Will Oscar Valdez Impress?
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Oscar Valdez has a huge opportunity Saturday night.
The 24-year-old Mexican featherweight faces veteran journeyman-type fighter Ruben Tamayo on the Bradley-Vargas undercard in a bout that was only recently added to the HBO broadcast.
Valdez, a 2012 Olympian for Mexico, has an impressive resume with 14 of his 15 wins coming inside the distance. His last three fights have been against competition on par with his far more recognizable compatriot, Leo Santa Cruz.
Tamayo isn't a world-beater, and barring something nobody expects, he'll probably get flattened by the powerful and speedy Valdez. Jesus Cuellar knocked out Tamayo in a challenge for an interim world title in December.
This is a good but not great fight—though Tamayo is a step up in class—except in the sense that it gives HBO and Top Rank a chance to showcase a blue-chip prospect that they hope will turn into a future star.
Valdez gets this opportunity largely through the bad luck of Humberto Soto, who saw not one but two fights fall through due to circumstances outside of his control. These are the types of breaks that happen in boxing, and you need to be ready to seize them.