Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has given an update on WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez's condition.
Arum spoke with ESPN and said Valdez, who is recovering from a broken jaw suffered in his last fight against Scott Quigg on ESPN, is feeling better and that it is still too early to tell when he'll make a return to the ring. Although Arum did not rule out Valdez fighting as early as November, Valdez could be shut down until 2019.
"The wires are out, he’s eating solid food now, feeling a lot better and he’s under medical supervision. They’ll let us know when he’s good enough to train and spar again but I don’t anticipate he’ll be fight again before November or December, and maybe not until early next year," Arum said.
With Valdez still injured, the WBO did recently create an interim title which was won by former world champion Carl Frampton when he defeated Nonito Donaire in April. Frampton is scheduled to fight on August 18 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, but an opponent has not been named yet. With Frampton holding the interim title, a fight between him and Valdez seems likely to happen down the road in 2019, but will definitely not happen this coming August.
The 27-year-old unbeaten Valdez has held the WBO title since the summer of 2016 when he scored a second-round TKO win over Matias Ruedas. Valdez has successfully defended his title four times with wins over Hiroshige Osawa, Miguel Marriaga, Genesis Servania and Quigg.
