Fight Week: Tim Tszyu to make U.S. debut against Terrell Gausha, Miguel Berchelt to return

Fight Week: Tim Tszyu is set to make his U.S. debut against Terrell Gausha, and Miguel Berchelt will return to the ring on a busy Saturday.

FIGHT WEEK

Tim Tszyu is set to make his U.S. debut against Terrell Gausha and Miguel Berchelt makes his return on a busy Saturday.

Tim Tszyu (20-0, 15 KOs) vs. Terrell Gausha (22-2-1, 11 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, March 26
  • Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: The Armory, Minneapolis
  • TV/Stream: Showtime
  • Division: Junior middleweight (154 pounds)
  • Rounds: 12
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Tszyu 7½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Michel Rivera vs. Joseph Adorno, lightweights; Elvis Rodriguez vs. Juan Jose Velasco, junior welterweight
  • Prediction: Tszyu UD
  • Background: Tszyu, the son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, will be making his U.S. debut against Gausha. The fierce, talented Australian has created a stir in his native country and climbed the junior middleweight rankings with resounding victories over the likes of former champion Jeff Horn, Dennis Hogan and, most recently, Takeshi Inoue. The next step – coming to America – was essential to fulfill his destiny. The 27-year-old native of Sydney is ranked No. 1 by the WBO (Brian Castano is the titleholder) and No. 3 by the WBC and IBF (Jermell Charlo). Castano and Charlo are scheduled to fight May 14. If Tszyu gets past Gausha, it’s conceivable he could face the winner of the May fight for the undisputed championship in the fall or winter. Gausha is a legitimate test for Tszyu. The 2012 U.S. Olympian is a talented, well-schooled boxer who has fallen short in his biggest fights. He lost a wide decision to then-titleholder Erislandy Lara in 2017, drew with Austin Trout in 2019 and lost a unanimous decision to Erickson Lubin in September 2020. He’s 2-2-1 in his last five fights, including a second-round knockout victory over capable Jamontay Clark in his only fight since the setback against Lubin. That victory gives Gausha some momentum going into his meeting with Tszyu.

 

Miguel Berchelt (38-2, 34 KOs) vs. Jeremiah Nakathila (22-2, 18 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, March 26
  • Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Resorts World Las Vegas
  • TV/Stream: ESPN+
  • Division: Lightweight (135 pounds)
  • Rounds: 12
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: NA
  • Also on the card: Jose Enrique Vivas vs. Enrique Baez, featherweights
  • Prediction: Berchelt KO 7
  • Background: The fighters have a combined 52 knockouts in their 60 victories, which means this matchup of sluggers isn’t likely to go the distance. Berchelt suffered a devastating loss to Oscar Valdez in February of last year, a one-sided fight in which he went down three times and was stopped in the 10th round. That cost him his 130-pound title, put an end to the considerable momentum he had built the past several years and raised questions about his limitations. The 30-year-old Mexican had stopped 16 of his previous 17 opponents, including Francisco Vargas (twice), Takashi Miura, Jonathan Victor Barros, Miguel Roman and Jason Sosa. Nakathila had his own momentum-crushing setback in June of last year, when he was outclassed and shut out over 12 rounds by the gifted Shakur Stevenson in his U.S. debut. The 32-year-old Namibian bounced back to stop Ndodana Ncube of Zimbabwe in two rounds four months later in his home country. Nakathila probably matches up better against a slugger like Berchelt than he did against the slick, athletic Stevenson.

 

Kiko Martinez (43-10-2, 30 KOs) vs. Josh Warrington (30-1-1, 7 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, March 26
  • Time: 3 p.m. ET / noon PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: First Direct Arena, Leeds, England
  • TV/Stream: DAZN
  • Division: Featherweight (126 pounds)
  • Rounds: 12
  • At stake: Martinez’s IBC title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Warrington 3½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Maxi Hughes vs. Ryan Walsh, lightweights; Maria Cecilia Roman vs. Ebanie Bridges, bantamweights (for Roman’s IBF title); Dalton Smith vs. Roy Moylette, junior welterweights
  • Prediction: Warrington SD
  • Background: This bout is a rematch of the fighters’ May 2017 encounter, which Warrington won by a majority decision. Martinez, 36, shot down the notion that he is in decline by knocking out Kid Galahad in six rounds to win a major title in a second division this past November in Sheffield, England. The scrappy, hard-punching Spaniard had lost a wide decision to Zelfa Barrett only two fights earlier, raising questions about his future as an elite fighter. Warrington obviously is well connected. He went down twice and was stopped by relative unknown Mauricio Lara in the ninth round in February of last year. In the rematch, seven months later, he had to settle for a technical draw after Lara was cut badly by an accidental head butt. And he hasn’t won a fight in 2½ years. Still, he was given a shot at Martinez’s title. Warrington had been untouchable for several years before his ill-fated series with Lara, defeating Martinez, Lee Selby (to win a major title), Carl Frampton and Galahad, among others.

Also fighting this week:

THURSDAY, MARCH 24

  • Salvador Tapia (12-3-1, 10 KOs) of Mexico will face countryman Emiliano Cruz (13-3, 12 KOs) junior welterweights in an eight-round junior welterweight fight in Tepic, Mexico (UFC Fight Pass).

SATURDAY, MARCH 26

  • Andranik Grigoryan (14-0, 3 KOs) of Armenia will take on fellow featherweight prospect Otabek Kholmatov (9-0, 9 KOs) of Uzbekistan in 10-round bout in Orlando, Florida (Bally’s Sports Net).

Fight Week: Tim Tszyu to make U.S. debut against Terrell Gausha, Miguel Berchelt to return

Fight Week: Tim Tszyu is set to make his U.S. debut against Terrell Gausha, and Miguel Berchelt will return to the ring on a busy Saturday.

FIGHT WEEK

Tim Tszyu is set to make his U.S. debut against Terrell Gausha and Miguel Berchelt makes his return on a busy Saturday.

Tim Tszyu (20-0, 15 KOs) vs. Terrell Gausha (22-2-1, 11 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, March 26
  • Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: The Armory, Minneapolis
  • TV/Stream: Showtime
  • Division: Junior middleweight (154 pounds)
  • Rounds: 12
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Tszyu 7½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Michel Rivera vs. Joseph Adorno, lightweights; Elvis Rodriguez vs. Juan Jose Velasco, junior welterweight
  • Prediction: Tszyu UD
  • Background: Tszyu, the son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, will be making his U.S. debut against Gausha. The fierce, talented Australian has created a stir in his native country and climbed the junior middleweight rankings with resounding victories over the likes of former champion Jeff Horn, Dennis Hogan and, most recently, Takeshi Inoue. The next step – coming to America – was essential to fulfill his destiny. The 27-year-old native of Sydney is ranked No. 1 by the WBO (Brian Castano is the titleholder) and No. 3 by the WBC and IBF (Jermell Charlo). Castano and Charlo are scheduled to fight May 14. If Tszyu gets past Gausha, it’s conceivable he could face the winner of the May fight for the undisputed championship in the fall or winter. Gausha is a legitimate test for Tszyu. The 2012 U.S. Olympian is a talented, well-schooled boxer who has fallen short in his biggest fights. He lost a wide decision to then-titleholder Erislandy Lara in 2017, drew with Austin Trout in 2019 and lost a unanimous decision to Erickson Lubin in September 2020. He’s 2-2-1 in his last five fights, including a second-round knockout victory over capable Jamontay Clark in his only fight since the setback against Lubin. That victory gives Gausha some momentum going into his meeting with Tszyu.

