Miguel Berchelt Looking To Secure His Legacy In Boxing
One of the reasons to compete in boxing is the thrill of the fight. Others look for world title opportunities to collect gold. For Miguel Berchelt, who is a champion in his own right, he is fighting for a whole different reason.
Miguel Berchelt (37-1), is set to face off against Eleazar Valenzuela inside the TV Aztecas Studio in Mexico City on June 27. The WBC Super-Featherweight Champion is looking to show just how dominant he can be. At 28, the Mexican star hopes to become one of the all-time greats, an icon if you will.
“I believe when you dream, you have to dream big,” Berchelt stated to ESPN. “My first dream was to become a champion. I did that. Right now, I know that there’s another level, there’s a top level.”
Berchelt made his professional debut in 2010. “The Scorpion” fought primarily in Mexico to start his career before getting opportunities in the United States. From there, his resume grew. He won the interim WBO Super-Featherweight Title back in 2016 and became WBC Super-Featherweight Champion in 2017. Berchelt has defended the latter belt six times, his last bout a knockout-win against Jason Sosa in November.
Some of the top fighters to come out of Mexico include Canelo Alvarez, Julio Cesar Chavez, Juan Manual Marques, and Erik Morales. Each has left a lasting impact on the sport. Berchelt is hoping he can do the same, his own way.
The fight against Valenzuela (21-13-4) will be Berchelt’s first taste of the 135-pound division. If he is successful in his fight, Berchelt may not last long in the super-featherweight division. Berchelt wants to face Oscar Valdez, a former WBO Featherweight Champion. Other fighters he is interested in include lightweight’s Vasiliy Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez.
“No matter what I thought of me at the beginning of the sport, I’ve always had belief in myself,” Berchelt went on to say. “I’ve always seen myself getting those big fights, like the fight with Valdez and a fight with Lomachenko [or Lopez]. I always knew I was ready for those kinds of fights, and I think that’s really the key.”
Saturday’s fight card will be airing at 11 p.m. ET on ESPN. Meant to be a soccer star, Berchelt has found his craft as a dominant boxer. He will look to expand on that as he gets more opportunities.