On June 8th, Top Rank on ESPN heads to the Sparks Convention Center in Reno, Nevada for a WBO featherweight championship main event featuring two undefeated fighters, champion Oscar Valdez vs. Jason Sanchez. The fight will be shown on ESPN and the prelims will be live streamed on ESPN+.
Rising undefeated lightweight prospect Gabriel Flores Jr. will open the main ESPN TV broadcast against Salvador Briceno in an 8 round lightweight bout.
Oscar Valdez (25-0, 20 KOs) is a two-time Olympian who represented Mexico in 2008 and 2012, he currently holds the WBO 126 pound title and at 28 he is only getting better.
He won the vacant WBO championship in 2016 when he stopped Argentine Matias Rueda in the second round and went on to defend the belt five times.
Valdez is one of Top Rank’s rising stars and his main goal is to clear out the featherweight division before moving up to 130 pounds. He currently trains under Eddy Reynoso who is best known for guiding Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez from childhood to the pros.
He is in with a tough 24-year-old out of New Mexico Jason Sanchez (14-0, 7 KOs) who is eager to become the fifth boxing champion out of his home state.
Promoter Bob Arum says Sanchez is the “Cinderella Man” of the featherweight division and can pull off the upset if Valdez doesn’t take him seriously.
Top Rank on ESPN June 8 Fight Card
Featherweight Championship – Oscar Valdez vs. Jason Sanchez (WBO title)
Lightweight – Gabriel Flores Jr. vs. Salvador Briceno
Featherweight – Robson Conceicao vs. Carlos Ruiz
Light Heavyweight – Michael Seals vs. Christopher Brooker
Lightweight – Diego Elizondo vs. Sergio Vega
Junior Welterweight – JJ Mariano vs. William Flenoy
The preliminary undercard live stream will be on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT and the main card will be televised on ESPN/ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on June 8, 2019.
