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Thunder & Lightning: Bomber Valero, Smoothie Guzman spark flame wars
Thunder & Lightning: Bomber Valero, Smoothie Guzman spark flame wars
by Michael Marley
April 6, 6:54 PM ·
Call the fire department. A fistic flame war is ranging on the Internet boxing discussion boards and this one does not involve the usual superstars, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Ricky Hatton and Juan Manuel Marquez.
Hot, molten lava is flowing on ********boxing.com as proponents of two undefeated fighters, Dominican Dandy Joan Guzman and Vicious Venezuelan Edwin Valero, are going at it as to who would win such a lightweight dream match.
A poster going by the name of “Cholo” said Valero would be easy work for Guzman and compared such a bout to the one in which slick Joe Calzaghe played with the robotic Jeff Lacy.
A fellow named “Finito” countered that Valero would do heavy damage to Guzman’s body to slow him down and that, eventually, “Guzman would get carried out on a stretcher.”
Valero just won some fans Saturday night in the main event in “Lightweight Lightning” as he overpowered nearly age 40 Antonio Pitalua with three knockdowns to notch a no sweat, second round KO and take the vacant WBC 135-pound crown. Valero is now 25-0, all by knockout.
Except for Valero being a southpaw, this boxer versus slugger matchup brings back memories of the brilliant first fight between Mexican icon Julio Cesar Chavez and slick stylist and Olympic gold medalist Meldrick Taylor.
That was billed as “Thunder & Lightning” at the Las Vegas Hilton and there was the controversial ending as referee Richard Steele halted it with Taylor on his feet in the final round and a few seconds remaining. Often lost in the historical looks back to the memorable are the facts that Taylor was hurt, Steele was not charged with watching the time clock and, finally, that Taylor cornerman Lou Duva was up on the apron BEFORE Steele hatled it. Duva’s charge to the ring, had Steele seen it, would’ve been an immediate DQ.
You could expect similar thrills from a Guzman-Valero bout because of the disparity in styles.
But I have to say that the adroit manner in which Guzman fended off the constant aggression of tough Mexican Humberto Soto is instructive as to how he could frustrate Mad Bomber Valero.
Against Soto, the nimble Guzman played “float like a butterfly, string like a bee, your hands can’t hit what you eyes can’t see.”
One thing is certain. Valero has snapped at one reporter who chirped about him fighting Guzman. Valero basically told the Mexican fight scribe to buzz off and take “Guzrun” with him.
Can such a fight be made? Valero inked a promotional deal with Bob Arum and it’s no secret that Top Rank is close to landing Guzman in a co-venture with Sycuan.
It’s difficult to say if it can or will be put together.
But you don’t need to be a meteorologist to know that if it is made there will be “Thunder” from Valero and “Lightning” from Guzman.
Maybe they can make it a qualifying match to get to Juan Manuel Marquez.
by Michael Marley
April 6, 6:54 PM ·
Call the fire department. A fistic flame war is ranging on the Internet boxing discussion boards and this one does not involve the usual superstars, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Ricky Hatton and Juan Manuel Marquez.
Hot, molten lava is flowing on ********boxing.com as proponents of two undefeated fighters, Dominican Dandy Joan Guzman and Vicious Venezuelan Edwin Valero, are going at it as to who would win such a lightweight dream match.
A poster going by the name of “Cholo” said Valero would be easy work for Guzman and compared such a bout to the one in which slick Joe Calzaghe played with the robotic Jeff Lacy.
A fellow named “Finito” countered that Valero would do heavy damage to Guzman’s body to slow him down and that, eventually, “Guzman would get carried out on a stretcher.”
Valero just won some fans Saturday night in the main event in “Lightweight Lightning” as he overpowered nearly age 40 Antonio Pitalua with three knockdowns to notch a no sweat, second round KO and take the vacant WBC 135-pound crown. Valero is now 25-0, all by knockout.
Except for Valero being a southpaw, this boxer versus slugger matchup brings back memories of the brilliant first fight between Mexican icon Julio Cesar Chavez and slick stylist and Olympic gold medalist Meldrick Taylor.
That was billed as “Thunder & Lightning” at the Las Vegas Hilton and there was the controversial ending as referee Richard Steele halted it with Taylor on his feet in the final round and a few seconds remaining. Often lost in the historical looks back to the memorable are the facts that Taylor was hurt, Steele was not charged with watching the time clock and, finally, that Taylor cornerman Lou Duva was up on the apron BEFORE Steele hatled it. Duva’s charge to the ring, had Steele seen it, would’ve been an immediate DQ.
You could expect similar thrills from a Guzman-Valero bout because of the disparity in styles.
But I have to say that the adroit manner in which Guzman fended off the constant aggression of tough Mexican Humberto Soto is instructive as to how he could frustrate Mad Bomber Valero.
Against Soto, the nimble Guzman played “float like a butterfly, string like a bee, your hands can’t hit what you eyes can’t see.”
One thing is certain. Valero has snapped at one reporter who chirped about him fighting Guzman. Valero basically told the Mexican fight scribe to buzz off and take “Guzrun” with him.
Can such a fight be made? Valero inked a promotional deal with Bob Arum and it’s no secret that Top Rank is close to landing Guzman in a co-venture with Sycuan.
It’s difficult to say if it can or will be put together.
But you don’t need to be a meteorologist to know that if it is made there will be “Thunder” from Valero and “Lightning” from Guzman.
Maybe they can make it a qualifying match to get to Juan Manuel Marquez.