Home Boxing News Miguel Berchelt chasing the big names at 130 and 135 pounds

Miguel Berchelt chasing the big names at 130 and 135 pounds

Photo credit: Mikey Williams -TOP RANK

WBC super featherweight champion Miguel ‘El Alacran’ Berchelt 37-1 (33) has his sights set on the big names at 130 and 135-pounds.

The 28-year-old Mexican standout, who has made six defences of his world title, has nominated Oscar Valdez, IBF champion Joseph ‘JoJo’ Diaz, WBA champion Rene Alvarado, WBO champion Jamel Herring and lightweights Vasiliy Lomachenko and Gervonta Davis as targets when he gets back to action.

“I believe Oscar is a great fighter. I respect him a lot, but now we must face each other,” Berchelt told Lupe Contreras.

“I think Eddy Reynoso has come to add a lot of good things to his corner. He has also done a good job with Canelo Alvarez and Ryan Garcia. Now he is doing it with Oscar Valdez. It’s an excellent team, but on my side, I’m the champion and I also have a great trainer in Alfredo Caballero. It will be a great fight between Mexican fighters and Mexican trainers.”

Berchelt said he wasn’t worried about Valdez’s aggressive style.

“No, I think they will have to come up with a good strategy,” he said. “It’s worth noting that Oscar has already suffered an injury on his jaw. If I’m not mistaken, it happened in his fight against Scott Quigg. He broke his jaw.

“That’s why I believe they are going to try to fight a smart fight. He is also moving up in weight, and I don’t think he should be trading punches with me.”

If Berchelt is successful against Valdez, he says he wants to unify the world titles.

“I would love to. JoJo Diaz was recently crowned as IBF champion. Also, Jamel Herring and Rene Alvarado,” he said.

“There are some great champions in the division, but right now, all I have on my mind is to face Oscar, be victorious on this seventh title defence, and after that, whoever comes, comes for Miguel Berchelt.”

Pound-for-pound standout Vasiliy Lomachenko is a dream fight for Berchelt in the lightweight division.

“Right now, he is one of the top three pound-for-pound fighters in the world. I think he is only behind Canelo Alvarez. I would like to,” he said.

“Right now, my focus is getting through this situation of the pandemic. Then I will begin training and returning to all activities so I can face Oscar Valdez. After that, we can talk moving up to 135 to face someone like Vasiliy Lomachenko. He is a fighter that I have always wanted to face, or Teofimo Lopez.

“There are a lot of good fights to be made, but without a doubt, I would love to face Gervonta Davis. He is a very dangerous fighter and a lot of people would like to face him, but his promoter, Floyd Mayweather, protects him too much.”

Another target on Berchelt’s hitlist is rising star Shakur Stevenson if the 22-year-old southpaw moves up in weight.

“He is also a great fighter. Shakur Stevenson is a former Olympian and trains alongside Terence Crawford,” he said.

“I believe he is a fighter with a lot of ability and is one of the best fighters that Top Rank has right now, but like I mentioned, we are waiting for the fight with Oscar. I think he is still campaigning at 126. But when he gets to 130, I would like to face him.

“I think he is a great fighter, and I believe the fans want to see ‘El Alacrán’ Berchelt against the best.”