The bout was originally scheduled to be a minimumweight title defense for Collazo against Joey Canoy. However, Canoy was forced to withdraw during fight week because of visa issues, leading Golden Boy Promotions to secure Valdez as a late replacement.
The original fight against Joey Canoy was expected to be a title defense at 105 pounds. After Canoy withdrew because of visa issues, Valdez stepped in on short notice and the bout was contested at flyweight instead.
Collazo took control early and had Valdez in trouble from the opening round. The gap between the two fighters became more apparent in the second round as Collazo began scoring knockdowns before the referee stepped in to stop the contest.
The second round brought a swift ending.
Collazo increased the pressure and began landing clean combinations from both hands. Valdez was sent to the canvas multiple times as Collazo’s accuracy and power created problems that the late substitute could not solve.
After another knockdown and further unanswered punishment, referee Thomas Taylor stepped in and stopped the contest at the 2:35 mark of round two.
The victory gives Collazo another impressive stoppage win as he continues building momentum following his successful run at 105 pounds. Although the contest provided little resistance, it allowed him to stay active after the original championship fight fell apart earlier in the week.
Collazo has made no secret of his desire to continue pursuing major fights and additional titles in the minimumweight division. Saturday’s performance did little to answer new questions about his future, but it reinforced the gap in class between Collazo and replacement-level opposition.
The main event capped a prospect-heavy Golden Boy card that featured several notable performances. Ruslan Abdullaev captured the WBA Continental Gold light welterweight title with a fifth-round knockout of Orestes Velazquez, while Yair Gallardo claimed the vacant WBO NABO light heavyweight title with a unanimous decision over Buneet Singh Bisla.
Joshua Edwards scored a second-round knockout of Garreth Payton, Cayden Griffiths stopped Edgar Ayala Crisosto in three rounds, and Daniel Garcia needed only one round to dispatch Christopher Rodriguez.
The night ended exactly as expected: another victory for Collazo, another stoppage, and another step forward while waiting for the bigger fights he hopes to secure later this year.
