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VALERO BARES ANGER
Sports
Sunday, 28 December 2008 21:53
RECENT Manila visitor and former world super-featherweight champion Edwin Valero lambasted the camp of Oscar de la Hoya for treating him like an outcast during the Venezuelan’s stint as one of the Golden Boy’s sparring partner.
Valero finally spoke his mind when he was invited by potential foe Manny Pacquiao during the Filipino’s grandiose birthday bash in General Santos City two weeks ago.
Interviewed by the BusinessMirror while staying in Manila, Valero said he could not understand why he was accused of being a spy for the Pacquiao camp.
“I accepted their offer as Oscar’s sparring partner and did my job. It was never my intention to screw them. I just want them to know I’ve been very professional the whole time I was with them,” said Valero.
Valero said de la Hoya’s camp never heard a word from him when the Golden Boy himself claimed that one of his fighters who was also tapped as sparring partner, Victor Ortiz, was the one who gave de la Hoya a black eye in one of their sessions.
“Oscar never admitted it was me who gave him that black eye. But I never said anything. I never reacted,” said Valero.
Valero was supposed to strike a deal with de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions during his training stint in Big Bear, California. Apparently, de la Hoya’s treatment made Valero change his mind and instead look for better options.
“Never, never, never. I will not fight under his group. For a fighter like him, he knows I deserve some respect,” said Valero.
Valero is currently banned to fight in the United States, particularly in Las Vegas, after he figured in a motorcycle accident sometime in 2001 that required surgery to remove blood clots in his brain.
Fight promoter Bob Arum recently told the BusinessMirror that everything is being worked out for Valero to get a license in Las Vegas, especially because the Venezuelan was recently granted a license to fight in Texas.
Arum once believed Valero poses a major threat especially if Pacquiao takes the Venezuelan lightly.
“I don’t know whether or not it will be Manny’s most difficult fight but certainly it will be his most dangerous fight. He (Valero) is dangerous as hell,” said Arum.
The 26-year-old Valero positioned himself as an acceptable foe for Pacquiao after winning the World Boxing Association (WBA) super featherweight crown via 10th round technical knockout over Panamanian Vicente Mosquera last August 2006 in Panama City.
Before that, Valero made some noise as a potential Pacquiao challenger when he ran a streak of 19 first-round knockout wins. He currently parades a perfect 24-0, 24 by knockouts.
Valero, also a southpaw like Pacquiao, defended his 130-lb crown four times. He now campaigns in the lightweight division after relinquishing his WBA tiara and hopes to hook up with Arum’s Top Rank early next year.
The 29-year-old Pacquiao was crowned a four-division world champion when he stopped a tough but outclassed David Diaz inside nine rounds last June at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao took Diaz’ WBC lightweight crown.
Pacquiao cemented his legacy with a shocking eight round destruction of De La Hoya early this month at the MGM Grand also in Las Vegas. Dennis Principe
Sports
Sunday, 28 December 2008 21:53
RECENT Manila visitor and former world super-featherweight champion Edwin Valero lambasted the camp of Oscar de la Hoya for treating him like an outcast during the Venezuelan’s stint as one of the Golden Boy’s sparring partner.
Valero finally spoke his mind when he was invited by potential foe Manny Pacquiao during the Filipino’s grandiose birthday bash in General Santos City two weeks ago.
Interviewed by the BusinessMirror while staying in Manila, Valero said he could not understand why he was accused of being a spy for the Pacquiao camp.
“I accepted their offer as Oscar’s sparring partner and did my job. It was never my intention to screw them. I just want them to know I’ve been very professional the whole time I was with them,” said Valero.
Valero said de la Hoya’s camp never heard a word from him when the Golden Boy himself claimed that one of his fighters who was also tapped as sparring partner, Victor Ortiz, was the one who gave de la Hoya a black eye in one of their sessions.
“Oscar never admitted it was me who gave him that black eye. But I never said anything. I never reacted,” said Valero.
Valero was supposed to strike a deal with de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions during his training stint in Big Bear, California. Apparently, de la Hoya’s treatment made Valero change his mind and instead look for better options.
“Never, never, never. I will not fight under his group. For a fighter like him, he knows I deserve some respect,” said Valero.
Valero is currently banned to fight in the United States, particularly in Las Vegas, after he figured in a motorcycle accident sometime in 2001 that required surgery to remove blood clots in his brain.
Fight promoter Bob Arum recently told the BusinessMirror that everything is being worked out for Valero to get a license in Las Vegas, especially because the Venezuelan was recently granted a license to fight in Texas.
Arum once believed Valero poses a major threat especially if Pacquiao takes the Venezuelan lightly.
“I don’t know whether or not it will be Manny’s most difficult fight but certainly it will be his most dangerous fight. He (Valero) is dangerous as hell,” said Arum.
The 26-year-old Valero positioned himself as an acceptable foe for Pacquiao after winning the World Boxing Association (WBA) super featherweight crown via 10th round technical knockout over Panamanian Vicente Mosquera last August 2006 in Panama City.
Before that, Valero made some noise as a potential Pacquiao challenger when he ran a streak of 19 first-round knockout wins. He currently parades a perfect 24-0, 24 by knockouts.
Valero, also a southpaw like Pacquiao, defended his 130-lb crown four times. He now campaigns in the lightweight division after relinquishing his WBA tiara and hopes to hook up with Arum’s Top Rank early next year.
The 29-year-old Pacquiao was crowned a four-division world champion when he stopped a tough but outclassed David Diaz inside nine rounds last June at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao took Diaz’ WBC lightweight crown.
Pacquiao cemented his legacy with a shocking eight round destruction of De La Hoya early this month at the MGM Grand also in Las Vegas. Dennis Principe
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