 

Miguel Berchelt (38-2, 34 KOs) vs. Jeremiah Nakathila (22-2, 18 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, March 26
  • Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Resorts World Las Vegas
  • TV/Stream: ESPN+
  • Division: Lightweight (135 pounds)
  • Rounds: 12
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: NA
  • Also on the card: Jose Enrique Vivas vs. Enrique Baez, featherweights
  • Prediction: Berchelt KO 7
  • Background: The fighters have a combined 52 knockouts in their 60 victories, which means this matchup of sluggers isn’t likely to go the distance. Berchelt suffered a devastating loss to Oscar Valdez in February of last year, a one-sided fight in which he went down three times and was stopped in the 10th round. That cost him his 130-pound title, put an end to the considerable momentum he had built the past several years and raised questions about his limitations. The 30-year-old Mexican had stopped 16 of his previous 17 opponents, including Francisco Vargas (twice), Takashi Miura, Jonathan Victor Barros, Miguel Roman and Jason Sosa. Nakathila had his own momentum-crushing setback in June of last year, when he was outclassed and shut out over 12 rounds by the gifted Shakur Stevenson in his U.S. debut. The 32-year-old Namibian bounced back to stop Ndodana Ncube of Zimbabwe in two rounds four months later in his home country. Nakathila probably matches up better against a slugger like Berchelt than he did against the slick, athletic Stevenson.

 

Kiko Martinez (43-10-2, 30 KOs) vs. Josh Warrington (30-1-1, 7 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, March 26
  • Time: 3 p.m. ET / noon PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: First Direct Arena, Leeds, England
  • TV/Stream: DAZN
  • Division: Featherweight (126 pounds)
  • Rounds: 12
  • At stake: Martinez’s IBC title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Warrington 3½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Maxi Hughes vs. Ryan Walsh, lightweights; Maria Cecilia Roman vs. Ebanie Bridges, bantamweights (for Roman’s IBF title); Dalton Smith vs. Roy Moylette, junior welterweights
  • Prediction: Warrington SD
  • Background: This bout is a rematch of the fighters’ May 2017 encounter, which Warrington won by a majority decision. Martinez, 36, shot down the notion that he is in decline by knocking out Kid Galahad in six rounds to win a major title in a second division this past November in Sheffield, England. The scrappy, hard-punching Spaniard had lost a wide decision to Zelfa Barrett only two fights earlier, raising questions about his future as an elite fighter. Warrington obviously is well connected. He went down twice and was stopped by relative unknown Mauricio Lara in the ninth round in February of last year. In the rematch, seven months later, he had to settle for a technical draw after Lara was cut badly by an accidental head butt. And he hasn’t won a fight in 2½ years. Still, he was given a shot at Martinez’s title. Warrington had been untouchable for several years before his ill-fated series with Lara, defeating Martinez, Lee Selby (to win a major title), Carl Frampton and Galahad, among others.

Also fighting this week:

THURSDAY, MARCH 24

  • Salvador Tapia (12-3-1, 10 KOs) of Mexico will face countryman Emiliano Cruz (13-3, 12 KOs) junior welterweights in an eight-round junior welterweight fight in Tepic, Mexico (UFC Fight Pass).

SATURDAY, MARCH 26

  • Andranik Grigoryan (14-0, 3 KOs) of Armenia will take on fellow featherweight prospect Otabek Kholmatov (9-0, 9 KOs) of Uzbekistan in 10-round bout in Orlando, Florida (Bally’s Sports Net).

Oscar Valdez vs. Robson Conceicao: date, time, weights, how to watch, background

Oscar Valdez vs. Robson Conceicao: date, time, how to watch, background.

OSCAR VALDEZ HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO DEFEND HIS 130-POUND TITLE AGAINST ROBSON CONCEICAO IN SPITE OF TESTING POSITIVE FOR A BANNED SUBSTANCE.

