Óscar Valdez calls for immediate unification with Warrington-Frampton winner
His promoter has said it and now the fighter himself is letting his thoughts be known.
WBO featherweight world champion Óscar Valdez wants a unification clash with the winner of Josh Warrington’s IBF title defence versus Ireland’s Carl Frampton.
The Mexican has been out of the ring with since suffering a broken jaw in his fourth successful title defence versus an overweight Scott Quigg back in March.
Top Rank star Valdez [24(19)-0] is set to return to the ring on January 12th against a lower level opponent and, assuming a win here, it would dovetail nicely to allow him and the winner of Warrington-Frampton to face off in the early Summer
The Frank Warren-promoted pair are due to box for Warrington’s red belt at the Manchester Arena on in December 22nd, live on BT Sport Box Office, and Frampton especially has been outspoken in his desire to move quickly into unifications.
Top Rank boss Bob Arum shares a strong working relationship earlier this month revealed that “we’re looking at January 12 for [Valdez] to fight on ESPN, and then, assuming he wins that fight, then we would put him in with Frampton-Warrington winner.”
“I’ve already talked to Frank Warren about that.”
This is all good news for Valdez who is also unification-keen.
The fighter, who called out Frampton as long ago as September 2017, outlined to ESPN how “Frampton and Warrington are both big names in the sport. I’m ready to fight the winner and unify titles.”
“I want to prove I’m the best featherweight in the world,” added the Mexican double Olympian.
This will all be music to the ears of Frampton [25(16)-1(0)] who, at 31, is nearing the end of his career and is seeking big-money legacy bouts.
Should he defeat Warrington [27(6)-0], the plan has always been for a return stateside. However, the success of his Windsor Park fight night back in August and the potential emergence of BT Sport Box Office could allow for future home fights with the likes of Valdez or even Leo Santa Cruz.
WBA champ Santa Cruz, of course, remains Frampton’s biggest target, although a separate unification for ‘El Terremoto’ versus WBC champion Gary Russell Jr on Decemeber 1st has been mooted.
