“That stoppage was a joke” – Fans react to Óscar Valdez’s controversial knockout victory over Liam Wilson to win WBO interim junior lightweight title

Despite his evident joy and pride in claiming victory, there is an asterisk next to Óscar Valdez’s recent win over Australian prospect, Liam Wilson, in which he captured the WBO interim junior lightweight title with a seventh-round TKO. This victory will undoubtedly hold a special place in Valdez’s heart for years to come, but it is not without its accompanying caveat.

The technical knockout (TKO) was a result of the referee stopping the fight when Wilson seemed to be unsteady on his feet after taking multiple hits from Valdez’s continuous barrage of combinations. However, the referee’s call was met with criticism on social media, causing a stir of controversy.

Take a look at Óscar Valdez’s TKO victory against Liam Wilson.

Many individuals turned to X/Twitter to express their disapproval of the referee’s decision, with one person labeling the interruption as awful.

“Terrible stoppage… YOU HAVE TO LET THE MAN AT LEAST HIT THE GROUND. THAT REF SHOULD BE fired…….”

A second fan also expressed the same sentiment and disregarded the reasoning behind the referee’s call.

“That stoppage was a joke. Not even one knockdown and decided to step in with 12 seconds left.”

A dedicated fan went as far as describing the result as a present from Valdez himself.

“Gift”

Some individuals simply continued to insist that the TKO was due to the stoppage being called too early.

“That was an early stoppage imo.”

Below, a compilation of fan reactions can be viewed:

Despite previously losing to Emanuel Navarrete in a unanimous decision for the WBO super featherweight title, this win marks the first victory for the Mexican boxer since that match. Valdez will undoubtedly rejoice in the success of his hard work, but may not be pleased with the opinions of certain fans regarding the outcome.

Óscar Valdez’s Professional Boxing Career

Óscar Valdez had a flawless, undefeated record for the majority of his career. He maintained a perfect record of 30-0 until he faced Shakur Stevenson, also an unbeaten star. Unfortunately, Valdez lost his WBC super featherweight title in this fateful encounter and was unable to secure the WBO and The Ring super featherweight straps.

Watch Óscar Valdez being knocked down by Shakur Stevenson:

Despite suffering a loss to Adam Lopez, he was able to rebound and secure a victory. He then went on to defeat Emanuel Navarrete. Fortunately, he has returned to his winning ways by beating Liam Wilson, improving his record to 32-2.