Oscar Valdez to Make Triumphant Homecoming Against Ricky Medina in Nogales Showdown

Two-time world champion Oscar Valdez is set to make a long-awaited return to his hometown of Nogales, Mexico, as he prepares to face San Antonio’s Ricky “El Castigo” Medina in a 10-round junior lightweight main event on Saturday, Sept. 6, at Domo Binacional.

This homecoming marks Valdez’s first fight on Mexican soil in over a decade, with his last bout in the country dating back to 2013. The event, promoted by Zanfer Boxing and Top Rank, is expected to draw passionate fans eager to support one of Mexico’s most decorated fighters. Tickets are currently available through xticket.mx.

“Oscar Valdez is a proud warrior, and this is a great opportunity for him to return home and prove he still has what it takes to contend at 130 pounds,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “Oscar has been with Top Rank since he turned pro, and we are in his corner as he attempts to become a three-time world champion.”

Valdez (32-3, 24 KOs), a two-time Olympian for Mexico, first captured world championship gold by stopping Matias Rueda to win the WBO featherweight title. He successfully defended that belt six times before moving up to junior lightweight, where he delivered a highlight-reel knockout of Miguel Berchelt in 2021 to win the WBC title.

However, Valdez’s path hasn’t been without setbacks. He suffered his first professional loss in a unification bout against Shakur Stevenson in April 2022. After rebounding with a win over Adam Lopez, he faced Emanuel Navarrete in an all-Mexican showdown but fell short by unanimous decision. A TKO victory over Liam Wilson followed, but Valdez came up short once again in the rematch with Navarrete, losing by sixth-round knockout.

Now 34, Valdez is looking to re-establish himself as a top contender in a stacked junior lightweight division.

Standing in his way is Ricky Medina (16-3, 9 KOs), a gritty contender with plenty to prove. Medina started his pro career with a 13-0 run before a competitive loss to future world champion Raymond Ford in 2022. He quickly bounced back with wins over Steve Garagarza and Juan Antonio Lopez but then dropped two decisions against George Acosta and unbeaten Geo Lopez. Medina regained momentum with a dominant stoppage win over Angel Hernandez Pillado last December.

As Valdez seeks to reignite his title aspirations and Medina looks to score a major upset, fans can expect an action-packed main event filled with national pride, high stakes, and world championship implications.