***

OSCAR VALDEZ (29-0, 23 KOs)
VS. ROBSON CONCEICAO (16-0, 8 KOs)

  • Date: Friday, Sept. 10
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Casino Del Sol, Tucson, Ariz.
  • TV/Stream: ESPN+
  • Cost: ESPN+ subscription is $7 a month or $70 annually
  • Division: Junior lightweight (130 pounds)
  • Weights (from Thursday): Valdez 130, Conceicao 129.6
  • At stake: Valdez’s WBC title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: Valdez, Honorable Mention
  • Odds: 11½-1 odds (average of multiple sites)
  • Also on the card: Gabriel Flores Jr. vs. Luis Alberto Lopez, junior lightweights; Junto Nakatani vs. Angel Acosta, junior lightweights (for Nakatani’s WBO title)
  • Prediction: Valdez KO 8
  • Background: Valdez’s reputation soared and was floored within a seven-month span. The hard-punching Mexican recorded a career-defining victory by stopping Miguel Berchelt to win a 130-pound belt in February only to test positive for a banned substance in the week before his first defense, although he was placed on probation and allowed to defend his belt. Valdez denies he knowingly used a PED. The former featherweight champ reached new heights by putting his respected countryman Berchelt down three times and stopping him in Round 10 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, after which he climbed onto some pound-for-pound lists. Then, last Tuesday, we learned that he tested positive for the weight-loss medication phentermine, which is banned by the drug-testing outlet to which the fighters agreed, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association. Phentermine is also a stimulant that can enhance endurance. The Pascua Yaqui Tribal Athletic Commission, which is overseeing the card, allowed the fight to go on because it adheres to World Anti-Doping Agency rules. WADA bans the drug only when it’s detected closer to the competition. And the WBC decided probation was sufficient. Conceicao, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist from Brazil, has vast amateur experience but has faced no one near Valdez’s status as a professional. He has taken part in only three scheduled 10-rounders.

Oscar Valdez vs. Robson Conceicao: date, time, weights, how to watch, background

Oscar Valdez vs. Robson Conceicao: date, time, how to watch, background.

OSCAR VALDEZ HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO DEFEND HIS 130-POUND TITLE AGAINST ROBSON CONCEICAO IN SPITE OF TESTING POSITIVE FOR A BANNED SUBSTANCE.

***

OSCAR VALDEZ (29-0, 23 KOs)
VS. ROBSON CONCEICAO (16-0, 8 KOs)

  • Date: Friday, Sept. 10
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Casino Del Sol, Tucson, Ariz.
  • TV/Stream: ESPN+
  • Cost: ESPN+ subscription is $7 a month or $70 annually
  • Division: Junior lightweight (130 pounds)
  • Weights (from Thursday): Valdez 130, Conceicao 129.6
  • At stake: Valdez’s WBC title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: Valdez, Honorable Mention
  • Odds: 11½-1 odds (average of multiple sites)
  • Also on the card: Gabriel Flores Jr. vs. Luis Alberto Lopez, junior lightweights; Junto Nakatani vs. Angel Acosta, junior lightweights (for Nakatani’s WBO title)
  • Prediction: Valdez KO 8
  • Background: Valdez’s reputation soared and was floored within a seven-month span. The hard-punching Mexican recorded a career-defining victory by stopping Miguel Berchelt to win a 130-pound belt in February only to test positive for a banned substance in the week before his first defense, although he was placed on probation and allowed to defend his belt. Valdez denies he knowingly used a PED. The former featherweight champ reached new heights by putting his respected countryman Berchelt down three times and stopping him in Round 10 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, after which he climbed onto some pound-for-pound lists. Then, last Tuesday, we learned that he tested positive for the weight-loss medication phentermine, which is banned by the drug-testing outlet to which the fighters agreed, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association. Phentermine is also a stimulant that can enhance endurance. The Pascua Yaqui Tribal Athletic Commission, which is overseeing the card, allowed the fight to go on because it adheres to World Anti-Doping Agency rules. WADA bans the drug only when it’s detected closer to the competition. And the WBC decided probation was sufficient. Conceicao, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist from Brazil, has vast amateur experience but has faced no one near Valdez’s status as a professional. He has taken part in only three scheduled 10-rounders.

Fight Week: Oscar Valdez to defend title, Evander Holyfield back at 58

Fight Week: Oscar Valdez will defend his 130-pound title against Robson Conceicao, and Evander Holyfield returns to the ring at 58.

