Shakur Stevenson, Oscar Valdez working to finalize title unification fight, sources say

2:37 PM

According to sources, a 130-pound title unification fight between Oscar Valdez and Shakur Stevenson is in the works.

Sources said there was no financial agreement for the main event.

Stevenson was lobbying for the title opportunity after the junior lightweight title was claimed by Valdez. Jamel Herring is a 130-pound titleholder promoted by Top Rank.

The best performance of Stevenson's career was a 10th-round knockout of Herring. The Newark, New Jersey, native was criticized for not fighting aggressively and applied constant pressure during the one-sided beating.

Stevenson is on the verge of getting the fight he has been waiting for, but with two belts on the line.

While the Olympic silver medalist enters the fight with a lot of confidence, he is still looking for redemption. The two-time Olympian from Mexico tested positive for a performance- enhancing drug just weeks before he was set to defend his title.

The adverse finding did not stop the fight from happening. Valdez was installed as a heavy favorite but struggled in the first half of the fight and was awarded a controversial decision victory.

He was dropped from the rankings after failing a test at 130 pounds. Stevenson is a junior lightweight.