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Steve KimESPN
The bout between former WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez and Andres Gutierrez, scheduled for Saturday night in Las Vegas, was canceled Friday because Gutierrez came in more than 11 pounds over the 130-pound limit set for the bout. Valdez will now face Adam Lopez, Top Rank Promotions said.
The bout, on the ESPN+ card (10 p.m. ET with preliminary bouts streaming beginning at 6:30 p.m.), will still be a WBC elimination contest at 130, with the winner getting a shot at WBC belt holder Miguel Berchelt, Top Rank said.
The 23-year-old Lopez (13-1, 6 KOs), the son of former junior welterweight contender Hector Lopez, had originally been scheduled to face Luis Coria in a 10-round bout on Saturday night’s card at the Cosmopolitan.
Top Rank’s Bob Arum, who promotes Valdez, went to Lopez after Gutierrez missed weight to see if he would instead take the fight with Valdez.
“It’s a big opportunity for him,” Arum said.
Buddy McGirt, who trains Lopez, said he talked to his fighter about Valdez/
“I don’t know the kid (Valdez). I’ve never seen him fight,” McGirt said. “But Adam said, ‘Buddy, I can beat him.'”
Lopez was thrilled with the opportunity.
“It’s a life-changing fight,” Lopez said. “My father had a premonition in 2009. Ten years ago he said Oscar Valdez is going to be a world champion and he said I’m going to be better than him.”
Gutierrez weighed-in at 141, a pound over the junior welterweight limit, which is two full weight classes above junior lightweight. Valdez, 28, came in at 129.8 pounds.
Arum was incensed by Gutierrez and said he would never deal with him again.
“Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, and all the people involved with him,” Arum said. “We will never deal with him.”
Valdez has had previous issues with fighters not making weight.
“I trained hard for three months making the sacrifices, and I am very upset with Andres Gutierrez,” Valdez said. “He was unprofessional. As soon as I heard 141 pounds, I still wanted to fight him, but my team and Bob Arum said Gutierrez was out. I give credit to Adam Lopez for stepping up. It will be a great fight tomorrow night.”
Last March, he was scheduled to defend his featherweight title against Scott Quigg, who came in three pounds over the limit. Valdez decided to face Quigg anyway and suffered a fractured jaw during a memorable 12-round battle in Carson, California. The injury kept Valdez out for of the rest of 2018.
Valdez has since rebounded with victories over Carmine Tommasone (TKO7) and Jason Sanchez (W12) before making the decision to vacate his WBO featherweight title and move up to junior lightweight.