FIGHT WEEK

OSCAR VALDEZ HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO DEFEND HIS 130-POUND TITLE IN SPITE OF TESTING POSITIVE FOR A BANNED SUBSTANCE. AND EVANDER HOLYFIELD RETURNS AT 58.

***

OSCAR VALDEZ (29-0, 23 KOs)
VS. ROBSON CONCEICAO (16-0, 8 KOs)

  • When: Friday, Sept. 10
  • Where: Casino Del Sol, Tucson, Ariz.
  • TV/Stream: ESPN+
  • Division: Junior lightweight (130 pounds)
  • At stake: Valdez’s WBC title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: Valdez, Honorable Mention
  • Odds: 11½-1 odds (average of multiple sites)
  • Also on the card: Gabriel Flores Jr. vs. Luis Alberto Lopez, junior lightweights; Junto Nakatani vs. Angel Acosta, junior lightweights (for Nakatani’s WBO title)
  • Prediction: Valdez KO 8
  • Background: Valdez’s reputation soared and was floored within a seven-month span. The hard-punching Mexican recorded a career-defining victory by stopping Miguel Berchelt to win a 130-pound belt in February only to test positive for a banned substance in the week before his first defense, although he was placed on probation and allowed to defend his belt. Valdez denies he knowingly used a PED. The former featherweight champ reached new heights by putting his respected countryman Berchelt down three times and stopping him in Round 10 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, after which he climbed onto some pound-for-pound lists. Then, last Tuesday, we learned that he tested positive for the weight-loss medication phentermine, which is banned by the drug-testing outlet to which the fighters agreed, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association. Phentermine is also a stimulant that can enhance endurance. The Pascua Yaqui Tribal Athletic Commission, which is overseeing the card, allowed the fight to go on because it adheres to World Anti-Doping Agency rules. WADA bans the drug only when it’s detected closer to the competition. And the WBC decided probation was sufficient. Conceicao, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist from Brazil, has vast amateur experience but has faced no one near Valdez’s status as a professional. He has taken part in only three scheduled 10-rounders.

***

EVANDER HOLYFIELD (44-10-2, 29 KOs)
VS. VITOR BELFORT (1-0, 1 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, Sept. 11
  • Where: Seminole Hard Rock, Hollywood, Fla.
  • TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
  • Division: Heavyweight
  • At stake: No titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Holyfield 1½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Andy Vences vs. Jono Carroll, junior lightweights; Anderson Silva vs. Tito Ortiz, cruiserweights
  • Prediction: Holyfield KO 7
  • Background: Oscar De La Hoya, 48, was scheduled to fight Vitor Belfort in Los Angeles but had to pull out after testing positive for COVID-19. In stepped 58-year-old former heavyweight champ Evander Holyfield, who has been angling for a comeback fight over the past few years and was targeted by Belfort. Holyfield last fought in May 2011, when he stopped Brian Nielsen in 10 rounds. He was always known for his fitness but there is no telling how a man nearing his 59th birthday will perform in the ring, even one of the best fighters of his generation. That said, he’ll have a distinct advantage over Belfort in terms of experience. The 44-year-old former UFC champion has taken part in one boxing match, a first-round knockout in 2006. And Holyfield presumably will be significant bigger than Belfort. Holyfield weighed 226 for the Nielsen fight. Belfort and De La Hoya had agreed to a 185-pound weight limit, although Belfort probably will come in well over 185 without restrictions. The fight was moved to Florida after California authorities refused to sanction the bout.

***

  • Also fighting this weekend: Heavyweight contender Tony Yoka (10-0, 8 KOs) faces Petar Milas (15-0, 11 KOs) on Friday in Paris (ESPN+); Filip Hrgovic (12-0, 10 KOs) takes on Marko Radonjic (22-0, 22 KOs) in a heavyweight bout Friday in Klagenfurt, Austria (DAZN); Kerman Lejarraga (32-2, 25 KOs) vs. Dylan Charrat (20-0-1, 6 KOs) face off in a junior middleweight bout Saturday in Barcelona, Spain (DAZN); and Roxie Lam (7-4, 4 KOs) faces Carietto Santoro (5-0, 1 KO) in a featherweight bout Saturday in Grand Prarie, Canada (FITE).

