Ahead of his upcoming clash against Emanuel Navarrete (37-1, 31 KOs) on August 12, Óscar Valdez (31-1, 23 KOs) says a war can be expected. The bout is set for the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, USA. On the line will be the WBO super featherweight title. The fight will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN+, and ESPN Deportes in the USA. Also part of the main ESPN broadcast will be a lightweight bout between Raymond Muratalla (18-0, 15 KOs) and Diego Torres (17-0, 16 KOs). Richard Torrez Jr. (5-0, 5 KOs) will return to the Desert Diamond Arena for a second time this year to take on Willie Jake Jr. (11-3-2, 3 KOs). Additional undercard bouts will be broadcast live on ESPN+ prior to Torrez-Jake.
Following a recent training session in Lake Tahoe, Valdez spoke about preparing for this fight and how he sees it going. Below are his statements:
Valdez post training session quotes
“I’m excited. It’s getting close. It’s one of the most important fights of my career because it means everything for me to come back and win that title. I feel blessed to have this opportunity, and I’m taking advantage of it every single day so that I can accomplish my dream.”
“We all know that Navarrete has an awkward style. We might not have the perfect sparring that can emulate his style. But we try to imitate him in the mittwork and strategy. He’s not your typical fighter that throws straight shots.”
“I like training here in Lake Tahoe. It’s isolated from everybody. We’re up in the mountains. We’re training in great weather and at a great altitude. I love it here. It’s nice and relaxing. There’s no anxiety here. There’s clear air. It’s perfect for being focused on camp.”
“I always tell people that I grew up during the era of Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera. Those two fighters inspired me to be the fighter that I am today. So, to leave something similar in history would mean the world to me.”
“I’m more motivated for this fight than any other fight I’ve been in. People are excited about this fight. Everywhere I go, I get the same question: ‘When are you going to fight Vaquero?’ And that’s because we all know that a war is coming.”
Both men to finally clash
Both men were initially meant to face each other in February this year. However, the fight was postponed due to an injury to Valdez. Navarrete wound up defeating Liam Wilson in an entertaining clash instead. On the other hand, Valdez faced Adam Lopez for a second time on the Devin Haney-Vasyl Lomachenko undercard, winning via unanimous decision.
Both men have vowed to bring their best into this bout. Fight fans have had to wait quite a while for this clash to finally take place. Assuming nothing goes awry, fans will finally to get to see this intriguing match-up on August 12.
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