World Boxing Organization President, Gustavo Olivieri, has announced on X that the WBO has officially approved Mexican contender Neider Valdez to challenge WBO minimumweight champion Oscar Collazo in the main event this Saturday (June 20) at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, California, and live on DAZN.
Collazo, 14-0 (11 KOs), who also holds the WBA belt, was supposed to face Filipino Joey Canoy, however visa issues sidelined that idea. Original replacement challenger Luis Castillo of Mexico ran into similar problems, preventing him from filling the spot.
Enter Valdez, 15-3-3 (12 KOs), who fought three weeks ago and had the necessary licenses and immigration permits to compete. The WBO Championship Committee and Ratings Committee approved Valdez via “exceptional circumstances,” and plugged him into their ratings at #15 to adhere to their rules for title challengers.
The Golden Boy Promotions card will now go on with the new main event that tops a seven-fight card. The DAZN broadcast begins on Saturday at 8:00 pm EST or Sunday at 1:00 am in the UK. Collazo will be making his eighth WBO defense and the fourth of his WBA Super title.
