Featherweight world titleholder Oscar Valdez, out of action since suffering a badly broken jaw in a March 10 title defense against Scott Quigg, was cleared to resume full training Thursday, manager Frank Espinoza told ESPN.
Valdez saw his doctor, oral surgeon Dr. Douglas Galen, this week in Beverly Hills, California, for an exam, and after the doctor reviewed test results, Valdez was cleared.
"We got the call from Dr. Galen, and he said Oscar is good to go," Espinoza said. "He said Oscar's injury healed the way it was supposed to heal, and he got the green light. Oscar can go back to training and prepare for his next fight whenever Top Rank decides it will be, either in December or January. Whenever it is, Oscar will be ready to go."
Valdez suffered the broken jaw in the fifth round against an overweight Quigg, who was ineligible to win the 126-pound belt. Valdez bled from his mouth for the rest of the intense, action-packed slugfest that took place in a rainstorm at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.
Valdez swallowed a lot of his own blood, but he persevered to win a unanimous decision -- 118-110, 117-111 and 117-111 -- in his fourth and most difficult title defense.
His jaw was in such bad shape that trainer Manny Robles stopped taking out the mouthpiece between rounds so as not to jostle his jaw. Although Valdez (24-0, 19 KOs), 27, a two-time Mexican Olympian, did not need surgery, he spent two months with his mouth wired shut and was not able to eat solid food.
When Valdez returns to the ring, he will do so with a new trainer, having recently parted ways with Robles in favor of Mexico's Eddy Reynoso, who is best known as the head trainer for Canelo Alvarez. Valdez will train with Reynoso in Mexico, Espinoza said.
Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti said company officials likely will meet with Espinoza in person next week when they are all in Fresno, California, where Top Rank's Jose Ramirez will defend his junior welterweight world title for the first time on Sept. 14 (ESPN) against Golden Boy-promoted contender Antonio Orozco, who is also managed by Espinoza.
"We'll probably sit down next week in Fresno and map out the next step," Moretti told ESPN. "But Oscar Valdez is must-see TV, that's for sure, and we are delighted that he has a clean bill of health."