After delays prevented the fight from taking place late last year, Miguel Berchelt will defend his WBC super-featherweight title against compatriot Oscar Valdez on Feb. 20 as Top Rank return to the "bubble" set up at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The fight was previously planned for Dec. 12 at the same venue, but will finally take place as part of an exciting start to 2021 for boxing despite the best efforts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Valdez (28-0, 22 KOs), of Nogales, Mexico, has earned his shot against Cancun native Berchelt (37-1, 33 KOs), but it is the champion whose recent performances have been the most convincing heading into this encounter.
Berchelt has held the WBC title since January 2017, when he knocked out Francisco Vargas in the Round 11. He also has five wins via finish in his last five outings, all with the championship on the line.
Former WBO featherweight champ Valdez, meanwhile, was one half of a memorable barn-burner against Britain's Scott Quigg in 2018 but suffered a broken jaw en route to victory, and has also sustained damage in wins over Miguel Marriaga, Adam Lopez and Genesis Servania.
“Miguel Berchelt and Oscar Valdez are two proud Mexican warriors who will give boxing fans a memorable fight,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum at the official fight announcement.
“Top Rank promoted all three bouts between Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales, and I view Berchelt-Valdez as this generation’s Barrera-Morales."
While it would take some doing for Berchelt and Valdez to reach the heights of the Barrera-Morales trilogy, the boxing community is confident of an all-out war on Feb. 20.
“This fight is the one that I dreamed of since we were both amateur fighters,” Berchelt said. “Valdez is a great fighter, and it will be a great fight. I am preparing with everything to win by knockout and leave no doubt that I am the best super featherweight in the world."
Valdez added: "Whenever there are two Mexicans in the ring, it is a guaranteed war, and it will be an honor for me to bring a great war to my fans."
In chief support on the night, 20-year-old prospect Gabriel Flores Jr. will face former WBA 130lb champion Andrew Cancio over 10 rounds, also at super-feather.