Former two-time champion Oscar Valdez hopes to kickstart another world title run when he returns to action against San Antonio, Texas native Ricky "El Castigo" Medina in a ten-round junior lightweight main event on Saturday, Sept. 6th at Domo Binacional in Valdez's hometown of Nogales, Mexico. A two-time Mexican Olympian, Valdez has not fought on home soil since 2013. “Oscar Valdez is a proud warrior, and this is a great opportunity for him to return home and prove he still has what it takes to contend at 130 pounds,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Oscar has been with Top Rank since he turned pro, and we are in his corner as he attempts to become a three-time world champion.”

 

Valdez (32-3, 24 KOs) captured the WBO featherweight championship with a knockout win over Matias Rueda and defended it six times. He then moved up to junior lightweight, where he scored a highlight-reel knockout against Miguel Berchelt in February 2021 to claim the WBC crown. The 34-year old suffered his first pro loss in an April 2022 unification showdown against Shakur Stevenson. He returned to form with a decision over Adam Lopez the following May, setting up an all-Mexico clash with Emanuel Navarrete in August 2023. Valdez dropped a unanimous decision to Navarrete, and following a TKO win over Liam Wilson, lost the Navarrete rematch by sixth-round knockout. 

 

Medina (16-3, 9 KOs) went 13-0 with seven knockouts before a decision loss to eventual champion Raymond Ford in June 2022. He rebounded later that year with a first-round stoppage of Steve Garagarza and outpointed Juan Antonio Lopez the following May. Medina suffered back-to-back decision losses, first on enemy turf against SoCal native George Acosta in December 2023, then to unbeaten contender Geo Lopez last September. Medina bounced back in December by dispatching Angel Hernandez Pillado in three.