Jose Valenzuela Pushes WBA for Floyd Schofield Fight

Jose "Rayo" Valenzuela has publicly urged the WBA to sanction a bout between him and newly crowned lightweight champion Floyd Schofield. Schofield recently captured the vacant title by defeating Lucas Bahdi in Chicago, prompting promoter Oscar De La Hoya to discuss potential unification bouts. Valenzuela, ranked third by the WBA in September, wants the sanctioning body to prioritize its top contenders before allowing unifications.

A potential match faces several hurdles, notably promotional and broadcast differences. Valenzuela competes for Zuffa Boxing on Paramount+, whereas Schofield is promoted by Golden Boy on DAZN. Although WBA rules require vacant-title champions to defend within 120 days, it remains up to the sanctioning organization whether to order an official mandatory defense against Valenzuela.