Oscar Collazo will defend his unified minimumweight titles against late-replacement opponent Neider Valdez this Saturday in California. Despite original challenger Joey Canoy’s withdrawal, the champion is unaffected by the disruption and has confidently predicted he will secure the victory inside of two rounds.
The change in opponent has not altered Collazo’s preparations or his mindset heading into the fight. At the final press conference, he made it clear that last-minute adjustments are something his camp is built to handle. “I don’t let that affect me. Golden Boy did the work. They told me to stay relaxed. I did my job, made weight, and stayed relaxed,” Collazo stated. This composure stems from a specific training philosophy that prioritizes adaptability over opponent-specific game plans.
Collazo explained his camp’s versatile approach. “When we’re in camp, we don’t exactly train for the fighter. We spar lefties, we spar righties, we spar aggressive fighters, we fight people in the back foot. So things like this don’t bother me,” he said. This foundation gives him the confidence to solve any puzzle in the ring, leading to his bold prediction: “We could do the same strategy with each fighter. Give me one or two rounds, and I got them.”
Golden Boy Promotions president Eric Gomez confirmed the difficulty in securing a new opponent on short notice, a testament to the champion’s reputation. “Trust me, not too many people are running to fight Oscar Collazo,” Gomez said. “He’s a bad man, in a good way. It’s always gonna be hard to get someone to fight a world-class fighter last minute.”
While the immediate task is Valdez, Golden Boy is already looking at bigger opportunities for the Puerto Rican star. Gomez revealed that discussions are underway for Collazo’s future, which could include a move up to the flyweight division. Unifying the minimumweight division remains a primary objective, but a potential bout with fellow Golden Boy fighter Ricardo Sandoval at 112 pounds has been floated internally. “Collazo does want to unify and get all the belts. I don’t think it will be next, but we have talked about it,” Gomez confirmed. For now, all focus remains on Saturday’s defense at Frontwave Arena.
