WBO super featherweight champion Jamel ‘Semper Fi’ Herring 23-2 (11) is determined to move directly into a unification bout against WBC champion Oscar Valdez 29-0 (23).
The 35-year-old Cincinnati southpaw looked in brilliant form when he knocked out former two-weight world champion Carl ‘The Jackal’ Frampton 28-3 (16) in six rounds at Caesars Palace in Dubai last Saturday night.
Mexican Valdez, 30, stamped his claimed as the best 130-pounder in the world when he defeated long-reigning champion Miguel Berchelt 37-2 (33) at ‘The Bubble’ at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in February.
Herring sees the fight as a natural, but he also has mandatory contender Shakur ‘Fearless’ Stevenson 15-0 (8) waiting in the wings.
“Valdez is the main priority for me,” Herring told Yahoo Sports. “I know Shakur is my mandatory, and this is nothing against Shakur, but if you have the opportunity to not only win another world championship but to possibly become the lineal world champion, [then you have to do it].
“I believe the Valdez fight would do a lot more for my career. That’s not saying a fight with Shakur isn’t big, but I believe in terms of accolades and credentials right now, Oscar Valdez just has more to offer.
“I want that lineal world title and everyone can’t get that lineal world title. That lineal world championship clearly states that you’re number one when you get it.
“We’re living in an era of boxing where there are so many world titles out there. People always argue about who’s the best in a certain division. But when you have that lineal title on the line and you win it, it cancels out all of that mess.
“I feel if I have the opportunity to go for it, why not?”
Herring won the WBO belt by unanimous decision against Masayuki Ito at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida in May 2019. He made a successful title defence against Lamont Roach, also on points, at Chukchansi Park in Fresno, California the following November.
But it was his second title defence against Jonathan Oquendo in Las Vegas last September that caused some fans and pundits to question his commitment when he won via disqualification in the eighth round after his right eye was damaged by a headclash in the fifth round and progressively worsened throughout the fight.
ESPN+ boxing analyst Timothy Bradley led the criticism despite Herring being comfortably ahead on the cards.
“He wanted out!” the animated Bradley shouted into the mic. “I’ve gotta tell you that. He wanted out! That’s the problem that I’m having right now, because I’m trying to digest all of this, and I’m saying: ‘OK, the reason why you can’t see is because you’ve got blood dripping down in your eye… You can see once they clear that up!’ To me, I honestly feel like he gave up.”
Herring knew he needed a big performance against Frampton and he delivered in spades.
“I could understand why people would choose Frampton over me,” Herring said. “He had the experience. He was the hungrier fighter because he was trying to make history, so of course, I knew what I was up against.
“It’s hard to beat a man who has a big dream. His dream was to do something not only for himself, but his country. I had to somehow topple that in terms of getting the victory.”
