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Photo credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank
The war of words between the camps of WBC super featherweight champion Oscar Valdez 30-0 (23) and WBO titleholder Shakur Stevenson 17-0 (9) continues to heat up with the Mexican’s manager vowing his charge will have the last laugh when they meet at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 30.
“Stevenson has been flapping his mouth about Oscar a lot and we’re going to shut him up,” Frank Espinoza said to Fightnews.
“He claimed Oscar was ducking him but we signed the contract for the fight first. It took him longer. Shakur claimed he wanted this fight and now he’s become a target. Careful what you wish for.
“This is the fight Oscar wanted and it made sense. Not only because of Shakur’s disrespectful demeanor, he’s looking to solidify his legacy.
“He beat a monster puncher like Miguel Berchelt. Now it’s time to knock off a boxer/runner in Stevenson. It’s important for his career.
“Shakur has been mouthing off quite a bit. Saying Oscar has ducked him and other things. Oscar is like the typical Mexican fighter. He will be letting his fists do the talking for him.”
Espinoza went on to praise Stevenson, but doubled down on calling him a “runner”.
“It’s a huge challenge at this point in his career,” he said. “Stevenson has a top notch pedigree but he turns into a track star once he gets in the ring. The guy is a runner. But we’re gonna chase him down and he’s going to feel the wrath of Oscar Valdez.
“Berchelt was the biggest challenge when we first fought him and Oscar, against all odds, soundly defeated him. Now it’s time for him to do the same to Shakur Stevenson.”
The 31-year-old Valdez consolidated his career credentials with a dominant 10th round knockout victory over hard-hitting Miguel Berchelt 38-2 (34) in February last year. Slick-boxing southpaw Stevenson presents an entirely different problem to solve, but Espinoza says he guy is up to the task.
“[You beat Stevenson] by timing him correctly and outsmarting him,” he said. “He’s a good fighter and that makes it difficult but we are up for the challenge. We have a great team in place including Oscar’s trainer and my friend Eddy Reynoso who’s a great strategist. Like I said, Stevenson’s a runner but we will catch him and make him eat his words.
“I think it will be a complicated fight but I have full confidence in what Eddy Reynoso brings to the table as far as strategy is involved.
“I think that Oscar’s strength, stamina, and mindset are what will be the big difference at the end of the day.
“Oscar is training like never before. He trains year-round. Fight or no fight. That’s the big differentiator. That’s what the high level champions do. Stevenson isn’t much of a puncher and you’ve seen what kind of power Oscar has.”
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