It's been so long since Kelly Pavlik has had a tough defense of his middleweight titles that I had to look up when the last one took place. Then I remembered: he's never had one.
He won the titles from Jermain Taylor in September 2007. Pavlik won the rematch a few months later, but that wasn't a defense because it was contested a few pounds above the middleweight limit.
Kelly's loss to Bernard Hopkins was well above 160. He's actually only defended the belts against Gary Lockett, Marco Antonio Rubio and Miguel Espino. Of that group, only Rubio counts as a credible challenger, and that's being somewhat generous.
But The Ghost may finally have to put in a tough night's work in a few months. That's because a bout with Sergio Martinez is all but signed, set for Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall on April 17.
If it's possible to win even when losing, Martinez has done it. The Argentina-born, Spain-dwelling lefty gave Paul Williams all he could handle before losing a decision last December that numerous fans thought he won (though I did not).
Martinez and Pavlik should make for a great contrast in styles: speed versus power, elusiveness versus straightforward aggression and orthodox versus southpaw. Kelly always draws well in A.C., and Sergio made some new fans there with his last performance, so the atmosphere should be electric.
One really interesting part of Dan Rafael's report is that Lou DiBella asked for some assurances from HBO that Martinez would still get to fight (in Montreal, where Lucian Bute and Edison Miranda will do battle as part of HBO's split-site doubleheader) if Pavlik pulled out for health reasons. It's not often you think of boxers as being injury prone the way you do some stick-and-ball athletes, but Kelly fits the bill if anyone does.
Now here's the crappy part for boxing fans: April 17 already has a pretty big card on Showtime with Carl Froch-Mikkel Kessler and Andre Ward-Allan Green in the next phase of the Super Six World Boxing Classic.
I get that HBO and Showtime are in competition. Really, I do. But boxing isn't popular enough at the moment to be able to handle constant counter-programming by the two networks.
The same thing is happening on March 6. I really wish they'd knock it off.
Let's do some...
SHOE SHINING
Gerson Guerrero is out and Manuel Vargas is in as an opponent for Nonito Donaire this Saturday. My man Tim Starks of The Queensberry Rules says it's "not even a huge drop off," but he meant it more in an anti-Guerrero way than a pro-Vargas way. I like Donaire, but I'm not going to be really pumped about anyone he fights not named Vic Darchinyan...
Former MMA champ Andrei Arlovski hasn't given up on his plans to embark on a boxing career. He's going to take on Fres Oquendo in a four-round exhibition on Feb. 27, then take two more MMA bouts before hopefully making his pro debut later in 2010. I'm not sure I've got high hopes for him as a boxer after seeing what Brett Rogers did to him...
Would anyone be up for Timothy Bradley-Edwin Valero on June 5 (on Showtime)? Or more precisely, would anyone NOT be up for Bradley-Valero? It's just talk at this point, but we can always cross our fingers and hope. Also, HBO doesn't have anything scheduled for that weekend, so there's that.
Posted by The Franchise
Showing posts with label edwin valero. Show all posts
Showing posts with label edwin valero. Show all posts
8.2.10
20/20 Hindsight: Edwin Valero is Great, But Let's Not Get Too Carried Away About a Manny Pacquiao Fight Just Yet
Boxing fans who have been waiting for a good look at what Edwin Valero is all about got exactly that this past Saturday.
Valero showed just about every kind of crowd-pleasing attribute a boxer can have during his ninth-round TKO if Antonio DeMarco. He displayed a varied and powerful offense, which was sort of a given considering he had won every one of his professional fights by KO.
He showed heart and a willingness to battle through adversity, thanks to a nasty cut that had by brother Spartan117 saying he "thought he saw skull." And after he came out on top, he immediately called out the number one pound-for-pound boxer on most lists, so he proved he was ambitious as well.
Before this weekend, it was fair to wonder if Valero's amazing record was padded by fighting too many stiffs. Some of that wasn't his fault, since for various reasons he hasn't been able to fight against top competition in the Unites States for years.
