Oscar Valdez vs Liam Wilson: Preview & Prediction

Friday night on ESPN+, boxing fans will be treated to what was announced earlier as a WBO interim super featherweight title fight. Oscar Valdez (31-2, 23 KOs) will face Liam Wilson (13-2, 7 KOs) live from the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, AZ. The stakes are high for this one, and for Valdez, it may be his last opportunity for a world title shot. Is Friday night the moment Valdez turns old in the ring, or will he prevail, setting up some big fights for him later this year?

Is this a must-win fight for Oscar Valdez?

There is no question that the boxing fans love them some Valdez, and tickets to this fight are moving well. He is a professional both in and out of the ring, which is why fans crowd him every time he makes a public appearance. Regarding the media, he doesn’t ask which platform you represent or how many followers you have. He gives you his time and treats every interview equally. That is Valdez in a nutshell, and it’s likely why he continues to get opportunities, but those chances are slimming with him being 33 and slightly past his peak. He has this fight with Wilson on Friday, and with everything at stake, he needs this win more than anything in the world.

How does Valdez pull it off? Wilson isn’t the most defensively sound fighter, so Valdez has to take advantage of those moments when he has his hands low, especially his right hand. This will open the left hook for Valdez, who will have a fighter coming towards him, like in the Miguel Berchelt fight. Wilson has a decent chin, and it should hold up for most of the fight unless the referee steps in to stop it at some point. Valdez should avoid getting into a firefight and use his footwork to avoid staying in close too long.

Is everyone overlooking Liam Wilson?

In February 2023, Wilson gave WBO super featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete the scare of a lifetime when he knocked him down in the fourth round. In what was a controversial count by the referee, which seemed to have given Navarrete a lot more time than ten seconds, Wilson may have been robbed of a victory. He would get stopped later in the fight, but many wonder how different Wilson’s career would have been if he had scored that stoppage against Navarrete. He would end the same year with two consecutive wins, which earned him the right to now fight for the interim title.

Wilson will have his hands full, and he will only come out victorious by dragging Valdez into a firefight in close and hoping to land something big. If he uses his size to keep Valdez moving on his back foot, he can pull off the upset. It’s a tough task but not impossible, especially for a fighter who nearly knocked out the current world champion Navarrete.

OSCAR VALDEZ VS. LIAM WILSON PREDICTION

This will be a highly entertaining fight; however, Valdez has the experience and championship pedigree that will play a factor in this fight, as he will win by decision.

OSCAR VALDEZ VS. LIAM WILSON BETTING ODDS

Per DraftKings Sportsbook, Oscar Valdez is the favorite at -400, and Liam Wilson is the underdog at +300.

Oscar Valdez: TKO/KO +185; Decision +100

Draw: +1800

Liam Wilson: TKO/KO +700; Decision +600

OSCAR VALDEZ VS. LIAM WILSON DATE, START TIME

• Date: Friday, March 29
• Start time: 6:10 p.m. ET / 3:10 p.m. PT
• Main event ringwalks (approx): 11:45 p.m. ET / 8:45 p.m. PT

These timings could change due to the length of the undercard fights. 

WHAT CHANNEL/STREAM IS OSCAR VALDEZ VS. LIAM WILSON?

• U.S.: ESPN+
• UK:   Sky Sports

OSCAR VALDEZ VS. LIAM WILSON FIGHT CARD

• Oscar Valdez vs. Liam Wilson; Interim WBO super featherweight title
• Seniesa Estrada vs. Yokasta Valle; For the IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO women’s world minimumweight titles
• Lindolfo Delgado vs. Carlos Sanchez; super lightweight
• Raymond Muratalla vs. Xolisani Ndongeni; lightweight
• Alan Garcia vs. Gonzalo Fuenzalida; lightweight
• Richard Torrez Jr vs. Donald Haynesworth; heavyweight
• Ricardo Ruvalcaba vs. Avner Hernandez Molina; super lightweight
• Emiliano Vargas vs. Nelson Hampton; lightweight
• Sergio Leon Rodriguez vs. Sanny Duversonne; middleweight
• Art Barrera Jr vs. Keven Soto; super lightweight

Abraham Gonzalez

Abraham Gonzalez is the founder of FightsATW. His journalistic work has been published and used across several platforms to include online, network TV and promotional companies. He is an American Public University alumnus and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA). Abraham was the Managing Editor for NYFights, Big Fight Weekend, contributed to FanSidedMMA and ProBoxTV.

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