DelValle prevails, punches ticket to big-time boxing

http://images.recordonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=TH&Date=20090226&Category=SPORTS&ArtNo=902260332&Ref=AR&maxH=230&maxW=370&border=0&Q=80 By Kevin Gleason Posted: February 26, 2009 - 6:00 AM NEW YORK — Luis Orlando DelValle will remember this night. He will remember dominating a fellow unbeaten featherweight, another kid on his way up named Tommy Atencio. DelValle will remember standing in the ring, remember pointing his left index finger into the air as the announcer read the decision. He will remember the words, "And the winner, from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and now Newburgh, New York, Luis 'Orlandito' DelValle." He will remember four-dozen fans coming down from Newburgh and making the B.B . King Blues Club & Grille in Times Square sound like DelValle was fighting inside the Newburgh Boxing Club. "Newburgh, Newburgh, Newburgh ...'' came the chant, and then the announcement. DelValle had won a four-round decision, 40-36 on all three scorecards signifying each judge had given him every round. He will remember heavy-hitting promoter Lou DiBella, in DelValle's corner even before the decision had been announced. DelValle will remember this, Wednesday night before 400 fans shoehorned into a bar, as the biggest fight of his life. DelValle (5-0, three KOs) went into the fight looking for a promoter to help advance his career. He came out of the fight with all but a contract wedged between his gloves. "I'm looking forward to working with him,'' DiBella said. "I think he passed the test with flying colors.'' Or as DelValle trainer Ray Rivera put it, "This was a job interview — and he aced it.'' Did he ever. DiBella had promised to take a close look at DelValle, curious why he split so early in his career from promotional power Top Rank. DelValle and Rivera were disappointed with a lack of fights and so many postponements and cancellations. DiBella had to see if the kid was worth something. "He was in with a real tough fighter,'' DiBella said. "I think he's a very good prospect.'' DelValle made the judging easy by swarming Atencio (3-1, two KOs) from the opening bell. DelValle's right hand was especially effective, repeatedly scoring with hooks and straight rights. The only round that somewhat close was the second round. But DelValle came on in the final 30 seconds to clinch the round. DelValle stepped out of the ring and headed downstairs and down a long corridor to get changed, collect his paycheck and see the ringside doctor. He needed stitches to close a 3-centimeter cut between his right eye and brow from a fourth-round head butt. There were touches of Newburgh all over the place. New Windsor's Mike Paz, chief inspector for the New York State Athletic Commission regulating the fight, came over to congratulate DelValle. "Don't worry,'' he said looking at the eye, "even with the cut, you look better than me.'' DelValle smiled. He had begun the day with a radio interview at K104. Rivera, who runs the Newburgh Boxing Club, who brought in DelValle from Puerto Rico five years ago, who treats him like a son, talked of DelValle's amazing calmness all afternoon. You would never know he was facing the biggest night of his professional career. "Man, you know how it is,'' Rivera said, sounding in awe, "that's an athlete. That's a thoroughbred. I've always told you: With the right people behind him, it's over. With a promoter like Lou, the sky's the limit.'' "I came (to the U.S.) to show my skills and now I'm leaving it up to my management team to take care of it,'' DelValle said. "This was my first time (fighting) in New York (City) and I knew I couldn't let anybody down. That kept me going. I'm looking forward to representing Newburgh, New York and the Hudson Valley and my Puerto Rican fans.'' Luis Orlando DelValle headed back down the corridor and upstairs to greet friends and fans. He wanted to thank every one of them for helping make it a night he will never forget. kgleason@th-record.com