Bob Arum wants Óscar Valdez to defend title versus Carl Frampton
Top Rank boss Bob Arum wants WBO featherweight champion Óscar Valdez to defend his title against Ireland’s Carl Frampton soon.
The Mexican-American returns to the ring on February 2nd, putting his brown belt on the line versus Italian Carmine Tomassone.
It is a first fight back for Valdez [24(19)-0] since his win over Scott Quigg last March – a fight in which the massively overweight Quigg broke the champion’s jaw.
With the break in mind, he takes a relatively soft voluntary versus former EU champ Tomassone [19(5)-0] but Arum wants him back in big fights immediately aferwards.
Ahead of Frampton’s unsuccessful challenge of IBF champ Josh Warrington last month, the talk was that the winner would then look to unify with Valdez.
Promoter of both, Frank Warren, has a strong relationship with Arum but victor Warrington is now straddled with a mandatory defence versus Sheffield’s Kid Galahad.
This could pave the way for Frampton to fight Valdez and it is a bout which Arum is keen on.
The veteran fight boss told Boxing News that “I’d like him to fight, since Warrington may be taken, I’d like him to fight Frampton maybe.”
Frampton [25(16)-2(0)] has yet to confirm whether he will continue boxing following the Warrington loss.
The 31-year-old is set for talks with Warren soon to decide his future but has hinted that rematches with either Warrington or WBA champion Leo Santa Cruz would entice him to box on.
READ: Frampton and Warren to hold crucial talks
Warrington and Warren do not seem keen on a rematch of the Manchester Arena-hosted clash while Santa Cruz is mentioning Frampton’s name less than ever – although PBC bigwigs are reportedly open to the fight.
READ: Josh Warrington not keen on Frampton rematch
READ: PBC open to Santa Cruz-Frampton rubber match
Therefore, a fight with Valdez, a legitimate world title fight, could take Frampton’s fancy – and ‘The Jackal’ did seem keen when he was initially called out by the Top Rank star back in 2017.
READ: Frampton responds to Valdez call-out
