Edwin Valero: Bring on the Best
By Gina L. Caliboso
The KO King.
Edwin “Dinamita” Valero is appropriately titled a knockout puncher because his 27-0, 27 KO’s, record speaks for itself. As the current WBC Lightweight titleholder, he has successfully defended his title twice. But really, the southpaw from Venezuela has not really been tested by the ranks of the lightweights. Until he fights against a higher ranked, highly competitive, skilled boxer such as veterans Juan Manuel Marquez or even Ali Funeka, the 100% KO record stands as a zero record on paper and in competition.
The 28 year old Valero primarily fought in Japan from 2006 to 2008 when he was under contract to Teiken Promotions based in Tokyo. Valero now makes his home in Las Vegas, Nevada, and signed with Top Rank Promotions.
In August 2006, he successfully defeated Vicente “El Loco” Mosquera with a 10th round KO and earned the WBA World Super Featherweight title. Mosquera was knocked down twice in the first round and even Valero was knocked down in the 3rd round. After Mosquera, he successfully defended his title four times. In defense of his belt, his closest competition came against Nobuhito Honmo, but Valero eventually knocked him out in the 8th round. Valero would vacate the title at super featherweight so he can fight among the lightweights.
Valero’s first lightweight bout came against Antonio Pitalua for the vacant WBC Lightweight title. In this fight, Pitalua was down three times in round 2 when the ref finally ended the bout. Valero had Pitalua in the corner and reeled off 7 unanswered punches. It was devastating to see Valero go uncontested. It’s been only one year and Valero has successfully defended his title twice. After Pitalua, Valero fought against Hector Velasquez, 51-14, 35 KO’s in December 2009. Valero just went all out against Velasquez and the corner couldn’t send out the beaten fighter for the 7th round. In February of this year, Antonio DeMarco, 23-2, 17 KO’s, lasted 2 rounds longer into the 9th round, but his corner called the fight.
It can’t be argued that Valero has punching power, but it’s going to take a lot more than a record to determine his real ability. Valero can only get better, but like all fighters, his ability to evolve into a better boxer must be determined by the quality of fights he chooses. Up to now, he hasn’t defeated anyone that can give him the proper competition to show what he can really do.
Valero needs a fight against a top lightweight. But this is where he can proceed to dominate the division or take the leap into the light welterweight division. His last lightweight opponent DeMarco ranked #15. Valero ranks #2. Currently, Juan Manuel Marquez ranks as the #1 lightweight. Even at 36, Marquez faces a path into retirement, but a fight against Valero wouldn’t be a bad thing. In fact, it would be great to see veteran Marquez rejuvenate the ending stage of a career by beating the upstart Valero with a highly competitive boxing match.
Who else can Valero consider fighting in the lightweight divison?
There’s Michael Katsidis ranked #7, Ali Funeka ranked #6, and also Joan Guzman ranked #5. All of these fighters are good boxers with comparable records to Valero. But I’ll throw another fighter to this mix, there’s also 11th ranked Marco Antonio Barrera. Barrera at aged 36 is like Juan Manuel Marquez, on the tail end of a career. Both Barrera and Lopez represent the seasoned classic Mexican style of fighting. I think they would old school Valero over the course of even 10 rounds.
At this point, I’d also offer that Valero’s real edge is psychological. As fighters reveal a part of themselves in each fight, whether or a win or a loss, fighters take each fight one at a time. Valero’s fight record is sheer intimidation because all you can see are KO’s in the 1st round as far back as 2002. He went into the 2nd round for the first time in 2006. As the stakes have become larger in defense of both his super featherweight and lightweight titles, Valero continues to win. He must be doing something right to score the KO each time. But he can’t win that way every time. And, a fighter that comes up against him can’t be physically or psychologically intimidated by him either.
As I see, Valero has absolute fearlessness in his attack. He keeps going forward and he wears down his opponents with barrages of punches to the body and to the head. As a southpaw, he primarily scores KO’s with a well-timed powerful left hand, either an uppercut or a hook, and it lands straight into his opponent. Valero has a great power cross. In his last two fights, he wore down his opponents I think, more psychologically because he boxes like he has nothing to lose – a boxer’s confidence. I’m impressed by his record more so than his fighting ability. For me, fighters must have a complete package of skills to draw upon.
Valero stands straight up with no visible defensive ability. But that’s not a palpable defense to think that your opponent will wear out before you do. Valero’s relaxed hand speed comes from his hips – all power, so a skilled, seasoned boxer, can easily counter the hands down approach and beat him. For Valero, a lack of a defense can mess with an opponent’s head because he still pulls off speedy and powerful combinations. And, Valero lacks any ring generalship.
There’s that saying, “If it ain’t broke, why fix it?” It’s true to a degree, but in boxing? That’s just stupid. A boxer gets better to not get broken in the ring. I’m sure any fighter will take a KO over a unanimous decision, but boxing has always been a battle of wills contested over 10 or 12 rounds. A boxer gets better by boxing more.
Up to now, Valero hasn’t fought against a fighter of Marquez or Barrera caliber. For now, I’d offer that Valero is the real deal, but he needs to prove his talent more, push his KO record ability aside, and take a fight against a boxer that will make him get only better.