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Philippines, 24 Nov 2024 |
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VALERO DEFENDS TITLE AGAINST LOZADA TODAY By Joe Koizumi PhilBoxing.com Wed, 03 Jan 2007  TOKYO, JAPAN -- Sensational KO artist, Venezuelan southpaw Edwin Valero (20-0, 20 KOs with his first 18 bouts finished in the opening round) will make his initial defense of the WBA 130-pound belt against Mexican Michael Lozada (29-3-2, 10 KOs) today (Wednesday) at the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo, Japan. A weigh-in ceremony took place at the Tokyo Dome Hotel yesterday, where Valero scaled in at 58.9 kg (130 pounds) to 58.7 kg (129.5 pounds) for Lozada. The WBA officials are as follows: referee Rafael Ramos (US); judges Henk Meijers (Nederland), Derek Milham (Australia) and Moohong Moon (Korea); and supervisor Tsuyoshi Yasukochi (Japan). Valero moved from Venezuela to Japan to make it his second home turf a couple of months ago. The hard-hitting southpaw had captured the WBA throne by impressively halting Vicente Mosquera in ten furious see-saw rounds in Panama last August. He will make his first appearance since and people here expect him to score his 21st KO win in as many bouts. Lozada, two years his junior at 23, lost to Jose Armando Santa Cruz in a quest for a vacant IBF North American lightweight belt via fourth round TKO last April, but scored three victories since. The Mexican, whose amateur career was reportedly 66-12, is a boxer-puncher who will try to outbox the Venezuelan sensation and counter the onrushing opponent. Valero said at a press conference prior to the weigh-in ceremony, "I may fight 12 full rounds to win, but if there's a chance, I'll try to knock him out." Valero has been strenuously training and sparring with OPBF light champ Randy Suico, WBC ranked 140-pounder Arturo Morua, Mexican prospect Daniel Estrada, Japanese 130-pound champ Yusuke Kobori, etc. at his promoter Akihiko Honda$B!G(Bs Teiken Gym since November. He already experienced 12-round sparring sessions several times to show his stamina and strength, though some are still worried about his endurance should it go to a later stage of the fight. Valero is a hard-punching sharpshooter with good hand speed, always hitting in combination with precision. The audience is looking forward to watching his dramatic KO triumph, if not in the first round. Photo caption: Japan-based Venezuelan Edwin Valero (L) and Mexican Michael Lozada (R) at yesterday's weighin at the Tokyo Dome Hotel in Tokyo, Japan. Photo by Joe Koizumi. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joe Koizumi.  |
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