But DeMarco was a quality opponent who did a lot of things right. He just couldn't match Valero in terms of strength and ferocity.
Lest we get too carried away, Valero still has room to improve. His defense relies more on his athleticism than technique, and he can be hit a little more easily than you'd like for a top contender.
Of course once upon a time, you could also say that about Manny Pacquiao, the man Valero has his sights set on now. A Pacquiao-Valero fight would be dynamite indeed, but Edwin was probably guilty of a bit of hyperbole when he said after the fight, "That's the fight the world wants to see."
He's going to need to beat a few more tough foes before that's true. He'll also have to prove that he can easily keep going up in weight, which Manny managed to do but others haven't (see: Juan Manuel Marquez).
By the time those things happen, Pacquiao may not even be fighting any more. There are a lot of moving parts here, many things that would have to fall into place just right for Valero to get his wish.
Still, he's at least one step closer after his big win this weekend, and there's no reason he can't dream. And we boxing fans can dream right along with him.
Posted by The Franchise
Valero showed just about every kind of crowd-pleasing attribute a boxer can have during his ninth-round TKO if Antonio DeMarco. He displayed a varied and powerful offense, which was sort of a given considering he had won every one of his professional fights by KO.
He showed heart and a willingness to battle through adversity, thanks to a nasty cut that had by brother Spartan117 saying he "thought he saw skull." And after he came out on top, he immediately called out the number one pound-for-pound boxer on most lists, so he proved he was ambitious as well.
Before this weekend, it was fair to wonder if Valero's amazing record was padded by fighting too many stiffs. Some of that wasn't his fault, since for various reasons he hasn't been able to fight against top competition in the Unites States for years.
But DeMarco was a quality opponent who did a lot of things right. He just couldn't match Valero in terms of strength and ferocity.
Lest we get too carried away, Valero still has room to improve. His defense relies more on his athleticism than technique, and he can be hit a little more easily than you'd like for a top contender.
Of course once upon a time, you could also say that about Manny Pacquiao, the man Valero has his sights set on now. A Pacquiao-Valero fight would be dynamite indeed, but Edwin was probably guilty of a bit of hyperbole when he said after the fight, "That's the fight the world wants to see."
He's going to need to beat a few more tough foes before that's true. He'll also have to prove that he can easily keep going up in weight, which Manny managed to do but others haven't (see: Juan Manuel Marquez).
By the time those things happen, Pacquiao may not even be fighting any more. There are a lot of moving parts here, many things that would have to fall into place just right for Valero to get his wish.
Still, he's at least one step closer after his big win this weekend, and there's no reason he can't dream. And we boxing fans can dream right along with him.
Posted by The Franchise
6.2.10
Edwin Valero vs. Antonio DeMarco: Round by Round
Now it's time for the main event. It's between Edwin Valero and Antonio Demarco for Valero's WBC lightweight title.
DeMarco is making his way to the ring first. A mariachi band is in the ring for his entrance. He looks calm and collected.
Valero is in the ring now. He looks focused.
Round 1
They meet in the center and touch gloves. Valero goes for a right hook early, while DeMarco is moving back. Valero is showing hand speed. Valero lands a right hand on the shoulder and continues throwing power punches. Valero has a cut on his right cheek. I have no idea where that came from. Valero lands a strong left and right hook. DeMarco is staggered. Good round for Valero.
Spartan117: 10-9 Valero
Uatu: 10-9 Valero
Round 2
DeMarco gets a jab in. Valero gets DeMarco in the corner and goes to work. DeMarco still looks calm. He throws two straight left hands, and Valero backs up. DeMarco catches Valero coming in. Valero complains that he got hit with an elbow. A cut has opened up on the forehead of Valero, and there is no way that is was caused by a punch. The cut is an absolute mess. The doctor surprisingly says he can fight on. Now it's nothing but a brawl in the ring. Valero is swinging away. The mouthpiece goes flying out of Valero's mouth, and the ref stops the action to put it back in. Amazing round.
