It's a go: Oscar Valdez and Shakur Stevenson to fight April 30

Just what boxing needs, champions fighting champions. Unification time.

WBC champion Oscar Valdez hopes to become a Mexican boxing legend. WBO king Shakur Stevenson is eyeing the mythical pound-for-pound rankings.

It all goes down April 30 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
 
Stevenson and Valdez are vying to become the first unified junior lightweight champion since Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera in 2005.
 
“Oscar Valdez and Shakur Stevenson are the world’s best junior lightweights. The fans and the fighters demanded this matchup, and we are proud to deliver it live on ESPN for no extra charge,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “The winner becomes a superstar, and I know both men will rise to challenge.”
 
Valdez (30-0, 23 KOs), the fighting pride of Nogales, Mexico, is closing in on an undefeated decade as a professional. He is 9-0 in world title fights and has solidified his standing as one of Mexico’s consummate ring warriors. His 2017 featherweight title defenses against Miguel Marriaga and Genesis Servania were Fight of the Year contenders.

In March 2018, Valdez defeated Scott Quigg despite fighting with a broken jaw for several rounds. Valdez is 4-0 since moving up to junior lightweight, winning the WBC title with the 2021 Knockout of the Year over Miguel Berchelt. That win shocked some. Last September, he made his first defense of that title, coming on strong in the later rounds to edge Robson Conceição by unanimous decision.
 
"I want to make it clear that I am the best 130-pound fighter in the world,” Valdez said. “We know Shakur Stevenson is very good at fighting, but he’s even better at social media. I’ll let my fists speak for themselves.”
 
Stevenson (17-0, 9 KOs), from Newark, New Jersey, won the vacant WBO featherweight world title against Joet Gonzalez in 2019 after Valdez vacated the title to campaign to move up in weight. Stevenson moved up to fight in weight after dominating Gonzalez, winning three fights before challenging WBO junior lightweight world champion Jamel Herring last October in Atlanta. After being criticized for lack of action, Stevenson dominated and stopped Herring in the 10th round to become a two-weight world champion. 
 
Stevenson said, “I have been chasing this fight for nearly three years since we were both at featherweight. On April 30, I’m going to show him and the world why he ducked me all this time. I’m the best young fighter in the world, and I will become unified champion.”