WBO super featherweight champion Shakur ‘Fearless’ Stevenson 17-0 (9) believes WBC counterpart Oscar Valdez 30-0 (23) avoided him when they were both competing at featherweight.
The pair will meet in a unification bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada this Saturday night.
“I speak the truth every time I talk,” Stevenson said. “I felt like he didn’t want to fight me at 126. Now we’re here at 130. He was trying to fight [Emanuel] Navarrete before fighting me. But we’re here now. We can’t keep talking about that. The fight is Saturday and I’m ready to fight.
“I never said I’m on the pound-for-pound list yet. I said that after this fight, once I get past Oscar Valdez, I’ll be on the pound-for-pound list.
“I’ve been waiting on this moment my whole life. It’s taken years and years of training, since I was an amateur, to prepare for this moment. I feel like I’m ready.”
Stevenson has been sparring with undefeated WBO welterweight champion Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford. Valdez is coached by Eddy Reynoso and works closely with Mexican superstar and undisputed super middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.
“When Bud [Crawford] was in my camp, he came and we sparred each other,” Stevenson said. “I feel like it was different from [Valdez’s] camp because he had Canelo with him during every step of the way. Canelo was right there next to him telling him out to hook and jab. They were with each other step of the way. So, when I beat him, I’m going to feel good beating him, Canelo, Eddy Reynoso, the whole team.”
There is some interesting history between Stevenson and Valdez. The 24-year-old from Newark, New Jersey, made his pro debut on a Valdez undercard five years ago. Mexican Valdez, 31, was making the second defence of his WBO featherweight title against Miguel Marriaga. He was 21-0 at the time.
“I was on his undercard,” Stevenson said. “I was focused on my fight, but then I saw his fight in the main event. I was definitely thinking about me and him fighting later on. I knew we were at the same weight. It was always in my head that we were going to fight.
“I think he’s going to bang. That’s it. I think he’s trying to trick me into thinking he’s going to box me and be technical. I’m not falling for that. I’m ready for the Oscar Valdez who goes in there throwing hooks and putting pressure.”
Promoter Bob Arum, who can recently recovered from Covid-19, praised both boxers ahead of their clash.
“I really feel terrific,” the Top Rank boss said. “This shows how boxing should be produced. You’ll see in the main event two fighters who’ve had all of their professional fights with Top Rank. Now, they’ll be facing off against each other.”
