Two-time Mexican Olympian and undefeated human wrecking machine Óscar Valdez will be featured in a 10-round featherweight bout, against former title challenger Ruben “Canelito” Tamayo, on the undercard of the Timothy Bradley Jr. vs. Jessie Vargas WBO welterweight championship fight, next Saturday, June 27, under the stars at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. Bradley vs. Vargas will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing, beginning at 9:45 pm.
“Óscar Valdez has carried his beloved Mexican Olympic flag into the pro ranks. Fans love to watch him fight because they know he brings dynamite in both fists,” said Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank. “His style of fighting — and winning — has the potential to make him one of the most popular fighters in the world. So far, Óscar has been nothing short of sensational.”
Valdez (16-0, 14 KOs), who represented Mexico in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and was the first Mexican fighter to qualify for two Olympic games, is considered one of the bright lights of the featherweight division and a top prospect in boxing. On the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao – Timothy Bradley welterweight world championship rematch last year, Valdez captured the NABF super featherweight junior title, knocking out Adrian Perez in the fourth round.
Valdez successfully defended that title twice in 2014, knocking out Noel Echevarria and Alberto Gonzalez in the sixth and seventh rounds, respectively. Valdez, 24, from Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, returns to the ring fresh from yet another knockout victory, this time a third-round blasting of Jose Ramirez on April 11 in Laredo. He is currently world-rated No. 14 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and No. 15 by the World Boxing Council (WBC).
Tamayo (23-5-4, 15 KOs), a southpaw from Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico, returns to the ring in his 2015 debut. In his last bout, December 20, 2014, Tamayo, 26, got his first world title shot, where he unsuccessfully challenged World Boxing Association (WBA) interim featherweight champion Jesus Cuellar, losing via a fifth-round TKO. He is 9-3-2 in his last 14 fights. More than half of those victories have come by way of knockout.
