Friday, September 10, 2021

Boxing Challenge

    The boxing weekend is dominated by Top Rank's Friday night card from Tucson Arizona on ESPN+ with a main event that has become more important from out of the ring than what might be expected in the ring.

Oscar Valdez after his career-defining knockout of Miguel Berchelt was scheduled to make the first defense of the WBC junior lightweight title that he won from Berchelt against Robson Conceicao.

Conceicao had won a gold medal in the 2016 Olympics and had defeated Valdez in the finals of the Pan American games to give Conceicao the gold and leaving Valdez with a disappointing silver but despite a 16-0 record as a pro, Conceicao had yet to face a world-class fighter and without the amateur resume, this would be considered a squash match.

The fight was considered a disappointment when announced, as after Valdez's smashing victory over Berchelt, most fans were hoping for a Valdez showdown with either WBO champion Jamel Herring or talented former WBO featherweight beltholder Shakur Stevenson but when the WBO ordered Herring-Stevenson next, Valdez didn't have any exciting options that would be easy to make.

But the story took a turn as Valdez tested positive for a trace amount of Phentermine and with that drug on the list of prohibited drugs for VADA  (Voluntary Anti Doping Agency), Valdez could have been stripped of the title.

However, VADA only tests and reports results, it is not an organization with the power to make decisions and the Valdez camp appealed that Phentermine is not an "In competition drug, which would be a failed test only if the drug was found in testing from 11:59 pm on the night before the fight and the day of the fight".

With many opinions on each side stating that either Valdez should be stripped of the title or that the amount of a drug that is not performance-enhancing used weeks before the fight shouldn't be a major deal, the WBC decided to allow Valdez to keep the title with some sanctions on any positive future tests for Valdez.

Here's my take- Full disclosure- I've taken Phentermine.

It's not a competitive advantage in my opinion, but it is used as a weight-loss drug and that is likely why (if it was deliberate) Valdez may have been using it- to help him make weight.

That would make a lot of sense since Valdez is coming off the biggest win of his career and he wouldn't be the first boxer to celebrate that win too long and have problems making weight in his next affair.

The problem here is that the people doing the tests and the administrators that make the decisions on suspensions aren't the same people.

Boxing needs to make decisions on what is an actual violation when it could be considered one, and how long should a suspension be for a violation- AND make it a policy that applies across the board in every state.

Of course, there are many problems in boxing that could be solved with policies that apply to all but it wouldn't be boxing if it was simple.

The co-feature pits lightweight prospect Gabriel Flores against veteran Luis Lopez.

Flores defeated former world title challenger Jayson Velez in his last outing and the veteran Lopez appears to be prepared to be another veteran trialhorse for Flores to get past.

The other challenge fight might be the best fight on the card as WBO flyweight champion Junto Nakatani defends his title for the first time against former WBO junior flyweight champion Angel Acosta.

Nakatani is an exciting fighter that punches well and makes entertaining fights while Acosta was once thought of as a future star in the sport as he made three title defenses and was on his way to a fourth before being stopped in the last round by Elwin Soto in June 2019 in a fight that he was ahead on all three scorecards.

This one could be a shootout that could come down to the better beard.

In the boxing challenge, I lead Ramon Malpica 122-108.

WBC Junior Lightweight Title. 12 Rds 
Oscar Valdez vs Robson Conceicao
R.L: Valdez KO 8
TRS: Valdez KO 10

Lightweights 10 Rds
Gabriel Flores vs Luis Lopez
Both: Flores Unanimous Decision

WBO Flyweight Title 12 Rds
Junto Nakatani vs Angel Acosta
R.L: Nakatani Unanimous Decision
TRS: Nakatani KO 9


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