Fight Week: Oscar Valdez to defend title, Evander Holyfield back at 58

Fight Week: Oscar Valdez will defend his 130-pound title against Robson Conceicao, and Evander Holyfield returns to the ring at 58.

FIGHT WEEK

OSCAR VALDEZ HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO DEFEND HIS 130-POUND TITLE IN SPITE OF TESTING POSITIVE FOR A BANNED SUBSTANCE. AND EVANDER HOLYFIELD RETURNS AT 58.

***

OSCAR VALDEZ (29-0, 23 KOs)
VS. ROBSON CONCEICAO (16-0, 8 KOs)

  • When: Friday, Sept. 10
  • Where: Casino Del Sol, Tucson, Ariz.
  • TV/Stream: ESPN+
  • Division: Junior lightweight (130 pounds)
  • At stake: Valdez’s WBC title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: Valdez, Honorable Mention
  • Odds: 11½-1 odds (average of multiple sites)
  • Also on the card: Gabriel Flores Jr. vs. Luis Alberto Lopez, junior lightweights; Junto Nakatani vs. Angel Acosta, junior lightweights (for Nakatani’s WBO title)
  • Prediction: Valdez KO 8
  • Background: Valdez’s reputation soared and was floored within a seven-month span. The hard-punching Mexican recorded a career-defining victory by stopping Miguel Berchelt to win a 130-pound belt in February only to test positive for a banned substance in the week before his first defense, although he was placed on probation and allowed to defend his belt. Valdez denies he knowingly used a PED. The former featherweight champ reached new heights by putting his respected countryman Berchelt down three times and stopping him in Round 10 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, after which he climbed onto some pound-for-pound lists. Then, last Tuesday, we learned that he tested positive for the weight-loss medication phentermine, which is banned by the drug-testing outlet to which the fighters agreed, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association. Phentermine is also a stimulant that can enhance endurance. The Pascua Yaqui Tribal Athletic Commission, which is overseeing the card, allowed the fight to go on because it adheres to World Anti-Doping Agency rules. WADA bans the drug only when it’s detected closer to the competition. And the WBC decided probation was sufficient. Conceicao, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist from Brazil, has vast amateur experience but has faced no one near Valdez’s status as a professional. He has taken part in only three scheduled 10-rounders.

***

EVANDER HOLYFIELD (44-10-2, 29 KOs)
VS. VITOR BELFORT (1-0, 1 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, Sept. 11
  • Where: Seminole Hard Rock, Hollywood, Fla.
  • TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
  • Division: Heavyweight
  • At stake: No titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Holyfield 1½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Andy Vences vs. Jono Carroll, junior lightweights; Anderson Silva vs. Tito Ortiz, cruiserweights
  • Prediction: Holyfield KO 7
  • Background: Oscar De La Hoya, 48, was scheduled to fight Vitor Belfort in Los Angeles but had to pull out after testing positive for COVID-19. In stepped 58-year-old former heavyweight champ Evander Holyfield, who has been angling for a comeback fight over the past few years and was targeted by Belfort. Holyfield last fought in May 2011, when he stopped Brian Nielsen in 10 rounds. He was always known for his fitness but there is no telling how a man nearing his 59th birthday will perform in the ring, even one of the best fighters of his generation. That said, he’ll have a distinct advantage over Belfort in terms of experience. The 44-year-old former UFC champion has taken part in one boxing match, a first-round knockout in 2006. And Holyfield presumably will be significant bigger than Belfort. Holyfield weighed 226 for the Nielsen fight. Belfort and De La Hoya had agreed to a 185-pound weight limit, although Belfort probably will come in well over 185 without restrictions. The fight was moved to Florida after California authorities refused to sanction the bout.

