Edwin Valero Rises to 26-0, with 26th KO -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

Venezuelan-born, 28-year-old southpaw, Edwin Valero, scored his 26th
knockout in as many victories without a
loss when he stopped 34-year-old Hector Velazquez in the first defense of his WBC lightweight (135 pounds) title on Saturday night before his hometown fans at the Polideportivo José María Vargas, in La Guaira, Venezuela.

Valero (26-0, 26 KOs) dropped Velazquez, of Tijuana, Mex., to 51-14-2, with 35 knockouts.

Next up for Valero could be WBC interim champion, Antonio Demarco (23-1, 17 KOs), a 23-year-old, Mexican southpaw who is coming off of an Oct. 31, 10th-round knockout of Jose Alfaro (23-5, 20 KOs).

Demarco's 12th consecutive victory improved his unbeaten streak to 15-0-1 with 10 knockouts since losing a six-round majority decision to Anthony Vasquez in February 2006.

Demarco's promoter, Gary Shaw, told FanHouse that he would like to match Demarco against Valero on Feb. 6 in Monterrey, Mexico.

But Valero's promoter, Bob Arum, told FanHouse earlier last week that he would like his fighter to appear on the undercard of the upcoming Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao welterweight (147 pounds) fight on March 13, which sources have headed for the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

"That's one of the things that I would consider him for," said Arum, "is a spot on the Pacquiao-Mayweahter card."

A winner of his first 18 bouts by first-round knockout, Valero has been trying to resolve a visa issues stemming from a DUI charge last May.

Citing Valero's trainer, Jose Castillo, Arum said the fighter has satisfied alcohol treatment requirements and rectified his travel situation.

"Jose was going to be flying to Venezuela to get all of the documents. And then, they would apply at the embassy for a U.S. Visa based on the new data," said Arum. "Jose then hoped that Valero would be in the U.S. as early as January of next year."

Another problem facing Valero, however, stems from brain surgery he received as the result of a motorcycle accident in 2001, and a subsequent MRI by the New York State Athletic Commission that revealed a blood clot on the surface of his brain.

Cleared to continued fighting following successful surgery to remove the clot, Valero was still placed on indefinite medical suspensionn by the NYAC.

Since most athletic associations upheld New York's decision, Valero did not fight in America, instead, spending nearly six years knocking out 14 opponents in countries such as Venezuela, Argentina, Panama, Japan, France and Mexico.

Texas allowed Valero to fight there, and he stopped Antonio Pitalua at at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin in February.

Arum believes, however, that Valero could fight in Las Vegas, pending an evaluation by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com