The long-awaited battle between WBC junior lightweight titleholder Miguel Berchelt and Oscar Valdez, scheduled for Dec. 12 in Las Vegas, could be in jeopardy after Berchelt tested positive for COVID-19, sources close to Berchelt's camp told ESPN on Tuesday.
Berchelt (37-1, 33 KOs) was tested as part of the weekly monitoring for the fight, and according to the source, he is already under quarantine.
The fight against Valdez (28-0, 22 KOs) was a mandatory defense ordered by the WBC.
On Wednesday, Shakur Stevenson, a former featherweight champion, tweeted that he would be willing to step in to fight Valdez.
Yo @oscarvaldez56 I can step in for Berchelt Dec 12th but idk if u would want to do that 😈
— Shakur Stevenson (@ShakurStevenson) November 4, 2020
Berchelt won the belt with an 11th-round KO victory over Francisco Vargas in 2017 and he has defended the title six times. Valdez, a former featherweight titlist, moved up to junior lightweight in July to pursue a title in a second division, and defeated Jayson Velez by 10th-round TKO to set up the title fight against Berchelt.
The 28-year-old Berchelt has been training in Hermosillo, Mexico, under the supervision of trainer Alfredo Caballero.
Valdez, 29, is training in San Diego, California, with Eddy Reynoso, who also works with middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez, lightweight contender Ryan Garcia and former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr.