Scott weighs up defeat to Mexican Valdez
QUIGG LOSES OUT ON POINTS DECISION AFTER GRUELLING ENCOUNTER
SCOTT Quigg came up short against WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez after suffering a unanimous decision defeat.
It was a gruelling, entertaining fight between the two men at the StubHub Center in Carson, California, but Valdez proved to be too much, with the judges scoring the bout 118-110, 117-111 and 117111.
Quigg pushed the action throughout the fight and landed some good shots which hurt Valdez at times, but the Mexican fighter was fast and accurate with his punches and in the end was rightfully given the decision win.
It is only the second loss of Quigg’s professional career, and he admits that Valdez deserved to get the victory.
“I’m gutted. It was a great fight and I was in it all the way along, but there are no excuses. The better man won,” he said.
“Early on we were trading and then he started to box, and then we went back to trading again. I enjoyed it in there and I hope the fans did too, but I came up short.
“I hurt him a few times and he only hurt me when he buzzed me a bit and then caught me with a good body shot, but he’s not the biggest puncher I’ve faced, although you can see from my face that he hits hard enough.”
The WBO featherweight title wasn’t on the line for Quigg after he missed weight on Friday, and he revealed that a fractured foot in training affected things in the build-up.
“I didn’t do it as a tactic. Four weeks ago I fractured my foot and it hindered me from doing the road work and certain stuff,” he said.
“I knew the way I would be fighting wouldn’t change any tactics or change my fighting style, and I was on track to make the weight. I started cutting it earlier to make sure I’d be on it but my body shut down. “On the Thursday morning I was only four pounds over, and then we did four sessions and it still didn’t budge. “I still take full responsibility. I’ve had a bit of stick back home saying I’m unprofessional, but I’m not. There were fans who had paid for flights to come over for the fight and I didn’t want to let them down, I wanted to put on a show. I apologise and I hope the fans enjoyed the fight, but I don’t cut corners.” Valdez remains undefeated after his win, and he praised Quigg for his performance throughout the 12 rounds. “He is a tremendous fighter so much respect to Scott. He caught me with some good shots and it was a war in there. I tip my hat to him,” said Valdez.
I’m gutted. It was a great fight and I was in it all the way, but no excuses
Scott Quigg