Spartan117: 10-8 Valero
Uatu: 10-8 Valero
Round 3
Valero is still going for the knockout. Also, the ref did indeed take a point for the elbow last round. Valero is landing strong shots. He's fighting with pure intensity. DeMarco isn't backing down, and he lands two hooks. Valero is measuring up the left hand. Good round for Valero.
Spartan117: 10-9 Valero
Uatu: 10-9 Valero
Round 4
Valero comes out firing once again, still looking for the KO. DeMarco throws back. Valero lands a left hook. They trade punches on the inside. Valero scores with more hooks in the center of the ring. Valero lands a big flurry upstairs to Demarco. These punches have to be adding up. Another solid round for Valero.
Spartan117: 10-9 Valero
Uatu: 10-9 Valero
Round 5
Valero's mouth is hanging open. It may mean that he's gassed. He's still throwing punches in bunches. Valero lands a right hook, then another. DeMarco lands a right hand. DeMarco is standing in the center of the ring and exchanging. Valero backs DeMarco up with a right hand. Valero lands a left hook. That cut is still flowing over the face of Valero. He's really showing his toughness.
Spartan117: 10-9 Valero
Uatu: 10-9 Valero
Round 6
Valero is landing some more hooks. This fight also has open scoring, and the judges have it for Valero. He lands a left-right hook combo, and DeMarco responds with a right hook. Valero ties up. Valero lands a big right hook, but DeMarco answers with a right hook and a straight left hand that back up Valero. DeMarco gets caught in the corner, and Valero goes to work. Another strong round for Valero.
Spartan117: 10-9 Valero
Uatu: 10-9 Valero
Round 7
Valero lands a left hook. Not many jabs being thrown. DeMarco is stuck in the corner again, and Valero is measuring with the power left. The corner is not where DeMarco wants to be. Valero lands three left hooks, and DeMarco throws another punch. DeMarco doesn't look hurt despite taking these punches, but he isn't active enough to win any of these rounds. Valero looks too strong.
Spartan117: 10-9 Valero
Uatu: 10-9 Valero
Round 8
They square up in the center. DeMarco lands a left hook. Valero waves him in. Valero is pouring it on now. He lands a huge left hand. DeMarco is way down on the scorecards. Valero lands a right to the body. Now DeMarco takes more punishment upstairs from all different angles. I wouldn't be surprised if the corner threw in the towel for DeMarco. He keeps taking punches. The action gets stopped because of a punch downstairs from DeMarco.
Spartan117: 10-9 Valero
Uatu: 10-9 Valero
Round 9
DeMarco looks totally discouraged in his corner between rounds. This fight is all but over unless he makes some major changes. DeMarco gets caught in the corner, and Valero continues to put work in. DeMarco eats more combos. DeMarco gets slightly more active and lands a straight right. Valero lands some more combos straight to the head. Valero lands a monstrous left hand in the corner.
Spartan117: 10-9 Valero
Uatu: 10-9 Valero
DeMarco elects not to come out for the 10th round. It's all over.
The winner by TKO at the end of Round 9... and still WBC lightweight titleholder... Edwin Valero.
Posted by spartan117
DeMarco is making his way to the ring first. A mariachi band is in the ring for his entrance. He looks calm and collected.
Valero is in the ring now. He looks focused.
Round 1
They meet in the center and touch gloves. Valero goes for a right hook early, while DeMarco is moving back. Valero is showing hand speed. Valero lands a right hand on the shoulder and continues throwing power punches. Valero has a cut on his right cheek. I have no idea where that came from. Valero lands a strong left and right hook. DeMarco is staggered. Good round for Valero.
