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Shakur Stevenson isn’t ruling out the dangers that a knockout artist like Oscar Valdez will bring into their upcoming fight. He is well aware of Valdez’s prowess and has also noted how underestimating the Mexican fighter has proven costly for several other pugilists.
However, this hasn’t shrunk Stevenson's confidence ahead of the scrap. The WBO champion may be extra cautious with his shot and is clearly not sleeping on his upcoming opponent. At least, that's what he claimed in his recent interaction with Fight HUB TV. ‘Fearless’ said:
“You can’t count him out, you can’t look at him like he is an easy fight like Berchelt probably thought he [Valdez] was an easy fight. He [Berchelt] got slept on him [Valdez]. I am not sleeping on him.”
In an active career of 30-0, Oscar Valdez has bagged 23 KOs so far. As mentioned by Shakur Stevenson, Miguel Berchelt overlooked Valdez's qualities prior to their in-ring collision. Valdez showcased a clinical performance and stopped Berchelt in round 10 of their 12-round clash.
Watch Oscar Valdez vanquish Miguel Berchelt below:
The win fetched Oscar Vadez the WBC Lightweight belt, which he defended against Robson Conceicao in September 2021. With 13 professional fights, more than his upcoming opponent, Oscar Valdez is looking for a career-defining victory at this stage.
Can Shakur Stevenson deal with Oscar Valdez’s power?
Akin to Oscar Valdez, Shakur Stevenson has also been on a flawless run so far, reckoning in the super featherweight division with his dominant showdowns. His record stands at 17-0 in which ‘Fearless’ has gained 9 knockouts so far. Fresh from a world title win, he is now on the brink of adding another world title to the belt collection.
Stevenson is a southpaw puncher and has flexed alluring speed in all of his appearances. These features can turn out to be extremely problematic for Oscar Valdez who is an orthodox boxer. Both men can offer a tough time, citing an incoming slugfest. This is what makes the upcoming fight one of the most entertaining affairs in the sport's recent years.
Meanwhile, another super fight between Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor will also happen on the same date under the Matchroom-MVP banner. Hence, boxing fans will clearly be in for a treat in a few days.
