Miguel Berchelt no longer has the WBC lightweight junior title after a devastating knockout loss to Oscar Valdez on Saturday night, but the good news is that the 29-year-old Mexican fighter says his post-fight exams went well, and he will stay back in the ring.
“I want to say that I am fine, thank God my tests went well,” said Berchelt in a statement. “It wasn’t my night and it certainly hurts a lot in my soul, but that’s how it is. You win and lose, it’s not the first time I’ve lost and I promise I’ll be stronger. “
“I want to thank Oscar Valdez for all his work. We Mexicans are warriors and wage war. Without a doubt, it is a night that I will never forget, and you can be sure that I will work tirelessly to become world champion again. “
Berchelt (37-2, 33 KO) had some problems making the 130 pound limit on Friday and had even more problems dealing with Valdez’s speed and evasion (29-0, 23 KO) on Saturday. He took a pretty bad beating in the fight, which saw him brutally knocked out at the end of the 10th round, but he also advanced the entire fight, even after getting hurt several times, and fell in the fourth and ninth round.
Berchelt hasn’t said so yet and will have to think about it to move on, but there’s a chance he’ll move up to lightweight, of course, at least until there’s Valdez’s rematch. Prosecutor Bob Arum is not dismissing this idea, but there is already some real heat – including Arum declaring great interest – behind Valdez instead of facing Shakur Stevenson next.