Spartan117: 10-9 Valero
Uatu: 10-9 Valero
Round 2
DeMarco gets a jab in. Valero gets DeMarco in the corner and goes to work. DeMarco still looks calm. He throws two straight left hands, and Valero backs up. DeMarco catches Valero coming in. Valero complains that he got hit with an elbow. A cut has opened up on the forehead of Valero, and there is no way that is was caused by a punch. The cut is an absolute mess. The doctor surprisingly says he can fight on. Now it's nothing but a brawl in the ring. Valero is swinging away. The mouthpiece goes flying out of Valero's mouth, and the ref stops the action to put it back in. Amazing round.
Spartan117: 10-8 Valero
Uatu: 10-8 Valero
Round 3
Valero is still going for the knockout. Also, the ref did indeed take a point for the elbow last round. Valero is landing strong shots. He's fighting with pure intensity. DeMarco isn't backing down, and he lands two hooks. Valero is measuring up the left hand. Good round for Valero.
Spartan117: 10-9 Valero
Uatu: 10-9 Valero
Round 4
Valero comes out firing once again, still looking for the KO. DeMarco throws back. Valero lands a left hook. They trade punches on the inside. Valero scores with more hooks in the center of the ring. Valero lands a big flurry upstairs to Demarco. These punches have to be adding up. Another solid round for Valero.
Spartan117: 10-9 Valero
Uatu: 10-9 Valero
Round 5
Valero's mouth is hanging open. It may mean that he's gassed. He's still throwing punches in bunches. Valero lands a right hook, then another. DeMarco lands a right hand. DeMarco is standing in the center of the ring and exchanging. Valero backs DeMarco up with a right hand. Valero lands a left hook. That cut is still flowing over the face of Valero. He's really showing his toughness.
Spartan117: 10-9 Valero
Uatu: 10-9 Valero
Round 6
Valero is landing some more hooks. This fight also has open scoring, and the judges have it for Valero. He lands a left-right hook combo, and DeMarco responds with a right hook. Valero ties up. Valero lands a big right hook, but DeMarco answers with a right hook and a straight left hand that back up Valero. DeMarco gets caught in the corner, and Valero goes to work. Another strong round for Valero.
Spartan117: 10-9 Valero
Uatu: 10-9 Valero
Round 7
Valero lands a left hook. Not many jabs being thrown. DeMarco is stuck in the corner again, and Valero is measuring with the power left. The corner is not where DeMarco wants to be. Valero lands three left hooks, and DeMarco throws another punch. DeMarco doesn't look hurt despite taking these punches, but he isn't active enough to win any of these rounds. Valero looks too strong.
Spartan117: 10-9 Valero
Uatu: 10-9 Valero
Round 8
They square up in the center. DeMarco lands a left hook. Valero waves him in. Valero is pouring it on now. He lands a huge left hand. DeMarco is way down on the scorecards. Valero lands a right to the body. Now DeMarco takes more punishment upstairs from all different angles. I wouldn't be surprised if the corner threw in the towel for DeMarco. He keeps taking punches. The action gets stopped because of a punch downstairs from DeMarco.
Spartan117: 10-9 Valero
Uatu: 10-9 Valero
Round 9
DeMarco looks totally discouraged in his corner between rounds. This fight is all but over unless he makes some major changes. DeMarco gets caught in the corner, and Valero continues to put work in. DeMarco eats more combos. DeMarco gets slightly more active and lands a straight right. Valero lands some more combos straight to the head. Valero lands a monstrous left hand in the corner.
Spartan117: 10-9 Valero
Uatu: 10-9 Valero
DeMarco elects not to come out for the 10th round. It's all over.
The winner by TKO at the end of Round 9... and still WBC lightweight titleholder... Edwin Valero.
Posted by spartan117
Edwin Valero-Antonio DeMarco Live Round By Round Updates Tonight (Plus More, Weather Permitting)
The BoxingWatchers are all based in different parts of Pennsylvania. As you may have heard or read, we've had quite a bit of snow here over the past 18 hours. Quite a bit.
Is that going to stop us from bringing people with no access to Showtime live round by round updates of the Edwin Valero-Antonio DeMarco fight? Perish the thought!
