Berchelt vs Valdez Feb.20 ESPN

[Nova44]

I've been rewatching some of Valdez's recent fights... It's hard to think he's the same boxer who came out of the Olympics. The life & death struggles with journeymen & below-elite guys, the heavy knockdowns he's suffered... Fuck, the way he was outjabbed for long stretches vs. Lopez! He's definitely regressed, IMO, or failed to live up to his early promise.

More of them I watch, the more I think this is gonna be like Fernando Montiel vs Martin Castillo (look that one up, kids), where two rivals that seem to be in the same place career-wise are actually heading in vastly different directions. If Valdez can turn the clock back to what he seemed to have as a young prospect, he might surprise me & snatch a decision.

But... Nah. Berchelt KO 4. Wouldn't miss it for the world, though.

I too watched Valdez's recent fights again the other day, and i thought to myself "if you're struggling with these guys..."

 

[HandNoise]

Nothing against Valdez but i think he's looked pretty mediocre since moving up, and unless something has changed since his last fight or Berchelt trips over his owns shoes it's gonna be a painful night for Valdez.

As a huge Berchelt fan i'm quite confident in saying Berchelt is gonna stomp Valdez, but i'm fine with it turning into an all out war.

Agreed, also his best knockouts have been against mediocre opponents. At first I though he was the real deal, but since moving up he’s seemed to also let some of his pop behind, and now he carries some of the sharpness in his punches like another poster mentioned but as the fight progresses I feel like he gets pretty sloppy in his offense and his defense falls apart, not that it’s great to begin with.

 

[lukeuidswords]

Twice KO'd unbeaten big-hitting EBU champ Leragga, in the Basque fighter's home town.

He's been stopped versus the Lithuanian fella who decked Terrence Crawford, but he gave a good account of himself & was never off his feet (& some might call that premature, though the Russian was taking a pasting). He also lost a close one to Peterson (though Peterson was basically on the way down).

Avanesyan's I dunno, a solid top 25? Definitely Kelly's best win if he manages it.

Given the way scorecards are in the UK now, if Kelly sees the final bell, he'll win. If he has any future at 147 given his lack of punching ability at the higher levels is another matter

 

[lukeuidswords]

He’s unheralded but the guy is a flat-out killer and he’s no one-trick poney. He can both walk down his man or box on the back foot. I don’t think top dogs will see him as a great risk-reward kind of opponent.

Thats really Berchelt's secret weapon yeah, he's a banger with very long arms but also has a persistent, varied jab and active footwork

 

[CatchnShoot]

Theres also the Josh Kelly card in the afternoon

And Sean McComb vs Gavin Gwynne for the Commonwealth title as an appetizer Friday afternoon ( 2PM EST) but that's lower level I s'pose.

 

[CatchnShoot]

ESPN England card live now.

 

[LethalLeft]

From a betting perspective I think Valdez has all the value here at 2.5-1 or better. Berchelt might beat him down but that line is off imo.

I like Valdez here personally. I have a soild(IMO) 2 leg set up with Santiago over Broner and Valdez over Berchelt.

 

[MMALOPEZ]

 

[MMALOPEZ]

 

[toogreen]

this fight is going to be good

 

[toogreen]

damn, impressive performance by Valdez.

 

[ssx]

I have to admit I haven’t seen that much of Berchelt, but bought into the hype. Valdez looked great tonight, but damn Berchelt looked terrible. Slow, plodding, no straight punches, no defense, no adjustments, very slow recouperation. He did show great courage and heart, but I don’t see how he recovers after that bad a knockout.

 

[DaveDave]

That was a fucking great performance by Valdez.

I feel terrible for having doubted him. He outclassed the bigger guy all night & then KTFO'd him.

What a fuckin' fighter.

 

[Hagler]

That was a fucking great performance by Valdez.

I feel terrible for having doubted him. He outclassed the bigger guy all night & then KTFO'd him.

What a fuckin' fighter.

I doubted the guy too, and it was as good a boxer’s performance as I’ve seen in quite some time. Sadly, while it’s a solid KOTY contender it was too much of a flat-out domination to make it into all-time great Mexico vs Mexico firefights.

 

[Nova44]

That was a fucking great performance by Valdez.

I feel terrible for having doubted him. He outclassed the bigger guy all night & then KTFO'd him.

What a fuckin' fighter.

Yeah regardless of how Berchelt looked, i was blown away by Valdez's performance. I think Valdez took one round off half way through to regain his energy but apart from that he easily won every minute of the fight. Every shot he threw hurt Berchelt, not only that but he looked so quick and precise too.

Another brutal KO like last week... just brutal. I had my hands over my mouth for a good 30 seconds when Berchelt hit the mat.

 

[aries]

Just watched it. Wow what a KO. I'd worry that Berchelt can come back from this. When the fight started first thing I noticed was Valdez was throwing heat with his jabs but Berchelt was throwing the most pathetic jabs I've ever seen. He didn't look himself in there. Valdez did a great job.

 

[Nova44]

Just watched it. Wow what a KO. I'd worry that Berchelt can come back from this. When the fight started first thing I noticed was Valdez was throwing heat with his jabs but Berchelt was throwing the most pathetic jabs I've ever seen. He didn't look himself in there. Valdez did a great job.

2 weeks in a row the huge favourite comes out not looking quite themselves and they get brutally KO'd.

 

[borntoloseNOT]

2 weeks in a row the huge favourite comes out not looking quite themselves and they get brutally KO'd.

Covid layoff is gonna have an adverse effect on the landscape of boxing I think, some fighters aren't going to be who we remember them being before a year in limbo, I wont be surprised to see more upsets as year continues

 

[Nova44]

Covid layoff is gonna have an adverse effect on the landscape of boxing I think, some fighters aren't going to be who we remember them being before a year in limbo, I wont be surprised to see more upsets as year continues

Canelo next

 

[boxingskills]

Just watched it. Wow what a KO. I'd worry that Berchelt can come back from this. When the fight started first thing I noticed was Valdez was throwing heat with his jabs but Berchelt was throwing the most pathetic jabs I've ever seen. He didn't look himself in there. Valdez did a great job.

Reynoso is a great trainer. His fighter's have great confidence and fight with great authority.