BEFORE diving into the pool for a swim with his pet alligator ‘Steve’, Oscar Valdez always makes a quick scan of its eyes.

“Just to sense,” the fighter says, “his energy”.

Anything else?

“Yeah, I like to get him tired first, too,” continues the popular Mexican boxer — and former world champion, no less — who also counts himself among three men looking to ruin the biggest weekend in Australian sports history.

A fighter who, kicked back now inside his Arizona fight camp, is walking Fox Sports Australia through that slightly, err, dicey swim routine which, undertaken four, maybe five times every year, is always done to the chagrin of his trainers, manager, even famed US promoter Bob Arum.

Concerns not without merit either given, Steve … well, he’s three metres long.

“So bigger than me,” Valdez grins. “He could definitely do some damage”.

Which ironically, is exactly what he’s planning this weekend.

Same deal Sebastian Fundora.

Don’t miss Tim Tszyu in a unified World Title fight this Sunday against 6-foot 6 Towering Inferno Sebastian Fundora. Plus catch fellow Aussie Michael Zerafa taking on Erislandy Lara for his shot to become the Middle Weight World Champion LIVE from Las Vegas | SUN 31 MAR 11AM AEDT | Exclusive to Main Event, order on Kayo Sports. No Kayo subscription needed.

That towering American Next Big Thing who doesn’t own, walk or swim with gators, but certainly knows more than a little about them given his own love of Australia’s late, great wildlife warrior, Steve Irwin.

Indeed, in a bizarre twist to the upcoming weekend that sees three Aussies fighting for world titles here Stateside – Tim Tszyu, Michael Zerafa, and Liam Wilson – at least two are facing rivals for whom, we can reveal, ‘The Crocodile Hunter’ is an inspiration.

Set to headline against Australia’s undefeated poster boy Tszyu for the WBO and WBC straps, Fundora is a massive Irwin fan whose last fight against an Aussie – Sydneysider Daniel Lewis — took place in Las Vegas on the late TV personality’s birthday.

Which is why, wonderfully, Fundora dedicated the fight to him.

Quizzed on his fondness for a fella from way across the other side of the world, the man dubbed ‘Towering Inferno’ grins and shrugs: “Who doesn’t like him?

“When animals talk to you, you know you’re a good person.

“And he’s a fearless man, too.

“That’s the biggest thing in boxing.

“To go next to an alligator and open its mouth, put his head in there … I’d never do that in a million years.”

But swim with them?

That one’s a regular for Valdez.

That ferocious Sonora fighter all combinations and punching power who, only a night before Tszyu and Zerafa throw down for world titles in T Mobile Arena, goes for one himself against Queensland’s Wilson.

Speaking with us this week, Valdez explained how after so many of his wins 31 professional wins, nine of which have come in world title fights, he then immediately heads back across the border to swim with Steve at a sprawling ranch which doubles as his menagerie all gators, snakes, tortoises, horses, goats, macaws, and plenty more

“I’ve even got two of your frilled neck lizards,” he grins.

But as for his favourite?

“That’s Steve,” he says of the gator named, of course, after Irwin.

“When I was growing up, all my friends idolised heroes like Superman, Batman, even the Ninja Turtles.

“But for me, there was nobody like Steve Irwin.

“Instead of watching cartoons, I was into Animal Planet on Discovery Channel.

“And Steve Irwin, he was my idol.

“Fascinated me.

“Here was this crazy guy who wrestles crocodiles, handles serpents, king cobras … I really thought he had superpowers.”

Importantly, Irwin also instilled in both Valdez and Fundora not only a love of animals, but an understanding of them.

Speaking prior to his win over Lewis in 2022, around the time Australia was being ravaged by bushfires, Fundora told Main Event’s Ben Damon: “The day we fight is Steve Irwin’s birthday and I’d like to dedicate the fight to him.

“I know there’s a lot of danger to the wildlife with the fires going on over there, and I’d like to make everyone watching more present to that, give more knowledge to what’s going on over there and maybe get more support through the broadcast.

“Turn their eyes to something more important like that.”

It’s a similar story with Valdez.

And why before swimming with the gator he’s owned for some 15 years – “since back when it could fit in the palm of my hand” – he will walk Steve, just to tire him enough, before then making that quick scan of the eyes.

Then, into the drink they go.

“And, yes, it’s our family pool,” he cackles.

“Obviously Steve has his own spot on the farm, his comfort zone, but whenever I open the gate he just loves to head into our pool.”

Quizzed on what he gets from swimming with a 3m gator, the fighter says simply: “Interaction.”

Pushed on the relationship, he continues: “I like to bond with all my animals.

“The horses, the macaws, the tortoises, I have one-on-one bonds with all of them.

“My animals, they’re like my kids.

“My babies.

“And Steve, he was my first pet, I had him before I even got my dog.”

And as for that sprawling ranch housing them all?

“That really is my safe spot,” Valdez explains. “That place where I feel the most comfortable.

“When I’m training, it’s all training.

“But after a fight, I head back to the ranch where it’s all peace and love.”

And as for why he never appears even slightly nervous in the videos we’ve been shown of him swimming with Steve?

“People think I’m joking around when I say this, but I always studied how Steve Irwin interacted with the crocodiles,” he explains. “And I try to do the same.

“I’ve always watched how he would get them, when they’re small, from the back, from the neck, and hold them tight.

“Then as they get bigger, techniques change.

“So when people see I swim with my gators, they always say ‘what the hell are you doing?’

“But I have that bond with them.

“I know when to do it and when not to.”

Which, again, is what Australia is up against this weekend.

With that image of Steve suddenly looming ominously over Wilson, Tszyu, all of it.

Of course, the great other irony in all of this is that 28-year-old Wilson – aka Mr Damage, and the man who kicks off Australia’s biggest of fight weekends this Saturday — lives himself in Caboolture, about 30 minutes drive from Irwin’s famed Australia Zoo.

“So I’m just around the corner,” he grins. “I’ve taken my kids there heaps of times. It’s a great day out.”

Better, the Queenslander has himself revealed on countless occasions how his own idols growing up were legendary Mexican fighters like Erik Morales & Juan Manuel Marquez.

“So his idols are Mexican,” Valdez grins, “and mine is Australian”.

Says Wilson: “The moment somebody first told me about Oscar idolising Steve Irwin, I just thought ‘wow, that’s cool’.

“It’s also why I have a gut feeling that this fight, I really believe it’s going to be one to remember.”

Given he has spent the past few months in camp for the Wilson showdown, Valdez says all chores on the ranch are currently being fulfilled by his wife and extended family.

And as for how much Steve costs to feed?

“Oh, he’s the cheapest animal I have,” he insists. “My horses, dogs, even the pigs eat way more.

“Steve only eats every two to three days, and it’s mainly chicken.

“Then because so many of my friends are always wanting to see him too, they come and bring food themselves.

“So it’s the dogs and horses who need constant care.

“But not Steve.

“Steve is a warrior.”