Óscar Valdez calls out Carl Frampton – “Let’s do it!”
A fight between WBO featherweight champion Óscar Valdez and Belfast’s Carl Frampton looks to be building momentum, with the Mexican calling out ‘The Jackal’ over the weekend.
Previously viewed as one of the less-likely match-ups for Frampton [23(14)-1(0)] due to his advisor Al Haymon’s frosty relationship with Valdez promoter Bob Arum – it now seems as though all parties are on the same page.
Valdez [23(19)-0] defended his belt for the third time on Friday night in front of 4,103 at the Tucson Convention Center in Arizona – where he spent a portion of his childhood.
On a card which also featured Belfast’s Mick Conlan, Valdez dropped and outpointed Filipino Genesis Servania – however he was knocked down himself in the fifth round.
While Servania has called for a rematch, Team Valdez are keen to secure a defence against former two-weight champ Frampton.
Following the fight, the double Olympian definitively stated that he wishes to face Frampton.
26 year old Valdez said that “I’m ready for whoever, but Frampton, or [Leo] Santa Cruz, I am ready. Whoever it is.”
“But I want Frampton. He has name. Let’s do it!”
Veteran promoter Arum outlined how “we’re going to try to get Frampton. We would do it next year.”
While a Valdez v Frampton card in Belfast which also featured Mick Conlan would we would no doubt sell-out the SSE Odyssey Arena instantaneously, Arum is keen for the fight to take place Stateside.
The 85 year old New Yorker said that he would “put it maybe someplace in Texas or maybe Las Vegas. Frampton would probably object to coming to Tucson, but we can find a place to do that fight. It’s a great fight.”
The past week saw plenty of news for 30 year old Frampton, all of which would seem to make a Valdez scrap more likely.
On Tuesday he confirmed an advisory deal with management outfit Mack The Knife Global – whose boss Matthew Macklin has a very strong link with Top Rank.
Then yesterday Frampton confirmed that he will be promoted by Frank Warren going forward. The English veteran, famously, has a lot of clout with the WBO and could surely quickly maneuver the #7-ranked Ulsterman into a title shot.
Frampton has not fought since losing his WBA title in a Las Vegas rematch to Santa Cruz in January. He looks set to return on November 18th in a tune-up, potentially paving the way for a Valdez showdown.