By: Hans Themistode
Long before Oscar Valdez went up to 130 pounds, Miguel Berchelt was considered the best boxer the featherweight superclass had to offer.
Between 2014 and 2021, Berchelt had 17 consecutive wins, 16 of which came by knockout. In addition to leaving countless bodies in a coma in the ring, Berchelt also won the WBC superweight belt, stopping former champion Francisco Vargas in 2017.
Thanks to the harmful knocking power Berchelt displays, many believe Valdez will become another victim when the two square off in the first quarter of 2021. But while Berchelt is considered the favorites, Valdez made his doubters profitable when he went to punish the longtime champion the former champion.
Valdez didn’t seem to have any trouble as he unboxed his man early before knocking him out in the fanless MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the fourth and ninth rounds, Berchelt fell to the deck. In season ten, with Berchelt already bleeding profusely from his open mouth, Valdez delivered the blow that ended the fight.
Before Berchelt’s lifeless body bounced off the canvas, Valdez screamed with joy when he learned that he had officially stripped Berchelt of his championship title.
Vowing to return officially, Berchelt chose to give up the 130-pound weight class and compete as a full-fledged lightweight athlete. In his first fight in the ring, Berchelt was up against a rough and rugged opponent, Jeremia Nakathila, who was also gaining weight. Despite the public backing of the bettors again and despite Valdez’s arrest of him, Berchelt was defeated before succumbing to Nakathila’s might in the sixth round.
A desperate Valdez was completely distrusted as his fellow Mexicans were battered and seemingly a shell of his former great self.
Not only did the brutal defeat Berchelt endured against Valdez seem to have changed him, but it was also a stark reminder of the dangers of the sport of boxing.
Valdez said in an interview with Mark Kriegel: “It was a bit sad to see him. “We have fought before and I always wish him the best. It was heartbreaking for me to see him like that that night. It makes me feel bad for some reason. It’s not like basketball, it’s not like baseball. You can lose in baseball, but you can always bounce back for the next season. These are punches, you’re getting punches to the head. It is a dangerous sport.”
While Valdez was devastated to watch the great former champion stumble after each Nakathila knock, he will be indifferent to his upcoming opponent in just a few short weeks.
On April 30, back at the original crime scene, Valdez will attempt to knock Shakur Stevenson unconscious that night. If Valdez comes out victorious, he will successfully add Stevenson’s WBO title to his ever-growing collection.
