WBC super-featherweight champion Oscar Valdez will meet undefeated Brazilian Robson Conceicao in a voluntary title defence in Arizona in September.
Valdez (29-0, 23 KOs) produced one of the performances of 2021 to dismantle long-time WBC king Miguel Berchelt before scoring a ‘knockout of the year’ contender in February.
Promoter Bob Arum has told ESPN.com that Rio 2016 Olympic gold medallist Conceicao (16-0, 8 KOs) is next in the firing line.
Shakur Stevenson, who battles Jeremiah Nakathila for the WBO Interim crown at 130lbs in Las Vegas on Saturday, had hoped to fight Mexican Valdez next, but is slated to face reigning WBO champion Jamel Herring at Madison Square Garden in the winter of 2021.
Top Rank hopes to put Valdez in with the winner of Stevenson-Herring in a WBC/WBO title unification in 2022, assuming all parties continue to win.