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Why Edwin Valero must quit ring for the sake of boxing
By Barry Mcguigan 13/02/2010
Edwin Valero is now a champion in recess, as the WBC call it, which means his lightweight world title is up for grabs.
The idea is to give Valero time for the gash on his head - sustained against Antonio DeMarco last week - to heal and for him to test the waters at light-welterweight.
I wonder if the real issue is being overlooked here. Texas remains the only state in the United States in which he can fight.
That is no accident.
Reports of the brain scan from New York State came as a shock when I learned the findings.
Valero suffered a fractured skull and a blood clot on the brain after falling off a motor cycle in 2001. He was not wearing a helmet.
He had an operation to repair the damage and was declared fit to box by the Venezuela authorities.
It was not until the New York State scan that the extent of his injuries were revealed. The fact that he had a traumatic brain injury, a tear inside the cranium in the most vulnerable part of the brain, means he should never box again in my view. That is a devastating conclusion to reach for such a talented fighter but not as desperate as the consequences might be of fighting on.
He is a phenomenal fighter, one I tipped for greatness during his battle for the right to fight in the United States.
But the bottom line is I don't believe boxing can take the risk knowing what we know now.
The ramifications of allowing a boxer who has had a subdural haematoma into the ring could be disastrous.
I accept that Valero, and Marco Antonio Barrera, have fought on without obvious consequences following operations to drain blood from the brain.
But that is not to say there won't be any. The risk is just too great, particularly in championship bouts.
There are also the long-term effects to consider. Brain injuries sometimes take a while to play out leading to dementia or some impaired brain function much later. Valero is a knockout artist. He goes to war in the ring, which is the attraction of him.
But it is a style that leaves him vulnerable in elite class. From a technical point of view, Valero fights recklessly. Yes, he was more measured against DeMarco last week, but could he hold himself back against Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather? Championship bouts in Las Vegas have a way of hitting the adrenalin button. As it is, Valero throws shots like he is looking over a fence with his head stuck up in the air.
That is OK when the opponent is so scared by his reputation that he is already running away. And no wonder. Valero has ko'd each of his 27 opponents.
But against a Pacquiao or a Mayweather, Valero would get the opposite response. Both exploit any technical vulnerabilities.
A bout against either, or a Juan Manuel Marquez for that matter, would be dangerous for Valero.
It is not simply about him. What if he were to suffer a fatal injury in the ring? Subdural haematomas are the most common cause of boxing deaths.
I know what it is like to suffer the effects of a death in the ring.
There is not a day goes by when I don't think of Young Ali. No fighter should have to go through that.
The pressure for Valero to fight in Las Vegas will increase as he goes through the gears. For the sake of boxing and Valero himself, the answer should still be no.
Why Edwin Valero must quit ring for the sake of boxing
By Barry Mcguigan 13/02/2010
Edwin Valero is now a champion in recess, as the WBC call it, which means his lightweight world title is up for grabs.
The idea is to give Valero time for the gash on his head - sustained against Antonio DeMarco last week - to heal and for him to test the waters at light-welterweight.
I wonder if the real issue is being overlooked here. Texas remains the only state in the United States in which he can fight.
That is no accident.
Reports of the brain scan from New York State came as a shock when I learned the findings.
Valero suffered a fractured skull and a blood clot on the brain after falling off a motor cycle in 2001. He was not wearing a helmet.
He had an operation to repair the damage and was declared fit to box by the Venezuela authorities.
It was not until the New York State scan that the extent of his injuries were revealed. The fact that he had a traumatic brain injury, a tear inside the cranium in the most vulnerable part of the brain, means he should never box again in my view. That is a devastating conclusion to reach for such a talented fighter but not as desperate as the consequences might be of fighting on.
He is a phenomenal fighter, one I tipped for greatness during his battle for the right to fight in the United States.
But the bottom line is I don't believe boxing can take the risk knowing what we know now.
The ramifications of allowing a boxer who has had a subdural haematoma into the ring could be disastrous.
I accept that Valero, and Marco Antonio Barrera, have fought on without obvious consequences following operations to drain blood from the brain.
But that is not to say there won't be any. The risk is just too great, particularly in championship bouts.
There are also the long-term effects to consider. Brain injuries sometimes take a while to play out leading to dementia or some impaired brain function much later. Valero is a knockout artist. He goes to war in the ring, which is the attraction of him.
But it is a style that leaves him vulnerable in elite class. From a technical point of view, Valero fights recklessly. Yes, he was more measured against DeMarco last week, but could he hold himself back against Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather? Championship bouts in Las Vegas have a way of hitting the adrenalin button. As it is, Valero throws shots like he is looking over a fence with his head stuck up in the air.
That is OK when the opponent is so scared by his reputation that he is already running away. And no wonder. Valero has ko'd each of his 27 opponents.
But against a Pacquiao or a Mayweather, Valero would get the opposite response. Both exploit any technical vulnerabilities.
A bout against either, or a Juan Manuel Marquez for that matter, would be dangerous for Valero.
It is not simply about him. What if he were to suffer a fatal injury in the ring? Subdural haematomas are the most common cause of boxing deaths.
I know what it is like to suffer the effects of a death in the ring.
There is not a day goes by when I don't think of Young Ali. No fighter should have to go through that.
The pressure for Valero to fight in Las Vegas will increase as he goes through the gears. For the sake of boxing and Valero himself, the answer should still be no.
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