I'm not sure who exactly is going to do it, but one of us is going to be posting to the main page starting around 9 pm Eastern tonight. Also on the card is Luis Carlos Abregu facing Richard Gutierrez, and we'll live blog that bout as well.
And who knows? If we're really lucky and the weather cooperates, maybe we'll be able to do the Tomasz Adamek-Jason Estrada fight too. No promises on that one though.
Get snowed in with live boxing updates and join us later tonight!
Posted by The Franchise
Is that going to stop us from bringing people with no access to Showtime live round by round updates of the Edwin Valero-Antonio DeMarco fight? Perish the thought!
I'm not sure who exactly is going to do it, but one of us is going to be posting to the main page starting around 9 pm Eastern tonight. Also on the card is Luis Carlos Abregu facing Richard Gutierrez, and we'll live blog that bout as well.
And who knows? If we're really lucky and the weather cooperates, maybe we'll be able to do the Tomasz Adamek-Jason Estrada fight too. No promises on that one though.
Get snowed in with live boxing updates and join us later tonight!
Posted by The Franchise
4.2.10
Valero-DeMarco, Adamek-Estrada, Johnson-Mack: Predictions
The Franchise says...
Is Edwin Valero ready to graduate from seldom-seen phenom to bona fide rising star? If so, that process may begin this Saturday, when he headlines a Showtime broadcast by defending his WBC lightweight belt against Antonio DeMarco.
This one promises to be explosive for as long as it lasts. DeMarco likes to come forward, using jabs to set up his powerful left hand. He's also got a sturdy chin, as he showed en route to the ninth-round KO of Anges Adjaho last summer that earned him this title shot.
The question is whether any chin is enough to stand up to Valero, who became the stuff of internet legend by racking up 18 first-round knockouts in a row to begin his professional career. He's averaged almost five rounds of work over the last three years, but every one of his fights has ended with his foe unconscious or unable to continue.
DeMarco is taller and rangier, suggesting that he may find some success staying on the outside. But that isn't his usual M.O., and he also tends to be a slow starter.
Those two things could prove to be his downfall. Questions still remain about Valero's overall skill set, but they won't be answered this time out as the Venezuelan notches a mid-round KO.
In New Jersey, former two-division titleholder Tomasz Adamek will continue to try climbing the heavyweight ranks as he steps in against Jason Estrada. Newark's Prudential Center should be rocking, as a strong Polish-American contingent always turns out in force to support Adamek.
Estrada is a legit heavyweight whose fighting weight is usually just above 240 pounds, but he's not especially tall (listed at 6'1") or powerful (only four knockouts in 16 career victories). That means he may have trouble keeping Adamek from getting in close and making him pay when he does so.
Eventually, Adamek is going to run into someone who reminds him why it's tough to take on the big guys when you give up too much weight. I don't expect it will be this Saturday, though, as I see Adamek battering his way to a late-round stoppage.
Last but not least (and actually first in chronological terms), venerable Glen Johnson headlines Friday Night Fights in an IBF light heavyweight title eliminator against Yusaf Mack. Few boxers can be counted on to give 100 percent in the ring as Johnson, even at 41 years of age.
Mack certainly has a bit of both skill and power, and he's yet to lose since stepping up to campaign at 175. But Johnson has beaten and lost to opponents tougher than anyone on Mack's resume, and he's always in shape to go the full 12 rounds.
Still, it's hard to get the image of Johnson's last fight, a second loss to Chad Dawson, out of my head. Did he finally start to feel his age, or was Bad Chad just better prepared for him the second time around?
Let's say for the sake of argument it was a bit of both. The Road Warrior is starting to near the end of his journey, but I'm not sure he's quite there yet.
Maybe my heart is outvoting my head on this one, but I like Johnson to take a close decision.
Posted by The Franchise
Is Edwin Valero ready to graduate from seldom-seen phenom to bona fide rising star? If so, that process may begin this Saturday, when he headlines a Showtime broadcast by defending his WBC lightweight belt against Antonio DeMarco.
