Flores Jr to Face Velez on Berchelt-Valdez Card

Undefeated super featherweight standout Gabriel Flores Jr. will fight former world title challenger Jayson Velez in a 10-round tilt Saturday, Feb. 20, as the co-feature to the highly anticipated all-Mexican showdown between WBC super featherweight world champion Miguel Berchelt and former featherweight kingpin Oscar Valdez. Top Rank made the announcement official Thursday.

Velez replaces former world champion Andrew Cancio, who suffered a back injury and had to withdraw.

? JUST ANNOUNCED ?

With Andrew Cancio out due to a back injury, rising Super Featherweight @G_Squad_Nation now will face former world title challenger @jayson_velez, beginning his 2021 with a big step up in the co-feature spotlight.#BercheltValdez | FEB 20 | ESPN pic.twitter.com/yU4uojuUxH

— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) January 14, 2021

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions, Berchelt-Valdez and Flores-Velez will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The location will be n Las Vegas as the Nevada State Atheltic Commission has given permission to hold the sporting events for both this card as well as the card the following week on February 20th.

Velez (29-7-1, 21 KOs), from Juncos, Puerto Rico, makes a quick comeback to the ESPN airwaves following his spirited effort against Valdez last July. He lost via 10th-round TKO after suffering a pair of knockdowns in that round. A 14-year pro, Velez has victories over former two-weight world champion Juan Manuel Lopez, former WBC super bantamweight world champion Victor Terrazas and then-unbeaten prospect Alberto Mercado.

This should be for The 20-year-old Flores (19-0, 6 KOs) be a solid test for him albeit not as strong as one that Cancio would’ve been. The Stockton native Flores was last seen inside “the bubble” out boxing Ryan Kielczewski (30-5, 11 KOs) in a ten rounder. This of course was overshadowed as the main event between Jose Zepeda and Ivan Baranchyk. was the FIght of  the Year in 2020.