Edwin Valero Batters Antonio DeMarco in Nine Rounds

By Mark Vester

At the Arena Monterrey in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, WBC lightweight champion Edwin Valero (27-0, 27KOs) stopped interim-champion Antonio DeMarco (23-2, 17KOs) in nine rounds. Valero was well ahead on the cards at the time of the stoppage.

Valero came out stalking in the first round. DeMarco stayed away on the back foot while looking for openings. Valero's left cheek was cut and swollen quick from DeMarco's jab. Valero with a good left hand to push DeMarco back. Valero went after DeMarco at the start of the second, pushing him back with combinations. During an exchange, DeMarco's elbow hit Valero's head and opened up a huge cut on the right side of Valero's head. DeMarco lost a point for the elbow. Valero was very wild when the fight was restarted. The two of them were traded some big combinations until the bell.

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Valero landed a big left at the start of the third. He was stalking and throwing. DeMarco did not do much in the round. In the fourth, DeMarco went back to the jab. Valero pressed forward with hard punches and was throwing some big punches. Valero's nose started to bleed and a cut above his right eye began to open. At the start of the fifth, Valero and DeMarco traded a few punches. Valero was still pressing the action and landing some good punches. DeMarco did not seem to be bothered by any of the shots and kept his distance.

Valero continued to press in the sixth. They traded some good punches with DeMarco landing a good hook. They traded some more punches at the bell but Valero controlled most of the action. At the start of the seventh, Valero was pressing some more. He was using a jab to get inside and tried to land some big combos. Valero started landing some very big left hooks on DeMarco's jaw. DeMarco took the shots. He wasn't able to counter with anything.

DeMarco started to come on at the start of the eight. He was chasing and throwing at Valero. A big left hand caught DeMarco flush as he chased in. Valero started to counter with big punches that seemed to shake DeMarco up. Valero continued to land some big shots in the ninth. DeMarco looked like a beaten fighter by this round. Valero was landing good shots to the head and body. DeMarco landed some decent counters but not enough. Valero would land a huge left but DeMarco kept on coming. and taking damage.

After the ninth was over, DeMarco's corner stopped the fight.