Berchelt-Valdez and Flores-Velez to air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Fight fans outside the US can watch the fight LIVE on FITE TV (click here).
(ESPN & ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT)
• Miguel Berchelt 130 lbs vs. Oscar Valdez 130 lbs
(Berchelt’s WBC Super Featherweight World Title — 12 Rounds)
• Gabriel Flores Jr. 132 lbs vs. Jayson Velez 132 lbs
(Junior Lightweight — 10 Rounds)
(ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT)
• Esquiva Falcao 162 lbs vs. Artur Akavov 161.5 lbs
(Middleweight — 10 Rounds)
• Elvis Rodriguez 143 lbs vs. Luis Alberto Veron 142 lbs
(Jr. Welterweight — 8 Rounds)
• Xander Zayas 146 lbs vs. James Martin 146 lbs
(Welterweight — 6 Rounds)
• Sonny Conto 221.5 lbs vs. Waldo Cortes 255.5 lbs
(Heavyweight — 4 Rounds)
• Javier Martinez 161 lbs vs. Billy Wagner 160 lbs
(Middleweight — 4 Rounds)
• Omar Rosario 140 lbs vs. Uriel Villanueva 141 lbs
(Jr. Welterweight — 4 Rounds)
The 2021 Fight of the Year race has officially started, as Miguel Berchelt and Oscar Valdez will face off in one of the most anticipated all-Mexican fistic showdowns in years. Cancun’s Berchelt will defend his WBC super featherweight world title against Nogales native Valdez in a special Top Rank on ESPN telecast Saturday, Feb. 20
The 10-round super featherweight co-feature will see rising 20-year-old Gabriel Flores Jr. against Jayson Velez.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions, Berchelt-Valdez and Flores-Cancio will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
“Miguel Berchelt and Oscar Valdez are two proud Mexican warriors who will give boxing fans a memorable fight,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Top Rank promoted all three bouts between Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales, and I view Berchelt-Valdez as this generation’s Barrera-Morales.”
Berchelt (38-1, 34 KOs) has held the WBC super featherweight title since January 2017, when he knocked out Francisco Vargas in the 11th round. His last five title defenses have ended via the quick route, including a ninth-round TKO over Miguel Roman, a sixth-round TKO over Vargas in their May 2019 rematch, and a fourth-round knockout over former world champion Jason Sosa. He fought last June in a non-title bout and knocked out Eleazar Valenzuela in six one-sided rounds.
“This fight is the one that I dreamed of since we were both amateur fighters,” Berchelt said. “Valdez is a great fighter, and it will be a great fight. I am preparing with everything to win by knockout and leave no doubt that I am the best super featherweight in the world.”
Valdez (28-0, 22 KOs) is a two-time Mexican Olympian who vacated the WBO featherweight world title last year after six title defenses, which included scintillating 12-round barnburners against the likes of Scott Quigg, Genesis Servania and Miguel Marriaga. He suffered a severely broken jaw against Quigg in March 2018, returned 11 months later, and has since won four consecutive bouts. Since moving up to 130 pounds, Valdez has scored stoppage wins over Adam Lopez and Jayson Velez.
Valdez said, “Whenever there are two Mexicans in the ring, it is a guaranteed war, and it will be an honor for me to bring a great war to my fans.”
Velez replaces Andrew Cancio, who pulled out with a back injury
February 20: Gabriel Flores Jr. vs. Jayson Velez Tabbed as Miguel Berchelt-Oscar Valdez Co-Feature LIVE on ESPN
Berchelt-Valdez and Flores-Velez to air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
Undefeated super featherweight standout Gabriel Flores Jr. will fight former world title challenger Jayson Velez in a 10-round tilt Saturday, Feb. 20, as the co-feature to the highly anticipated all-Mexican showdown between WBC super featherweight world champion Miguel Berchelt and former featherweight kingpin Oscar Valdez.
Velez replaces former world champion Andrew Cancio, who suffered a back injury.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions, Berchelt-Valdez and Flores-Velez will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
Velez (29-7-1, 21 KOs), from Juncos, Puerto Rico, makes a quick comeback to the ESPN airwaves following his spirited effort against Valdez last July. He lost via 10th-round TKO after suffering a pair of knockdowns in that round. A 14-year pro, Velez has victories over former two-weight world champion Juan Manuel Lopez, former WBC super bantamweight world champion Victor Terrazas and then-unbeaten prospect Alberto Mercado.
