"I saw him knock out Urbano Antillon wearing 18-ounce gloves"

Doug Fischer witnessed something during a sparring session involving hard-punching Edwin Valero that he hadn't seen even the great Manny Pacquiao do. "Valero knocks guys out with head shots in sparring. That's very rare. I saw him knock out Urbano Antillon wearing 18-ounce gloves, and Antillon is a lightweight contender who Manny Pacquiao uses for his tough sparring," said Fischer, referring to a 27-year-old fighter in Antillon, who is 29-1, with 19 knockouts. "Antillon takes Pacquiao's best punches and bulls forward, dishing out punishment of his own," said Fischer, Co-editor of Ring-TV.com "But Valero has put Antillon on queer street more than once in the gym." When Valero (pictured above, left) steps into the ring for Saturday night's Showtime-televised, clash of southpaws against WBC interim titlist, Antonio DeMarco, from Monterrey, Mexico, the Venezuelan-born, WBC lightweight (135 pounds) champion will be doing so with the goal of executing his most defining performance. "This fight means a lot. Depending on what happens -- and it should go my way -- a win in this fight would open a lot more doors for bigger fights," said the 28-year-old Valero, whose Dec. 19, seventh-round knockout 34-year-old Hector Velazquez improved his record to 26-0, with 26 knockouts. "It's been over a year, or at least almost a year now that I should have been included in that list with the Top 10 best boxers in the world. That's my goal -- it's to get my name among them, now," said Valero. "So I need to win this fight by knockout to be included in this list, and yes, of course, as always, that's what I'm trying to do in this fight." Valero will be making only the second defense of his crown against the 23-year-old DeMarco (23-1, 17 KOs), of Tijuana, a slick, boxer-puncher who is coming off of an Oct. 31, 10th-round knockout of Jose Alfaro. DeMarco won every round against Alfaro in what was his third straight stoppage, as well as his 12th consecutive victory as he rose to 15-0-1 with 10 knockouts since losing a six-round, majority decision to Anthony Vasquez in February 2006. "Valero has legitimate one-punch KO power in both hands. He's a superb athlete, he's very dedicated to the sport, and he possesses an intense fighter's pride that borders on homicidal insanity. He's also a smarter fighter than most realize," said Fischer. "I just think Valero just needs to win against DeMarco, because DeMarco is a very good fighter," said Fischer. "But if he wants to make a statement and create a demand to be seen on U.S. television again, a spectacular KO would go a long way towards getting that buzz started." Valero's promoter, Bob Arum, CEO of Top Rank Promotions, already calls him, "potentially Top 10 material." But just where Valero ranks among the sport's best fighters, pound-for-pound, still is very much up for debate. "I think Valero has elite talent, but I do not believe that he is an elite fighter," said Fischer. "I wouldn't rank him anywhere near the top 10 or even Top 20, pound-for-pound, fighters in the world because he's not very active and he hasn't defeated any world-beaters." Valero's absence from U.S. venues and major network television has been the main source of his relative obscurity. "For me, he could be a tremendous star. If he was fighting in the United States, I could put him in with a lot of really good boxers. That's why, in this next fight, Edwin Valero just has to be himself, which is that he's a ferocious puncher who has has some boxing ability," said Arum. "But we haven't been able to develop the body of work for him that would justify him among the sport's best fighters," said Arum. "I think if we could, then he would be, definitely, among the best." There have been two major issues for Valero -- one of which is an unresolved situation stemming from a DUI last May, which caused Venezuela to subsequently deny him a U.S. Visa. "The problem is getting a Visa into the United States. He had a drunk-driving conviction, which prevents him from getting a Visa. Unless he comes to America, it's very difficult," said Arum. "He went to rehabilitation in Venezuela, and therefore, will be granted a U.S. Visa," said Arum. "They've told me repeatedly that it's going to happen, but I have no idea when that is going to happen. And until that does happen, developing him is very difficult to do." Valero's other roadblock has been the stigma resulting from brain surgery he received as the result of a motorcycle accident in 2001. The accident caused a blood clot that was later revealed during an MRI. Although cleared to fight after successful surgery removed the clot, Valero was still placed on indefinite medical suspension by the NYAC, and, thus, banned by most athletic associations which supported the NYAC's decision. Valero was then forced to basically barnstorm outside of America, even as he stopped his next 14 opponents over the ensuing six years in Venezuela, Argentina, Panama, Japan, France and Mexico. Valero was finally sanctioned to fight in Austin, Texas, in April of 2009, when he rose to lightweight, dropped Antonio Pitalua three times, and earned his current title belt. "This Saturday's fight with DeMarco is on Showtime, and it's being televised from Mexico," said Arum. "But you can televise from these foreign countries, and you're still very limited to the revenue he can make until he can come to the United States." Valero calls a bout with WBO welterweight (147 pounds) king, Manny Pacquiao, his "Dream fight," but it's one that is not likely to happen unless it takes place on American soil. "The money that Manny Pacquiao would make fighting in some place like Mexico isn't comparable to what he would make in the United States," said Arum. "It just makes no sense for Manny to go there." It is interesting, however, to consider how Valero would do against lightweight stars such as WBA super world lightweight king Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KOs), former IBF champ, Ali Funeka (30-2-3, 25 KOs), and, former WBO titlist, Michael Katsidis (26-2, 21 KOs). Marquez could be headed for a lucrative matchup opposite WBA junior welterweight (140 pounds) champion, Amir Khan (22-1, 16 KOs), of England, possibly on May 15. Funeka may face Rolando Reyes (31-4-2, 20 KOs) for the vacant IBF crown in a match whose date must be announced in the next 90 days, as mandated by the IBF. Katsidis is in line to meet Robert Guerrero (25-1-1, 17 KOs) on March 27. "If he were to fight Michael Katsidis, Ali Funeka or even the champ, Juan Manuel Marquez -- I would pick Valero to stop all three. I think Edwin Valero is the best lightweight in the game, although his accomplishments and current technique would not suggest so," said Fischer. "There are lesser-talented lightweights, who have accomplished more in the division and who could be ranked ahead of Valero," said Fischer. "In fact, though The Ring Magazine ranks him No. 1 at lightweight, I think Valero could arguably be pushed down to No. 5 or No. 6 based on his accomplishments at 135 pounds." Valero won his first 18 career bouts by first-round knockout, the last of which flattened Whyber Garcia in the WBA super featherweight (130 pounds) title eliminator in February of 2006. Two fights later, Valero got up from a third-round knockdown to earn the WBA super featherweight crown with a 10th-round knockout of Vicente Mosquera, whom he dropped twice in the first round of their August, 2006 matchup. Mosquera was 24-1-1, with 12 knockouts coming in against Valero, who stopped Mosquera for the first time in his career and defended that 130-pound title four times before rising to stop Pitalua. "Valero proved to me that he was special when he beat Vicente Mosquera in only his 20th pro bout. Mosquera was a beast with skills, heart and tenacity. For Valero to beat Mosquera in the Panamanian's home country, and to do it via late-rounds stoppage when he had never fought past two rounds, was amazing," said Fischer. "Valero showed that he could take a good shot, that he could get from a knockdown, suck it up and prevail in a battle of attrition," said Fischer. "To me, that fight indicated that Valero has the intangibles that special fighters possess." http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2010/02/01/edwin-valero-looking-to-be-among-boxings-top-10-fighters/ :love: