Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela believes Floyd Schofield’s camp is looking for a way around him, with the new WBA lightweight champion’s father calling for an Abdullah Mason unification in Texas early next year.
“Here we go .. they’re running the other way,” Valenzuela posted on X in response to the Mason callout.
Rayo has been seeking a shot at Schofield, but he may be out of luck if he expects the WBA to force the fight. His public request for the organization to intervene is not the same as an order requiring Schofield to face him.
Schofield Sr. offered Mason a January or February date during an interview with BandsNBoxing.
“If you want a fight, y’all can run it next,” he said. “Send the contract. Tell your bosses to send the contract to Golden Boy. Let’s make it happen then.”
He proposed San Antonio or Austin, Texas, adding: “Y’all already know it’s two belts on the line.”
That second belt gives Mason something Rayo cannot offer. Mason has also shown enough vulnerability to make him a target for Schofield’s camp. They may see a chance to collect the WBO title against a talented young champion whose defensive flaws offer openings.
Rayo falls into the “who needs him?” club: a former champion capable of spoiling plans without bringing another lightweight belt. Beating him would satisfy a challenger. Beating Mason would make Schofield a unified champion.
Schofield had enough trouble getting past Lucas Bahdi in his last fight to make another difficult assignment worth considering carefully. He won, but the performance hardly suggested he could take an opponent like Valenzuela lightly.
Rayo’s accusation puts that choice in public view. Whether it gets him any closer to a title shot depends on the WBA. If the organization approves a Mason unification, calling Schofield out may be all Valenzuela can do while the two champions pursue each other.