Edwin Valero: A look back on the Venezuelan Boxer
So much of the focus in the boxing world now revolves around the question of whether the Texas State Athletic Commission will grant disgraced fighter Antonio Margarito a license to fight Manny Pacquiao.
Amidst this, the name Edwin Valero looms heavily. Valero was a promising fighter who was sanctioned by the TSAC to fight in 2009, a decision which has led to round condemnation of the TSAC since Valero's suicide death in April of this year.
With so much focus on the TSAC, it's worth looking back at Valero's life and career.
The late Edwin Valero was born in Bolero Alto Merida, Venezuela. He was the former WBA super-featherweight and WBC lightweight champion. Undefeated and fearsome inside the ring, Valero was a rising boxing star and an absolute household name in Venezuela.
El inca, El dinamita, El terminator, and The Liquidator are some of Valero’s nicknames which are mainly attributed to his explosive knockout power. His 27-0 record with all wins coming by way of knockout is one of the greatest feats in boxing history.
Before turning pro, Valero was involved in a motorcycle crash in 2001 which caused a fractured skull and a clot in his brain. That injury became a major roadblock in his career. Major sanctioning bodies in boxing would not allow him to fight because of the head injuries he had sustained. Consequently, majority of his fights were held mostly in Japan and Latin America where boxing authorities are less stringent. He also had difficulty in obtaining clearance to fight in the United States, basically ruling him out of the most lucrative opportunities.
Valero’s break came when he won his first 18 consecutive fights by first-round knockout, setting a Guinness world record. In his 19th fight, his streak of first round knockouts ended when his opponent, Genaro Tazancos, survived until the second round.
He won his first title (WBA super featherweight) against Vicente Mosquera of Panama in 2006. It was an exciting and suspenseful fight as he knocked down Mosquera twice in the first round but Mosquera also returned the favor by knocking him down in the third round. Eventually, Valero prevailed with a TKO in the tenth round.
Valero successfully defended his WBA super featherweight title against Michael Lozada, Nobuhito Honmo, Zaid Zavaleta and Takehiro Shimada before vacating it in 2008 to move up in a higher weight division.
In 2008, he was finally cleared to fight in Texas but had a hard time securing a visa because he was charged of DUI in the said state. He accused the US government of discrimination and claimed that his application was denied because he was sympathetic to Hugo Chavez, a notorious critic of the US government.
When the hitches were all settled, Valero fought Antonio Pituala for the vacant WBC lightweight title in Austin, Texas on 4 April 2009. He demolished Pituala in two rounds and claimed his second world title. He then successfully defended his title twice against Hector Velasquez via seventh round TKO and Antonio DeMarco via ninth round TKO.
He again vacated his lightweight title to campaign for the light-welterweight division.
Inside the boxing ring, Valero had a relatively easy time, but outside the ring, it was a completely different matter.
Valero suffered from addiction to drugs and alcohol. He also had serious marital problems. Valero allegedly beat his wife, Jennifer Carolina Viera de Valero, in cold-blood. Jennifer was treated in a hospital for cuts, bruises, and broken ribs which penetrated her lungs. The Venezuelan boxer was charged with assault but denied the accusations. Jennifer later retracted and said that her injuries were from an accident but authorities doubted the claim.
People were convinced of Valero’s guilt because of his known vicious personality. Valero’s erratic behavior was demonstrated publicly when he harassed the doctors and nurses of the very hospital where his wife was treated. He was arrested and sent to a rehabilitation centre for psychiatric help.
On 18 April of this year, Jennifer was found dead in a hotel in Valencia City, Carabobo. Valero was arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife. There were reports that the Venezuelan confessed to the hotel staff that he murdered his wife inside the hotel room.
The following day, Valero ended his life by hanging himself. He was found inside the cell where he was detained. The picture of his family was found in his mouth.
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