desire to return to the ring. I have been active in my hometown of Mazatlán and training like if I was going to fight. Now I’m ready to fight! I feel 100% recovered from the injury in my hand. I feel better than ever and with more confidence in my punching power. On April 22 I will give the fans an explosive fight with lots of action. Max Bursak is a solid strong fighter. He is a brawler and he is coming with hunger of triumph for all the Ukrainians. It will be very good for three Mexicans to be defending our titles on the same card and even more here, in California, where there is a big boxing fan base.”
“Ramírez is young, tough and already an experienced fighter. But I’m also not an ‘easy walk’. We have almost similar records and achievements, so it’s going to be a very interesting clash,” said Bursak. “I’m already working hard in the gym, because I’m coming to California to win!”
“Gilberto is returning from an excellent recovery period after the surgery he had in one of the knuckles of his right hand. He has been very active, running and doing therapy in Mazatlan since the doctor cleared him last year,” said Jesus Zapari, Ramírez’s manager. “After he was done with therapy, he started doing some conditioning training, until he was cleared to start punching. He is now a world champion who will not have any easy opponents. Zurdo has being training hard to keep improving with each fight. He now has more confidence in his punching power. We are very happy that the fight will be at StubHub Center in Los Angeles. We have always wanted to fight in that venue because of the great fans that are in Southern California. It will be a great night of boxing and Zurdo will put on a great show for the fans”
“To be a champion today you have to work hard every day, go after the big challenges and see the big picture,” said Magdaleno. “That is what I am doing to express myself and my legacy in the sport, going into a title fight like this one.”
“For me this is a unique opportunity, to be fighting for the world title of a very big entity that is the WBO,” said Dos Santos. “I know that Jessie is a very good fighter. He is a real champion. Fighting for the title has always been a dream for me and today it has come true. Thanks to my Agent Patrick Nascimento and my promoter Edu Mello. I’m training very hard for this fight. I’m very focused. I know it will not be an easy job. For those who know me, on April 22, you will see a different Adeilson. I’m working to put on a big show and win the title.”
“Jessie Magdaleno fights April 22nd at the StubHub and I think the knowledgeable Southern California fans are going to get a glimpse of a very talented young champion,” said Espinoza, who also manages Magdaleno. “He’s building a big fan base and I think the StubHub is the perfect place for him to develop. The fans are going to fall in love with this kid and his fighting style. He’s a real warrior an old school fighter who gives you everything. He’s a must-see fighter!”
“I’m excited to start a new chapter in my boxing career and make my pro debut on April 22 at the Stub Hub Center,” said Stevenson. “There have been so many exciting fights in that building and I plan to add to that history in my first pro fight. I’m already training hard and everyone is going to see what I’m all about on April 22, live on Top Rank Pay-Per-View.”