***

  • Also fighting this weekend: Heavyweight contender Tony Yoka (10-0, 8 KOs) faces Petar Milas (15-0, 11 KOs) on Friday in Paris (ESPN+); Filip Hrgovic (12-0, 10 KOs) takes on Marko Radonjic (22-0, 22 KOs) in a heavyweight bout Friday in Klagenfurt, Austria (DAZN); Kerman Lejarraga (32-2, 25 KOs) vs. Dylan Charrat (20-0-1, 6 KOs) face off in a junior middleweight bout Saturday in Barcelona, Spain (DAZN); and Roxie Lam (7-4, 4 KOs) faces Carietto Santoro (5-0, 1 KO) in a featherweight bout Saturday in Grand Prarie, Canada (FITE).

Oscar Valdez test positive for banned substance, according to report

Oscar Valdez has tested positive for a banned substance, according to a report.

Junior lightweight titleholder Oscar Valdez has tested positive for a diuretic, which is a banned substance, ESPN is reporting.

Valdez’s A-sample, taken by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, came back positive. The results of his B-sample have yet to be determined.

The Mexican, coming off his sensational knockout of countryman Miguel Berchelt to win his belt in February, was scheduled to make his first defense against Robson Conceicao on Sept. 10 in Tucson, Ariz.

The positive test places that bout and Valdez’s immediate future in jeopardy.

Diuretics are used for weight loss and, in some cases, to mask the use of other banned substances.

***

Oscar Valdez test positive for banned substance, according to report

Oscar Valdez has tested positive for a banned substance, according to a report.

Junior lightweight titleholder Oscar Valdez has tested positive for a diuretic, which is a banned substance, ESPN is reporting.

Valdez’s A-sample, taken by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, came back positive. The results of his B-sample have yet to be determined.

The Mexican, coming off his sensational knockout of countryman Miguel Berchelt to win his belt in February, was scheduled to make his first defense against Robson Conceicao on Sept. 10 in Tucson, Ariz.

The positive test places that bout and Valdez’s immediate future in jeopardy.

Diuretics are used for weight loss and, in some cases, to mask the use of other banned substances.

***

Watch it: Oscar Valdez’s spectacular KO of Miguel Berchelt

Watch it: Oscar Valdez’s spectacular KO of Miguel Berchelt.

Oscar Valdez put Miguel Berchelt down three times Saturday in Las Vegas but it was the last time that will be seared in our memories.

Valdez, fighting for Berchelt’s 130-pound title, was delivering a beating when the champion walked into the last of many punishing left hooks in the final seconds of Round 10 and fell flat on his face, where he lay for several minutes.

The ending, which officially came at 2:59 of the round, was one of the most-dramatic knockouts in recent memory.

Valdez (29-0, 23 KOs) became the WBC junior lightweight titleholder and captured the imagination of all boxing fans in a career-defining victory on national TV (ESPN).

Berchelt (37-2, 33 KOs) was taken to a hospital immediately after the fight but was released a few hours later.

Here is the knockout and the post-fight interview with Valdez.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkUCINYpVkM&t=23s

[lawrence-related id=18000,17966]

 

Watch it: Oscar Valdez’s spectacular KO of Miguel Berchelt

Watch it: Oscar Valdez’s spectacular KO of Miguel Berchelt.

Oscar Valdez put Miguel Berchelt down three times Saturday in Las Vegas but it was the last time that will be seared in our memories.

Valdez, fighting for Berchelt’s 130-pound title, was delivering a beating when the champion walked into the last of many punishing left hooks in the final seconds of Round 10 and fell flat on his face, where he lay for several minutes.

The ending, which officially came at 2:59 of the round, was one of the most-dramatic knockouts in recent memory.

Valdez (29-0, 23 KOs) became the WBC junior lightweight titleholder and captured the imagination of all boxing fans in a career-defining victory on national TV (ESPN).

Berchelt (37-2, 33 KOs) was taken to a hospital immediately after the fight but was released a few hours later.

Here is the knockout and the post-fight interview with Valdez.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkUCINYpVkM&t=23s

[lawrence-related id=18000,17966]