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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.