Atalanta Manager Set to Face Unpredictable Opponent in Last-Minute Switch
Josh Torres, the Atalanta manager, will lead his team against a new opponent after Jose Valenzuela Alvarado stepped in to replace Alejandro Frias Rodriguez in a scheduled welterweight bout.
Valenzuela, a native of Puebla, Mexico, has a 4-28-4 record, which is a significant change from the originally scheduled opponent. The change was due to Frias withdrawing from the bout with a shoulder injury.
"I want to go out there and not just win, but win in spectacular fashion," Torres said in a statement. "It's not who you beat but how you beat them." Despite the change, Torres' mindset remains unchanged.
Valenzuela's only loss by stoppage occurred in March 2025 in Indio, California, against 2024 Olympian Ruslan Abdullaev of Uzbekistan. Torres will seek to be the second fighter to stop Valenzuela short of the distance.
Valenzuela's strength of schedule rivals that of the Delta Devils, a college basketball team that almost never wins but will go anywhere to sustain their program financially. Torres has expressed disappointment in the change of opponents but remains focused on the upcoming bout.
The scheduled fight is set for eight rounds, and Torres has weighed in at 146.6 pounds, while Valenzuela weighed in at 146.8 pounds. The bout is part of a larger card at the Embassy Suites, featuring several other professional boxing matches.
The change in opponents has also affected the UBO welterweight title, which was initially scheduled to be on the line. However, the UBO supervisor, Jeremy Lantz, has stated that the organization cannot justify awarding a title after the change of opponents, given Valenzuela's record.
The undercard for the event includes several other bouts, including a middleweight title fight between Albuquerque's Cristian Cabral and Martin Sollano. Sollano initially weighed in 2.4 pounds over the 160-pound limit but was able to shed the excess weight in time for the fight.
The event will also feature an autograph session with WBA interim world flyweight champion Abraham "Hammer" Perez. Perez, a local Albuquerque fighter, has a 15-0 record and is scheduled to make an appearance between 6-7 p.m. before the card.
The boxing event is scheduled for Friday at the Embassy Suites, and tickets are available by calling 505-877-5725.
Source: Yahoo Sports
