Oscar Valdez vs. Liam Wilson fight preview, predictions, undercard, odds, start time, live stream
CBSN
The WBO interim junior lightweight title is on the line on Friday night in Arizona
On Friday, Liam Wilson and Oscar Valdez will meet in a bout that could serve as something of a backdoor world championship clash. When Wilson and Valdez share the ring in Glendale, Arizona, the WBO interim junior lightweight championship will be up for grabs. Oscar Valdez -375 Liam Wilson +275 Interim WBO super featherweight title Seniesa Estrada (c) -220 Yokasta Valle (c) +175 Undisputed minimumweight title Raymond Muratalla -3000 Xolisani Ndongeni +1400 Lightweight Richard Torrez Jr. -4000 Donald Haynesworth +1500 Heavyweight Emiliano Vargas -5000 Nelson Hampton +1500 Lightweight
The interim title was added just days out from the bout. That's because WBO world champion Emanuel Navarrete is set to move up to lightweight to fight Denys Berinchyk for the vacant title at 135 pounds in May. Should Navarrete defeat Berinchyk and decide to remain at lightweight, the winner of Valdez vs. Wilson would be elevated to world champion at junior lightweight.
Both Valdez (31-2, 23 KO) and Wilson (13-2, 7 KO) lost title bids against Navarrete in 2023. Wilson dropped Navarrete in the fourth round but couldn't hold off the champion from there, eventually suffering a ninth-round TKO loss. Valdez and Navarrete went to war in their clash, producing one of the most exciting fights of the year before Navarrete walked away with a unanimous decision win.
