Óscar Valdez

Óscar Rafael Valdez Fierro Jr. (born 22 December 1990) is a Mexican professional boxer.

He is a former world champion in two weight classes, holding the WBC super featherweight title from 2021 to 2022, and the WBO featherweight title from 2016 to 2019.

At age 17, Valdez came to upset 2007 PanAm champion Carlos Cuadras in the semifinal of the 2007 National Championships and winning the bantamweight championship in his next bout.

At the Olympic qualifier, he edged out Brazilian James Pereira in the semifinal and got one of two votes even though he lost in the final to Cuba's Yankiel León, getting a silver medal and a pass to the Beijing Olympics with only 3 international bouts under his belt.

In Beijing however, he ran right into eventual gold medal winner Enkhbatyn Badar-Uugan of Mongolia and lost his first bout 4–15.

As an amateur boxer, Valdez qualified for the 2008 Olympics at the age of 17 and became the first Mexican Youth World Champion.

In 2008, he moved up to Featherweight and won the first 2008 Youth World Amateur Boxing Championships.

The tournament was held in Guadalajara in his home country, and he showed off the experience he had gained by beating his opponents from Barbados, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Russia.

In the semi-finals, he had also knocked out the opponent from Ukraine in the first round.

In the finals, he dominated the opposition, such as Russian Maxim Dadashev, whom he beat 12–0 in the final.

In Milan, at the 2009 World Amateur Boxing Championships (seniors), he won the bronze medal and became the first Mexican to achieve a medal at a World Champhionships in the history of the sport in Mexico.

After his run through of the Featherweight division, once again Valdez moved back down to Bantamweight.

There, he won his Olympic qualifier.

Four years later, he qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Valdez is known for his aggressive fighting style, punching power and combination punching.

He holds a 72% knockout-to-win percentage.

Valdez won his first fight in the 2012 Olympic Games, defeating India's Shiva Thapa by a margin of 14–9.

In his second fight of the games, he won to Tajikistan's Anvar Yunusov by a margin of 13–7 then lost 13–19 to Ireland's John Joe Nevin.

On 28 August 2012, Valdez signed a long term contract with manager Frank Espinoza.

Later that year, he signed a five-year promotional contract with Top Rank.

Valdez made his professional debut at the age of 21 on 3 November.

He defeated Angel Prado via 2nd round stoppage in a scheduled six round fight.

The fight took place at the Centro de Usos Multiples in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.

In December, Valdez knocked out Corben Page in round 2 at the Texas Station Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Both fights took place at featherweight.

The fight significantly ended the successive knockout streak dating back to Valdez's fight in November 2012.

In 2013, Valdez fought a total of six times at super featherweight, winning all the bouts inside the distance.

By the end of the year, he racked up a record of 8 wins, all by stoppage and no defeats.

On 1 March 2014 Valdez fought Samuel Sanchez on the undercard of Lomachenko-Salido at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The fight was halted in round 3, as Valdez won via technical knockout.

Valdez next fought in April on the Pacquiao-Bradley II undercard.

He fought Adrian Perez (10–4–1, 1 KO) for the vacant NABF Junior super featherweight title in his first 8-round bout.

The fight ended in round 4 when Valdez landed with a left hand to the liver, followed by a right hand, which sent Perez down to all fours.

Perez made no attempt to get to his feet as the referee waved an end the bout.

The three judges had Valdez ahead (30–27) at the time of stoppage.

Valdez successfully defended the title in May at the Forum in Inglewood, California retiring Noel Echevarria (11–2, 6 KOs) after round 6.

Valdez returned to featherweight for the first time in nine fights on 26 July and went on to claim the vacant NABF Junior featherweight title in an 8-round unanimous decision victory against experienced journeyman Juan Ruiz (23–14, 7 KOs) at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix, Arizona.

All three judges equally scored the fight 80–71 in Valdez's favour.

Ruiz was deducted 1 point for excessive holding during the fight.

Valdez made a defence of the NABF Junior super featherweight title in the Alamadome in November against Mexican boxer Alberto Garza 26–8–1, 21 KOs). Valdez retained the title via a technical knockout in round 7. The fight marked Valdez's HBO debut. Valdez fought a further five times towards the end of 2014 through to December 2015. Notable boxers he defeated included former super bantamweight title challenger Chris Avalos, Jose Ramirez and former interim World featherweight title challenger Ruben Tamayo.