VALERO AIMS FOR 25 WINS, 25 KO?S
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 03 Apr 2009
Venezuelan southpaw Edwin Valero holds a professional boxing record of 24 consecutive knockouts in all his 24 fights, 19 of these happened in the first round. It is an amazing 100% knockout rate and 80% of which occurred in round 1.
But he is set to face a risky opponent on Saturday when he fights veteran Antonio Pitalua for the vacant WBC lightweight title at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. The 39-year-old Pitalua is expected to give Valero one good fight from the opening bell.
Pitalua has a vast fighting experience with 46-3 and 40 knockout wins. Valero has to endure the opening assault which Pitalua is likely to deliver. His defense is still in question, having fought less serious opponents in all his previous bouts. But if he can survive the earlier offensive, he can breeze past the middle rounds to victory.
?I can take a punch,? Pitalua said. ?I fought most of my career in Mexico. Edwin knows what Mexican fighters bring to the table and I?ve fought all tough fighters. I want to know who has he fought who?s tough? Yes, he can punch, but can he take a punch? And on April 4 we?ll see because I can punch.?
Valero respects Pitalua, but is not threatened by Pitalua?s credentials. He is expecting his 25th professional fight to be similar to his first 24. If he can deal with a foe who wants to knock him out, then he is expected to win knockout No. 25 and will move on for the bigger paydays of his career.
?I know what I can do, and I know what Pitalua brings,? Valero said. ?And he?s a fighter that know on the night of the fight he?s going to roll; he?s going to fall. He?s too slow for me. I?m too fast, I?m too strong for him, and I want to fight the best. He?s a good fighter, but I?m up for bigger and better things.?
If Valero hurdles Pitalua, he is set to fight Amir Khan who recently stopped Marco Antonio Barrera with a cut in the fifth round. Other big possible opponents include Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez.
Before he gets to fight these top boxers, he needs further medical clearance in the U.S. He suffered a head injury resulting from a motorcycle accident in 2001 that caused him to be placed on medical suspension in New York.
All other U.S. boxing authorities honored the suspension until he was examined autonomously by Texas officials who granted him the license. His present promoter, Top Rank, is lobbying for the issuance of license in other states. If he could not fight in California, New York and Nevada, then he could not get the get the right exposure needed to establish a big name in the boxing world.
?Every fighter that steps in the ring runs a risk of being injured or being hurt,? Valero said. ?And I am in no more risk than any other fighter. You know, because of the procedure, because of the surgery that I had. I want to clarify, it was an accident that I had many years ago on a motorcycle.?
He insisted the injury was very minor and it was just outside of his brain. He clarified they did not take his brain out, nor washed it and put it back in. He said it was a vein that erupted and the doctors took care of it.
?I?ve been to doctors all over the world. I?ve been to Argentina, to Panama, and to Venezuela. I have seen all the best doctors in America. I actually saw the doctor that performed the surgery on Marco Antonio Barrera, Dr. Madrazo, and they?ve all told me that I?m clear to fight, that I?m OK, and that I don?t run any more risks than any other fighter.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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