Heading into his bout Saturday night against once beaten Antonio DeMarco, there had been more questions that answers about reigning WBC Lightweight champion Edwin Valero. Sporting a 26-0 record, all by knockout, it was obvious that the Venezuelan had something serious to work with inside of the ropes but he was still an enigma to many.
Years back, Ring Magazine’s Doug Fisher, who was then with Maxboxing, began touting Valero as one of boxing’s diamonds in the rough. It seemed as though Valero was poised to break out, as he was signed to Golden Boy Promotions after his 12th pro fight, but in January 2004 he would fail an MRI due to brain scan irregularities and was suspended from fighting in the United States. The failed MRI reportedly stemmed from a February 2001 motorcycle accident in which Valero fractured his skull after failing to wear a helmet.
Valero continued fighting outside of the United States in hopes that he could one day break through and fulfill his championship potential. An August 2006 stoppage over Vincente Mosquera in Panama was a huge moment, as Valero claimed the WBA Jr. Lightweight belt in one of the year’s best fights. In March of 2008 more good news came Valero’s way as he was cleared to fight in the state of Texas, giving him at least a taste of championship level pugilism on American soil. Still, heading into his bout with DeMarco, Valero was known by many as a ‘Youtube sensation’ because of his lack of exposure in the mainstream media and his bout with DeMarco was his chance to introduce himself to the public.
Sporting a 23-1-1 record with 17 knockouts, DeMarco was no slouch and had put together an impressive string of knockout victories over the past few years. Stoppage wins over Almazbek ‘Kid Diamond’ Raiymkulov, Anges Adjaho, and former champion Jose Alfaro all showed DeMarco’s toughness and versatility inside of the ropes. The Alfaro bout took place at the Treasure Island Casino in Las Vegas this past October and was an excellent back and forth battle. After stopping his game opponent in the 10th, DeMarco’s people felt they were ready for Valero.
The Valero-DeMarco bout took place in Monterrey, Mexico and the early rounds were somewhat slow. Valero has always come out of the gates with his guns blazing but DeMarco’s style has always seen him start slow and cautiously in the early going. While the action wasn’t noteworthy, the champion took the early lead through his aggression and activity.
In the second round Valero suffered a nasty gash on the right side of his forehead as he was caught with an unintentional elbow from the challenger. The blood came pouring down and it looked as though the fight could possibly be stopped due to the severity of the cut. The contest went on, however, and the turn of events only seemed to light a fire under Valero.
As each round went by Valero increased his activity and began to further seize control of the bout. DeMarco remained poised but he was never able to get into a rhythm or mount an attack. The southpaw champion’s attack was more sound and efficient than in previous fights and he punched hard enough to put his younger foe into a defensive shell for much of the night.
After nine rounds had been completed DeMarco’s corner men elected to stop the fight, seeing no reasonable way in which their man could emerge victorious. The Sinaloa, Mexico native was obviously disappointed but it seemed to be the right move to make. DeMarco can take this as a learning lesson and he still has plenty of time to move forward in his career.
On the other side of the ring Valero could be seen screaming in celebration as he was raised in the air. While he wasn’t able to score an explosive knockout that we have been used to seeing from him in the past, the win still showed his offensive gifts and a newfound patience as a fighter.
During the early rounds of the fight Showtime commentator Al Bernstein made mention that Valero’s style was similar to that of a younger Manny Pacquiao but it’s very clear that the champion is a fighter all his own. While comparisons to the current pound for pound king are far from a slap in the face, Valero is on his own mission in the sport and despite the roadblocks that he has encountered he has found a way to persevere thus far. It will be fun watching how his future fights unfold.
Source: examiner.com
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