Oscar Collazo demonstrated his worth as a world titleholder in 2023. This year, Collazo wants to prove he is the best fighter at 105 pounds.

Collazo will attempt to make the second successful defense of his WBO strawweight belt on Saturday, facing Reyneris Gutierrez of Nicaragua at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The 12-round bout will precede the main event bout between super middleweight contenders Jaime Munguia and John Ryder.

Both fights will stream live on DAZN (8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT).

The 27-year-old Collazo (8-0, 6 knockouts), who is originally from Newark, New Jersey and now resides in Villalba, Puerto Rico, won the WBO title on May 27, earning a knockout win after Melvin Jerusalem remained on his stool after round seven.

Collazo, rated at No. 5 at strawweight by The Ring, made the first defense in his last bout on August 26, which was a homecoming of sorts as the fight took place in Puerto Rico. Collazo battered Garen Diagan, stopping him after the sixth round.

Gutierrez (10-1, 2 KOs) will present another test for Collazo, who is the overwhelming favorite going into the fight. The only blemish on Gutierrez’s record was a unanimous decision loss to Alex Winwood on June 16.

Fighting on another high-profile card, Collazo hopes to showcase his talent and prove he is a force to be reckoned with at 105 pounds.

“This is another big fight for me,” Collazo told The Ring in a recent phone interview. “I want to demonstrate that I’m ‘the one’ among all the world champions in my division. I have to fight him smartly from the beginning and make more fans in the process. We trained well for this fight and I want it to show on (Saturday).”

Collazo won a title belt in his seventh fight as a pro. He has also fought solid opposition early in his career, defeating contenders Vic Saludar and Yudel Reyes. The victory over Reyes was a title elimination fight.

Some managers and promoters may balk at the idea of a fighter with a handful of fights facing top opposition, but Collazo’s team had confidence in his ability and what he is capable of doing.

“I think the fact that my 140 fights as an amateur helped me get to this point of my professional career,” said Collazo, who is co-promoted by Miguel Cotto Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions. “I was on the fast track. I became a world champion in my seventh pro fight, the fastest in Puerto Rican boxing history.

“I also think it’s the discipline I have as a fighter. Few fighters have the important tools to become and stay being a world champion. Also, few have accomplished what I have so far. I’ve had a good start to my pro career.”

It is still early in his pro career, but Collazo has the trajectory to be an all-time great fighter.

The island nation has produced several great world champions, including Wilfredo Gomez, Wilfredo Benitez, Felix Trinidad, and Cotto, just to name a few.

Collazo is grateful to be promoted by Cotto, and to receive guidance from him. As much as he is humbled being compared to great champions, Collazo points out the camaraderie among all world titleholders, past and present, from Puerto Rico, and hopes he creates his own path to greatness.

“We are all Puerto Ricans and we represent the island with pride, wherever we fight,” said Collazo. “The road I’m taking is similar to Carlos Ortiz and Ivan Calderson, two other great champions from Puerto Rico. We are on that path. I want the best fights possible. We are working hard to achieve greatness.”

Collazo hopes to make a statement at the expense of Gutierrez and hopes to begin the process of unifying the 105-pound division. Collazo is willing to face any of the world titleholders in the division and hopes they are eager to face him in a unification fight.

“Any of the champions at 105 pounds, I would like to face them. I could then move up to 108 pounds and unify with them.

“Fighting Kenshiro Teraji for the Ring championship is an ambition I have, as well.

“I work hard and I want to demonstrate that I’m the best fighter at 105 pounds. I’m No. 1 and I’m willing to fight anyone to prove that.”

Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached at [email protected]

Follow @FSalazarBoxing