Sooner or later, knockout artist Edwin Valero of Venezuela may get his wish of fighting Manny Pacquiao.
Valero, who has won all his 23 bouts by knockout, including 19 in the first round, has reportedly been given the green light to fight in the United States.
Boxingconfidential.com broke the news yesterday that Valero has secured a license in Texas. He has moved from Tokyo to Las Vegas, now training under Kenny Adams.
The 26-year-old Venezuelan, holder of the WBA super-featherweight title, will fight Israel Hector Enrique Perez in Tokyo on June 15.
Then he can start looking forward to fighting in the US, in Texas at least.
Valero has fought in the US only thrice, the last in December of 2003 when he knocked out Tomas Sembrano in the first round at the Marriott Hotel in California.
The following year he was banned from fighting in California and New York after failing a medical due to a brain injury he suffered in a motorcycle accident.
Valero had no choice but stay away. But he?s made a lot of noise ever since, scoring knockouts here and there ? from Japan, Panama, Mexico, France, Argentina and Venezuela.
The longest fight he?s ever been to came against Vicente Mosquera of Panama, who lasted 10 rounds before being knocked out at the Figali Convention Center in Panama City.
Valero has been calling Pacquiao?s name each time he knocked out an opponent over the last year or two. He vowed to knock out Pacquiao, too.
There?s already bad blood between the two after Pacquiao said Valero has been knocking out ? tricycle drivers?. The latter dared Pacquiao to a fight, so they would know ?who the real tricycle driver is.?
Pacquiao the other day said Valero should make an attractive fight, but didn?t say whether the Venezuelan should fight him at 130 or 135 lbs.
?It should be attractive. But the problem is he cannot fight in the US,? said Pacquiao.
Now that Valero can, a lot of people will surely push for this one ? sooner or later.
