Manny Pacquiao trains away at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California for a March 13th fight with Joshua Clottey.
Venezuelan knock-out specialist relishes in an eye opening victory Saturday night in Monterrey, Mexico.
This writer sits around and ponders what would have been if Manny and Edwin would have locked horns as lightweights.
The manner in which Valero disposed of Antonio DeMarco surprised many critics, who had dismissed him as a “YouTube” sensation, one dimensional slugger, with a padded record.
Saturday night, with a mix of aggression, subtle but effective defense, and heart, Dinamita entered a hostile arena and made DeMarco quit on his stool. It took ten rounds for many who dismissed Edwin, to now make comparisons to another left-handed Energizer bunny, Manny Pacquiao.
I told you so, and I told you so years ago.
Back in January, 2007, when I went one on one with Valero over the phone, I knew boxing had a rising star. Though Pacquiao had dismissed Valero as an opponent and stating that all of his opponents had been “tuk tuk drivers”, Valero showed classed and responded, ” I do need to fight him, before he retires, but I do not want to fight him just for money. I want to win.”
So since then, I have stood by the belief that Valero and Pacquiao would be an all-time classic. Both men have a ho-pity, but powerful left-handed striking style, fast feet and hands, mountains of heart, and enough defense to make them tough puzzles to solve for opponents.
Three years after that interview, Pacquiao has risen into a boxing super nova, by defeating Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto by stoppage. Unfortunately, due to licensing issues surrounding a motorcycle induced head trauma, Valero has fought in obscurity and mainly overseas.
A fight between the pair seems completely unlikely.
After a coming out party of sorts before American fight fans on Showtime this weekend, surely I cannot be the only boxing die-hard wishing the Venezuelan and Filipino would have crossed paths.
Rigondeaux respectively declines a fight with Caballero.
It was reported in this column Friday night that Los Angeles-based Cuban bantamweight Guillermo Rigondeaux was headed into a clash this April against Panamanian tough cookie Celestino Caballero. That information was incorrect.
Checking in with both Rigondeaux and Caballero’s camps, I was informed that the Cuban’s promoter turned down the fight due to the fact it was offered at the featherweight limits.
“As you know Rigo weighed 119lbs for his fight last Friday,” said promoter Gary Hyde via an e-mail. “I am going to move him in the 118 pound division and then move up to 122 and 126 and this will make him an exceptional champion.”
As for Caballero, the former super bantamweight stand-out is now committed to fighting as a featherweight, according to his representative Sampson Lewkowicz.