This one promises to be explosive for as long as it lasts. DeMarco likes to come forward, using jabs to set up his powerful left hand. He's also got a sturdy chin, as he showed en route to the ninth-round KO of Anges Adjaho last summer that earned him this title shot.
The question is whether any chin is enough to stand up to Valero, who became the stuff of internet legend by racking up 18 first-round knockouts in a row to begin his professional career. He's averaged almost five rounds of work over the last three years, but every one of his fights has ended with his foe unconscious or unable to continue.
DeMarco is taller and rangier, suggesting that he may find some success staying on the outside. But that isn't his usual M.O., and he also tends to be a slow starter.
Those two things could prove to be his downfall. Questions still remain about Valero's overall skill set, but they won't be answered this time out as the Venezuelan notches a mid-round KO.
In New Jersey, former two-division titleholder Tomasz Adamek will continue to try climbing the heavyweight ranks as he steps in against Jason Estrada. Newark's Prudential Center should be rocking, as a strong Polish-American contingent always turns out in force to support Adamek.
Estrada is a legit heavyweight whose fighting weight is usually just above 240 pounds, but he's not especially tall (listed at 6'1") or powerful (only four knockouts in 16 career victories). That means he may have trouble keeping Adamek from getting in close and making him pay when he does so.
Eventually, Adamek is going to run into someone who reminds him why it's tough to take on the big guys when you give up too much weight. I don't expect it will be this Saturday, though, as I see Adamek battering his way to a late-round stoppage.
Last but not least (and actually first in chronological terms), venerable Glen Johnson headlines Friday Night Fights in an IBF light heavyweight title eliminator against Yusaf Mack. Few boxers can be counted on to give 100 percent in the ring as Johnson, even at 41 years of age.
Mack certainly has a bit of both skill and power, and he's yet to lose since stepping up to campaign at 175. But Johnson has beaten and lost to opponents tougher than anyone on Mack's resume, and he's always in shape to go the full 12 rounds.
Still, it's hard to get the image of Johnson's last fight, a second loss to Chad Dawson, out of my head. Did he finally start to feel his age, or was Bad Chad just better prepared for him the second time around?
Let's say for the sake of argument it was a bit of both. The Road Warrior is starting to near the end of his journey, but I'm not sure he's quite there yet.
Maybe my heart is outvoting my head on this one, but I like Johnson to take a close decision.
Posted by The Franchise
25.3.08
Interesting News - Valero ok to Fight in the US
Quite possibly the most buzzed about fighter, Edwin Valero, has been ok'd to fight in the state of Texas according to ESPN. Valero is a gaudy 23-0, with 23 ko's. 19 of those in the first round! While anyone could be built up with this type of record by fighting tomato cans, Valero has gotten credit from any expert who has seen him as being the real deal.
Dougie Fischer at maxboxing.com has been at the forefront of touting Valero as more than just a creation of good matchmaking. If you can, go and try to find Dougie Fischer's articles about Valero and sparring footage they had over at maxboxing.com or probably on the youtube. He has quite an interesting life story and had been on medical suspension due to a motorcycle accident that had given him some head damage.
Valero was backed by Oscar De La Hoya and was managed by Oscar's father Joel the first time around. He then fought in Japan because of the suspension.
This guy has the potential to be huge star and will bring a large amount of anticipation to his US return.
Dougie Fischer at maxboxing.com has been at the forefront of touting Valero as more than just a creation of good matchmaking. If you can, go and try to find Dougie Fischer's articles about Valero and sparring footage they had over at maxboxing.com or probably on the youtube. He has quite an interesting life story and had been on medical suspension due to a motorcycle accident that had given him some head damage.
Valero was backed by Oscar De La Hoya and was managed by Oscar's father Joel the first time around. He then fought in Japan because of the suspension.
This guy has the potential to be huge star and will bring a large amount of anticipation to his US return.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
