Edwin "El Terminator" Valero Could Beat Manny Pacquiao
WBC lightweight champion Edwin “El Terminator” Valero utterly dominated Mexico’s Antonio DeMarco to successfully defend his crown Saturday night in Monterrey.
Valero (27-0, 27 KOs), who once established a world record by winning his first 18 professional fights by opening round knockout, ultimately emerged victorious when DeMarco (23-2-1, 17 KOs) refused to come out of his corner to begin the 10th round.
“My physical strength started to show,” said Valero, 28, who has become an Internet sensation due to the vicious power that he possesses in his fists.
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“Little by little, I started gaining ground. The first three or four rounds I couldn’t hit him with my jab, but then I started to connect.”
DeMarco, 24, only the sixth pugilist to survive in excess of five rounds with Valero, is a decent fighter who had entered Saturday’s bout with an impressive 16 consecutive victories to his name.
Nevertheless, Valero made it evident that he aspires to battle boxing’s elite scrappers in the very near future.
“Manny Pacquiao is the fight the world wants to see,” said Valero, a Venezuelan who would be forced to move-up several weight categories to meet Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs).
Sadly for fans of “The Sweet Science,” there are many factors that will likely prevent a Pacquiao versus Valero showdown from ever occurring.
Major sanctioning bodies have mainly refused to sanction “El Terminator’s” matches because of a fractured skull and blood clot on his brain that he suffered in a motorcycle accident in February 2001.
Valero signed with Top Rank in 2007 and its founder and CEO, Bob Arum, pressed Texas officials to issue him a license after he passed a battery of medical exams the following March.
Once he was finally permitted to battle in “The Lone Star State” in April 2009, Valero brutalized Antonio Pitalua (48-4, 42 KOs) in Austin by a second round TKO to capture a vacant title.
Realizing Valero’s tremendous pugilistic abilities and vast overall marketability, Arum was prepared to vigorously hype the burgeoning superstar.
Unfortunately for Valero, before Arum could launch his intense promotional campaign, the hard-hitting lightweight got pinched for driving drunk and he was subsequently unable to enter the U.S. sans his revoked visa.
Valero contends that he has been unjustly persecuted because of his advocacy for Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who has long criticized America for its foreign policies in Latin America.
Whatever the actual situation may be, Valero would surely be one of the most recognized names in the entire sport of boxing if it wasn’t for the various plights that he’s endured.
Pacquiao is scheduled to matchup against Joshua “The Hitter” Clottey (35-3-0-1, 20 KOs) on March 13 at Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Pacquiao’s an all-time great and he should manage to handle the formidable Clottey next month.
Provided that “Pac-Man” does trump “The Hitter,” a Pacquiao versus Valero contest would be extremely intriguing.
Valero’s ferocious and aggressive nature in the ring is somewhat reminiscent of Boxing Hall of Famer Roberto “Hands of Stone” Duran (103-16, 70 Kos).
Clearly, Valero has much he needs to accomplish before he can ever be compared to a legend like Duran and, frankly, it’s a ridiculous comparison to make at this premature juncture.
Valero badly needs to improve his jabbing capabilities and it is imperative that he learns to become a more disciplined prizefighter.
“El Terminator” has a dangerous propensity to keep his chin elevated and his rambunctious, brawling approach will leave him vulnerable against quality opponents.
Still, if Valero was ever afforded the opportunity to face Pacquiao, the native of Venezuela would have the very definition of “a puncher’s chance” to win their matchup.
“Valero hits so hard, he could absolutely beat Pacquiao on any given night,” said promoter Rich Cappiello from Brockton.
“Valero is not currently considered great because he has never fought the best fighter’s out there. If he was given a shot, he could prove his greatness.”
As noted previously, Pacquiao’s legacy as an iconic prizefighter is already cemented.
If Valero ever managed to connect with one solid punch on Pacquiao’s kisser, “El Terminator” would be well on his way to forging his own vaunted reputation.
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