No excuses! Valdez targets June 8 clash with Frampton

WBO featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez [25(20)-0] doesn’t see any reason why he shouldn’t make his next defense against Carl Frampton [26(15)-2(0)].

The Mexican returned from a broken jaw suffered in a clash with Scott Quigg to make a fifth successful defence of his title when stopping Carmine Tommasone last month. 

The 28-year-old expects to be out again in June 8 and see’s no reason why he can’t put his title on the line on an ESPN broadcast card that will include Tyson Fury and Michael Conlan.

Valdez points to the fact the pair are now Top Rank stable mates as proof the bout should be easy to make.

“Frampton has already signed with Top Rank, there are no excuses not to make that fight, we share the same promoter, I do not see any problem for us to fight, also there is [Josh] Warrington, champion of the International Boxing Federation,” said Valdez.

It’s a clash Frampton is keen on and seems the natural fight for a fighter who threatened retirement after his defeat to Josh Warrington in December.

However, June 8th may prove too soon for ‘The Jackal’. The former two weight world champion has a summer court case with former promoters Cyclone Promotions ahead of him and is said to want to deal with that before having a fight date to focus on.

If Frampton isn’t available next, Valdez wants another of the featherweight names.

“I’m happy for the fights I’ve had, but I want opponents with big names. I’ve beaten good fighters as a world champion, but they do not have a lot of recognition,” said the Mexican world champion.

“I want opponents like [Leo] Santa Cruz, [Abner] Mares, opponents of that caliber. We want big fights, like [Gary] Russell, but I’m tired of mentioning those names, because the promoters they have do not want the risk facing us, they want to match them with fighters from their own company and they avoid the good fights, and the ones who are most affected is the public.”

The featherweight division is beautifully loaded at present and Valdez believes he is king of the talented division.

“I put myself as the number one guy, I will never think that I am number two, I have that mentality to keep winning and keeping myself as the best featherweight today.”