GLENDALE, Arizona – Lindolfo Delgado would love nothing more to resume his knockout ways.
The 2016 Mexican Olympian and rising junior welterweight prospect has left his last two fights in the hands of the judges. He enjoyed a late power surge in his most recent victory, a lopsided eight-round decision over Clarence Booth whom he dropped in the final round of their February 3 ESPN+ aired bout from Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
Delgado returns to the same venue for his scheduled ten-round bout versus Jair Valtierra, which he hopes to end in explosive fashion.
“I have a strong desire this time to knock my opponent out, to knock him down,” Delgado stated of the upgraded ESPN co-feature. “But the important thing is to look good and stay focused.”
Delgado-Valtierra serves in chief support to the highly anticipated Emanuel Navarrete-Oscar Valdez WBO junior lightweight title fight.
Mexico’s Delgado (17-0, 13KOs) stopped each of his first eleven opponents but has seen just two of his past six starts end inside the distance. The Robert Garcia-trained, 28-year-old from Monterrey dropped Booth in the final round and had him on unsteady legs for the balance of the fight but had to settle for his second consecutive unanimous decision win.
“It was a tough fight,” noted Delgado. “I was able to drop him but he got back up and was able to go the distance”
Expectations are higher this time around, not just for his fight but for the show as a whole given the anticipated Fight of the Year candidate in the Navarrete-Valdez main event.
There is also the part where Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum has tabbed Delgado as a can’t miss future champ.
“It’s an honor. It makes me very happy that Bob views me in that regard,” noted Delgado. “I won’t disappoint. It motivates me to go out there, work hard and put on a show this Saturday night.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox