Valle, a 25-year-old from Lutz, Florida, stands 5ft 11ins, which is tall for his weight class. In November, he recorded the biggest win of his career, an eight-round unanimous decision over former titleholder Rene Alvarado. The bout, which was a late-minute replacement, took place at lightweight. Alvarado would not go away, but Valle controlled the fight and showed multiple facets to his game.