NEWS: OSCAR VALDEZ CONFIDENT HE DEFEATS NEWLY-CROWNED TITLIST EMANUEL NAVARRETE

By: Jay Calderon

On Friday in Glendale, Arizona, Emanuel Navarrete got off the canvas to ultimately stop a very game Liam Wilson and capture a vacant portion of the 130 pound title.

Watching ringside was a very interested spectator in former titlist Oscar Valdez. Previously, it was to be Navarrete and Valdez vying for the gold, before an injury sidelined the latter. Now, with Navarrete as champion, Valdez is eager to stage the original fight.

However, when the fight happens exactly takes place depends on Navarrete, according to Valdez. Speaking with Fight Hub TV, Valdez said he would be fine with fighting Navarrete right away, or fighting someone else in a stay-busy encounter.

"It's going to depend on him," said Valdez, who last fought in April of last year in a losing effort to Shakur Stevenson in a unification bout. "It's almost going to be a year since my last fight against Shakur. Obviously, I want to come back strong. I want to come back and just fight. I willing to (face Navarrete right away)."

And regardless of when the fight takes place, Valdez remains confident he can handle the punching power and awkward style of Navarrete.

"It doesn't matter who I fight: I always picture myself winning. If you were to say I'm fighting Manny Pacquiao, I'm always going to visualize myself winning. Obviously, if I want 'Vaquero', I visualize myself winning. We just can't get (too) confident with someone like him, who carries a punch, who can start slow but finish strong. But I always visualize myself winning, no matter what," expressed Valdez.

It's a very good action fight and both will really need the win.

Valdez will need a big named opponent that he can say he's defeated since the first loss of his career. A second big loss could mean he's perceived as done near the top of the sport.

For Navarrete, if he's unable to handle the fighters at 130 pounds while not safely dropping any further down in weight, he could become something of a fighter without a weight division. Being able to beat Valdez would at least potentially add hope to Navarrete's stay at Jr. Lightweight.

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