Óscar Valdez

Óscar Valdez
Born	Óscar Rafael Valdez Fierro (1990-12-22) December 22, 1990 Nogales, Sonora, Mexico
Nationality	Mexican
Statistics
Weight(s)	Featherweight Super-featherweight
Height	5 ft 5+1⁄2 in (1.66 m)
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	21
Wins	21
Wins by KO	19
Losses	0
Draws	0
No contests	0
Medal record Men's amateur boxing Representing Mexico World Amateur Championships 2009 Milan Featherweight Pan American Games 2011 Guadalajara Batamweight AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships 2008 Guadalajara Featherweight

Óscar Rafael Valdez Fierro (born December 22, 1990 in Nogales, Sonora) is a Mexican professional boxer and the current WBO Featherweight Champion, winning the title in 2016. Valdez qualified for the 2008 Olympics at the age of 17 and became the first Mexican Youth World Champion. Four years later he qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics. Valdez is known for his aggressive fighting style, punching power and terrific combination punching. He currently boasts a 90% knockout ratio.

Amateur career

At age 17, Valdez came to upset 2007 PanAm champion Carlos Cuadras at the semifinal of the 2007 National Championships and winning the bantamweight championship in his next bout.

At the Olympic qualifier he edged out Brazilian James Pereira in the semifinal and got one of two votes even though he lost in the final to Yankiel León, getting a silver medal and a pass to the Beijing Olympics with only 3 international bouts in his record. In Beijing however, he ran right into eventual gold medal winner Enkhbatyn Badar-Uugan and lost his first bout 4-15.

In 2008, he moved up to Featherweight and won the first 2008 Youth World Amateur Boxing Championships. The tournament was held in Guadalajara in his home country, and he showed off the experience he had gained by beating his opponents from Barbados, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Russia. In the semi-finals, he had also knocked out the opponent from Ukraine in the first round. In the finals, he dominated the opposition such as Russian Maxim Dadashev whom he beat 12-0 in the final.

In Milan, at the 2009 World Amateur Boxing Championships (seniors), he won the bronze medal and became the first Mexican to achieve a medal at a World Champhionships in the history of the sport in Mexico.

After his run through of the Featherweight division, once again Valdez moved back down to Bantamweight. There, He won his Olympic qualifier. Valdez won his first fight in the 2012 Olympic Games, defeating India's Shiva Thapa by a margin of 14-9. In his second fight of the games, he won to Tajikistan's Anvar Yunusov by a margin of 13-7 then lost 13-19 to Ireland's John Joe Nevin.

Professional boxing career

In July 2016, he won the title of the WBO World Featherweight Champion. Valdez made his first title defense against Hiroshige Osawa of Japan on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao vs. Jessie Vargas PPV bout on November 5, 2016.

Professional boxing record

20 fights, 20 wins (18 knockouts)
No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
21	Win	21–0	Hiroshige Osawa	TKO	7 (12), 1:50	Nov 5, 2016	Thomas & Mack Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.	Retained WBO featherweight title
20	Win	20–0	Matías Rueda	TKO	2 (12), 2:18	Jul 23, 2016	MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.	Won vacant WBO featherweight title
19	Win	19–0	Evgeny Gradovich	TKO	4 (10), 2:14	Apr 9, 2016	MGM Grand, Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada,U.S.	Won WBO-NABO featherweight title
18	Win	18–0	Ernie Sanchez	TKO	3 (10), 2:59	Dec 12, 2015	Convention Center, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.
17	Win	17–0	Chris Avalos	TKO	5 (10), 1:17	Sep 11, 2015	Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
16	Win	16–0	Ruben Tamayo	UD	10	Jun 27, 2015	StubHub Center, Carson, California, U.S.
15	Win	15–0	Jose Ramirez	KO	3 (8), 2:05	Apr 11, 2014	Laredo Energy Arena, Laredo, Texas, U.S.
14	Win	14–0	Jean Javier Soto	TKO	5 (8), 0:02	Dec 20, 2014	Celebrity Theater, Phoenix, Arizona,U.S.
13	Win	13–0	Alberto Garza	TKO	7 (8), 1:29	Nov 15, 2014	Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.	Retained NABF Junior featherweight title
12	Win	12–0	Juan Ruiz	UD	8	Jul 26, 2014	Celebrity Theater, Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.	Won vacant NABF Junior featherweight title
11	Win	11–0	Noel Echeverria	RTD	6 (8), 3:00	May 17, 2014	Forum, Inglewood, California, U.S.	Retained NABF Junior super featherweight title
10	Win	10–0	Adrian Perez	KO	3 (8), 1:23	Apr 12, 2014	MGM Grand, Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.	Won NABF Junior super featherweight title
9	Win	9–0	Samuel Sanchez	TKO	3 (6), 2:03	Mar 1, 2014	Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
8	Win	8–0	Cristian Barajas	TKO	1 (6), 1:27	Dec 21, 2013	Casino Hipodromo Agua Caliente, Tijuana, Baja California, MEX
7	Win	7–0	Jesus Lule	TKO	5 (6), 2:48	Nov 9, 2013	American Bank Center, Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S.
6	Win	6–0	Jose Morales	TKO	3 (6), 1:57	Sep 28, 2013	StubHub Center, Carson, California, U.S.
5	Win	5–0	Gil Garcia	TKO	2 (6), 2:32	Jun 15, 2013	American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas, U.S.
4	Win	4–0	Rocco Espinoza	TKO	1 (6), 2:58	May 11, 2013	Uni-Trade Stadium, Laredo, Texas, U.S.
3	Win	3–0	Carlos Gonzalez	TKO	4 (6), 0:58	Mar 16, 2013	Home Depot Center, Carson, California, U.S.
2	Win	2–0	Corben Page	TKO	2 (6), 2:24	Dec 7, 2012	Texas Station Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
1	Win	1–0	Angel Prado	TKO	2 (6)	Nov 3, 2012	Centro de Usos Multiples, Hermosillo, Sonora, MEX

Endorsements

Valdez is the current face of WildCat energy drink, a British brand, which recently launched in the Americas.

External links

• Photo, Spanish article
• Qualifier
• Junior World Championships 2008 results
• Excerpts from his fights and Spanish interview Youtube