Scott Quigg is on course for his dream rematch with Carl Frampton if he takes the WBO featherweight title away from Oscar Valdez in California tomorrow night.
Quigg has yearned for another crack at “The Jackal” ever since losing their unification battle for the WBA and IBF super-bantamweight titles two years ago this month.
Frampton, nicknamed The Jackal, promptly stepped up to featherweight and won the WBA belt held by Leo Santa Cruz but lost it straight away when they fought for a second time.
Quigg has also moved up in weight and is now trained by Freddie Roach, who famously guided Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan to world title glory.
Valdez will be a tough nut to crack in Carson City as he is unbeaten in 23 fights with 19 by way of knockout.
The orthodox 27-year-old from Nogales won his belt when he beat Evgeny Gradovich in four rounds for the vacant title in in April 2016 and has successfully defended his strap four times.
Frampton will be watching the fight in the early hours of Sunday morning and he opened the door for a rematch with Quigg when he told the Manchester Evneing News: “If he’s a world champion he’s got something that I want, that’s a world title.
“It’s strange how this game happens. I’ve been saying anytime Quigg’s name is brought up that I don’t want to do anything to do with him unless he wins a world title. If he wins a world title we can have a rematch, of course.”
Quigg feels he has the strength after moving up to featherweight to overpower Valdez and add him to a list of 34 victims. He has drawn twice and his only loss was to Frampton.
The Bury boxer was chosen by Valdez as his opponent in a voluntary defence but is confident he will make him regret that decision.
Quigg said: “He is probably hitting his peak right now, but I’m very confident of winning. It’s a fight that excites me. I didn’t hesitate to say yes when Valdez’s promoter came knocking.
“Becoming a two-weight champion would probably be the biggest achievement of my career. They probably think I will be crushed by the occasion but they had better think again.
“We shared the ring when I was preparing for a fight with Viorel Simion. The reason I left my family behind was for that sort of quality sparring.
“The sessions I had with Valdez underlined that I made the correct decision to uproot my camps. The Wild Card gym came to a virtual standstill when we sparred and neither of us took it easy. It was pretty much full-on.
“I know what Valdez can do and it doesn’t worry me at all. I know his attributes and his weaknesses but he can say the same about me.”
Valdez is as short as 2/9 with Bet365 to emerge triumphant while Quigg is 3/1 with the same firm.
Another knockout success for the defending champion is is 9/4 with Betfair but Quigg can take a punch and should go the full 12 rounds although Valdez to win on points appeals at 7/5 with Betfair.