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Miguel Berchelt tests positive for COVID, title defense against Oscar Valdez delayed

The pair were expected to fight on December 12th, though Top Rank never officially confirmed the date

Mexican Boxers Juan Francisco Estrada And Miguel Berchelt Training Session Photo by Jaime Lopez/Jam Media/Getty Images

Trust me, I don’t enjoy writing these any more than you do reading them.

ESPN’s Salvador Rodriguez reports that WBC super lightweight champion Miguel Berchelt has tested positive for COVID, delaying his yet-to-be-announced December 12th title defense against mandatory challenger Oscar Valdez. “El Alacran,” based in Hermosillo, Mexico, is presently under quarantine.

Berchelt’s (37-1, 33 KO) long-brewing bout with former featherweight champion Valdez (28-0, 22 KO) looked like one of the best action fights on the schedule, a clash between two all-action bruisers with a history of impressive slugfests. It’s a serious disappointment to see it pushed back even further.

The fight was to be both Berchelt’s and Valdez’s second of 2020. The former ran over Eleazar Valenzuela in a June non-title bout, while the latter beat down Jayson Velez a month later.

On the bright side, this does leave the 12th slightly less cramped; Berchelt-Valdez was set to go head-to-head with Showtime’s Nordine Oubaali-Nonito Donaire card, which also figured to be must-watch television.

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