Oscar Valdez displayed his true class in a post-fight embrace with Liam Wilson, telling the fallen Aussie to never give up and even revealing he had hurt him “several times.”
Despite a bright start working from long and mid-range, Wilson’s desire to engage in a short-range war took over and it played right into Valdez’s hands in their bout for the WBO super featherweight title in Glendale, Arizona.
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Although Wilson was still landing big shots, Valdez simply had too much for the tough Aussie and stopped him in the seventh round.
It was heartbreak for Wilson who fell short yet again in his bid for a world title but Valdez, who had endured a similar fate twice in the space of 16 months, had words of support for his rival.
Speaking to ESPN’s Mark Kriegel in his post-fight interview, Valdez revealed exactly what he told a crestfallen Wilson in the aftermath of their seven-round barnburner.
“I told him not to give up, man,” Valdez said.
“I lost. It doesn’t mean you’re done in the sport. I’m a good example.
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“He (Wilson) almost got me, he almost got my kettle. I got to take my hat off for Liam Wilson. I’ve got nothing but respect for him and his team.
“I know he can be a champ.”
Kriegel prodded further on Valdez’s revelation he was hurt by Wilson and asked the Mexican if he told his rival that he had indeed rocked him.
“Yes, (I told him), several times,” Valdez said.
“He carries a punch. He can do it. Yeah, he did (hurt my ribs).”
Wilson, understandably, cut a devastated figure after the fight and knew his “heart got the better” of his head against Valdez.
The Queenslander also recognised mid-fight that he had Valdez looking a little worse for wear but found him a “tricky” customer to deal with when working on the inside.
“I did know that (I almost had him), actually,” Wilson said in his post-fight interview.
“But he was a bit tricky inside. He was very compact for a fighter, short and compact.
“I thought I hurt him to the body at one stage, but I didn’t know he was as hurt as he made out. It’s good to know.”
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