By Jim Calfa: Former two-division world champion Oscar Valdez will battle Adam Lopez in a rematch at super featherweight in the chief support spot on the Devin Haney vs. Vasily Lomachenko card on May 20th on ESPN+ PPV in Las Vegas.
Valdez (30-1, 23 KOs) is coming off a year layoff and a defeat at the hands of Shakur Stevenson when he faces ‘Blunose’ Lopez (16-4, 6 KOs) in a rematch of their fight four years ago in November 2019.
Lopez dropped Valdez in the second round of that fight and gave him massive problems before getting stopped in the seventh round when he came storming back.
Boxing fans were hoping to see Valdez face Abraham Nova (22-1, 15) instead of Lopez, as he easily defeated him by a 10 round unanimous decision last January. Oscar’s management likely felt Nova was too tough of an opponent for him to face coming off a 13-month layoff and a one-sided 12 round unanimous decision to Shakur last year.
The 26-year-old Lopez’s only career defeats have come against these solid fighters: Abraham Nova, Isaac Dogboe, Stephen Fulton, and Oscar Valdez. All four of those fights were competitive ones.
Valdez had been scheduled to fight Emanuel Navarrete, but the fight fell out after Oscar suffered a rib injury in training for the clash. Navarrete defeated Liam Wilson by a ninth round knockout to capture the vacant WBO super featherweight title.
The way Navarrete looked in that fight, he likely would have lost to Valdez if it had been him inside the ring that night.
Wilson had Navarrete on the verge of a knockout in the fourth round when he spat his mouthpiece to save himself from being stopped. Valdez was in the crowd that night, laughing at how bad the sluggish Navarrete looked.
If Valdez defeats Lopez on May 20th, he’ll face Navarrete later this year for his WBO 130-lb title. It should be an interesting one.
“Oscar Valdez and Adam Lopez will meet in a 130-pound rematch on May 20 in Las Vegas,” said Mike Coppinger to ESPN. “The bout will serve as chief support for the Devin Haney – Vasiliy Lomachenko fight for the undisputed lightweight championship on ESPN+ PPV. ”
“If Valdez defeats Lopez again as expected, Navarrete will defend the title vs. Valdez later this year.”
Valdez had a big year in 2021, defeating WBC super featherweight champion Miguel Berchelt by a ninth round knockout to capture his title, and then successfully defending it once, beating Robson Conceicao by a 12 round unanimous decision before losing the title to Stevenson a year ago.