NEWARK, NJ – Robson Conceicao believes he did enough to wrest the WBC super featherweight title from Oscar Valdez a year ago in Tucson, Arizona. Conceicao (17-1, 8 KOs) officially lost a unanimous decision to Valdez (30-1, 23 KOs), who surrendered his WBC belt to Stevenson in their subsequent fight on April 30 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. .
Stevenson (18-0, 9 KOs) was scheduled to defend his WBC and WBO crowns against Conceicao in a 12-round main event that ESPN will broadcast from the Prudential Center in Stevenson’s hometown of Newark.
However, Stevenson was forced to relinquish the belts when he failed to make weight at Thursday’s weigh-in. The fight will go ahead, but only Conceicao is eligible to win the titles.
“I am very motivated,” Conceicao said through a translator during her news conference at the Prudential Center. “I trained my whole life for this moment. The world could see that I was better than Oscar Valdez. I should have won so [Stevenson was] I’m not really defending two titles because actually one should have been mine. I’m just a champion without the crown and I’m ready for Friday night.”
Stevenson, who dominated Valdez in their 12-round championship unification fight, disputed Conceicao’s claim.
“I mean, he’s a good fighter, at the end of the day,” Stevenson said. “But um, I think he lost to Valdez. I feel like if you left it up to the judges, you lost. So, I fought Valdez. I gave him a beating. So at the end of the day, I have no excuses. He keeps talking about him having COVID or something before his last fight. [a unanimous points victory over Xavier Martinez on January 29]. All I hear are excuses, at the end of the day. I am ready to fight. Tell him he has no excuses on Friday night. I’m ready to beat him up.”
CompuBox credited Conceicao with landing 58 more punches overall than Valdez (141 for 576 to 83 for 390), but all three judges scored that fight for Valdez last September 10 at Casino Del Sol.
Judge Stephen Blea (117-110) scored nine rounds for Valdez. Judges Omar Mintun (115-112) and Chris Tellez (115-112) scored seven rounds apiece for Mexico’s Valdez, which seemed more in keeping with the competitive nature of a back-and-forth fight in which Conceicao got off to a fast start. . .
Stevenson, 25, a smart and highly skilled southpaw, defeated Valdez 118-109 on the scorecards of judges Dave Moretti and David Sutherland. Judge Tim Cheatham scored an extra round for Valdez, who lost 117-110 on his card.
Stevenson dropped Valdez in the sixth round of their fight. Conceicao, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist, did not drop the former champion, though he was docked a point for hitting Valdez behind the head in the ninth round.
Conceicao, 33, has only lost to Valdez, but Caesars Sportsbook still listed Stevenson as a 30-1 favorite on Thursday. His fight will headline a two-fight telecast scheduled to begin at 10 pm ET on ESPN.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
