Champions Oscar Valdez and Shakur Stevenson fight this Saturday night

Skill baby.

WBC junior lightweight titleholder Oscar Valdez and WBO champion Shakur Stevenson have it in bunches.

But, who has more?

And who wins this Saturday night when they mee,t at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV?

Let’s get into it.

Valdez (30-0, 23 KOs) captured the WBO featherweight title five years ago when he blasted out previously undefeated Carlos Adrian Rueda in less than two rounds. The fight was one-sided. He stopped Hiroshige Osawa in his first title defense and won exciting decisions against Miguel Marriaga and Genesis Servania.

Nothing boring about a Valdez fight. Down in round four, he floored Servania a few minutes later.

The guy is one gutsy warrior. In 2018, Scott Quigg, who also missed weight, broke his jaw in round five. Valdez spits blood and kept battling. He won the fight by unanimous decision. He was back in the ring 11 months later.

“I will always give my 150 percent,” Valdez said in the ESPN documentary, “Blood, Sweat, and Tears.”

In 2021, Valdez met a fighter most figured would end his championship run. Miguel Berchelt, 38 wins in 40 bouts, 34 knockouts. Scary. But Valdez isn’t everybody. He’s who he is. And that night, he peeked.

“I felt like a pit bull on a lease,” Valdez said. “I was so focused.”

The fight began slowly. Valdez was moving and punching. And scoring. Berchelt landed a right in round three. Valdez snapped his head back with more jabs. He also landed a sweet left hook. Berchelt was stalking, but not rocking. A counter left hook wobbled him. Valdez opened up, sending Berchelt to the ropes - an automatic knockdown.

In round five, Valdez went right back to work. - landing a big left. Berchelt was hurt but hung on. Valdez went back to jabbing in round seven. Berchelt chased Valdez - landing a right. Valdez fought back with hooks. In the next heat, he connected with a beauty of a one-two.

In a move that foreshadowed the end, Berchelt ran into a punch.

A three-punch combination put Berchelt on the seat of his pants. Valdez kept his cool. The assassin-in-waiting. Valdez went back to the stick in round 10. Berchelt’s face swelled, and his legs wobbled. Valdez landed a long right. The end was near. With seconds to go in the stanza, as Berchelt chased after him again, Valdez exploded with a left hook that landed on Berchelt’s chin.

The fight was emphatically over.

If Valdez,31, is the warrior, Stevenson,24, is the budding professor. He’s smooth, slick, and crafty in the ring. 

“I don’t think there’s a lot of fighters of today who understand the logic of boxing,” said Stevenson.”I master in range and master in hitting and not being hit.”

Stevenson (17-0, 9 KOs) has been a professional for only five years. But he’s a natural. In his 13th pro fight, he won the WBO crown by easily outclassing Joet Gonzalez. Fought twice in 2020, winning every round. Last year met dangerous Jeremia Nakathila.  Dominant from the opening bell, he knocked Nakathila down in round four. He cruised to a decision win - and was criticized for not winning by knockout. Many said he ran against Nakathila. Dubious, but he heard them. 

That one was for the super featherweight championship against Jamel Herring. Ring walks can sometimes give away what’s going on with a fighter. Not always, but sometimes. Against Herring, Stevenson walked up the aisle with a rapper at his side and his trainers following. Confident. As he stepped through the ropes, his head bobbing slightly to the music, Stevenson glided to his corner, where he turned and stared at the center of the ring. He looked serene. Like many fighters, the squared circle is where Stevenson feels most comfortable.

Herring, eleven years older, didn’t look nearly as confident. It didn’t take long to see why. Stevenson took over the bout immediately. The shorter fighter by three inches, Stevenson looks bigger. And stronger. He snapped his jab in Herring’s face.

After the opening three minutes, the template was set. Stevenson was sharp and accurate - while Herring was dull and waving at the air. Stevenson does this for another nine rounds. Herring tries to hang with him, occasionally landing but with little effect.

When the end comes in round 10, Stevenson, mindful of the criticism that he’s not exciting enough, is all over Herring, peppering him with cutting shots until the referee waves the fight off.

So, who have you got?

Valdez, the determined warrior who will walk through fire to prove fans and foes wrong?

Or Stevenson, the natural, who fights with a jazzy rhythm?

Valdez was sub-par in his last fight. Distractions - due to testing positive for the banned stimulant Phentermine undoubtedly contributed. Perhaps a bit of letdown as well.

I expect him to bring his A-game this Saturday night.

Stevenson is faster and younger than Valdez. He can outbox him and possibly cut him and win by stoppage. Unless, Valdez lands a game-changing hook. It could happen.

But as good as Valdez is, Stevenson is better.