TalkingBoxing Articles
A PPV Attraction is Born; A P4P Talent is Emerging
MON December 17, ANTONIO ANDRES CARRIEDO - 
The card, which took place at Plaza de Toros in Cancun, Mexico, cost $30 and I do not mind telling the
readers how much I hate having had to pay that money in order to watch it, but I paid for two reasons…WBC 126 lb. titlist Jorge Linares and WBA 130 lb. titlist Edwin Valero.
Until he is extended the distance in one of his fights, curiosity will continue to surround every Valero, 23 – 0 (23 KOs), fight. Linares does not possess the gaudy KO steak, but he is every bit as talented as his Venezuelan countryman…if not more talented. Both may eventually become stars in the United States. Valero is currently banned after failing a neurological exam in January 2004. Linares will get his opportunity with time. For now, those of us who want to see them fight must shell out the dough for PPV.
The card opened with Wilfredo Vazquez Jr.’s step up fight against durable journeyman Jorge Cardenas. Vazquez started strong, but struggled with Cardenas’ aggressive style through the middle rounds. Vazquez was extended beyond the fourth round for the first time in his career and the fact that his was able to put his punches together and land power shots in flurries behind his strong jab over the last two rounds impressed this observer. The official judges scored the fight 77-75 Vazquez, 76-76 twice for a majority draw. Vazquez will be back and Cardenas’ commendable performance may earn him gatekeeper status and a few more televised fights against up and coming prospects.
Linares came up second. Gamaliel Diaz started strong and probably won the first round with his aggression. In the second, Linares began to find a home for his jab and by the start of the fourth he began putting his punches together. He dropped the hard charging Diaz with a beautiful uppercut in close quarters. Diaz stood tough and continued to press forward. Linares continued to break down his Mexican challenger through the middle rounds by working effectively behind his jab and avoiding the majority of Diaz’ power shots. He allowed the challenger to wear himself out and landed enough clean punches to take the rounds. In round eight, Diaz continued to press forward while Linares displayed an increased interest in opening up. He put together a few multi-punch combinations early in the round then maneuvered his way around Diaz’ retorts. With just over one minute left in the round Linares angled Diaz to his left shoulder landed a right cross and countered Diaz’ attempted follow up jab with another punishing right cross that scored a highlight reel KO at 2:02 of the eighth round.
In the third bout, Rodolfo Lopez and Naoki Matsuna fought a rematch of their fight this past March. Matsuna won the first fight with a fifth round KO victory. This time the bout, served as an eliminator for Linares’ title belt. So, the stakes were higher and Lopez came out looking sharp. After a sloppy first round that could have gone either way, Lopez began applying effective pressure and landing hard hooks with both hands to his opponent’s body. Matsuna tried to counter with little effect until a hard right cross opened up a nasty cut over Lopez’ eye in the fifth round.
Referee Laurence Cole threatened to stop the fight on multiple occasions and Lopez fought the last two rounds with the intent of scoring a victory saving KO. Though he probably led on the scorecards, the cut did begin to severely and adversely affect his performance in round eight. The doctor called a halt to the bout between the eighth and ninth rounds while Lopez’ corner worked to close the cut. When Matsuna’s corner began to celebrate the victory, Lopez, who might otherwise have been seen as a sympathetic figure, walked across the ring and hit his opponent with a cheap shot and challenged him to continue fighting. Order was restored and Matsuna’s second KO victory over Lopez secures him a place in line to challenge for Linares’ belt.
The show closed with the man every boxing addict is dying to see. Edwin Valero scored his customary KO this time over the woefully overmatched fringe contender Zaid Zavaleta. Valero came as advertised, throwing speedy power punches from the opening bell. He displayed a fair amount of discipline and a great deal of hand speed, but his intent was to score a first round KO. He stung Zavaleta with a few left crosses before finally dropping the game Mexican just seconds before the bell to end the first round.
Zavaleta crowded and mauled in an effort to survive round two, but a barrage by Valero to close out the second frame ended any doubt that Valero was going to score an early round KO. The end came at 1:18 of round three when a squarely placed left hook caused Zavaleta to crumble on the ropes in a defenseless position. Referee Luis Pabon decided that he had seen enough and called a halt to the one sided bout.
After the fight Valero expressed an interest in fighting in the United States against any of the top 130 pounders in the world. Any legitimate contender will do really, but medical requirements may prevent Valero from participating in the fights boxing fans hope to eventually see him in. Another point that must be made is that Valero has not been properly prepared to deal with elite fighters even if he eventually is cleared to fight in the United States. The talent and the power are there, but the only top 10 fighter he has fought is Vicente Mosquera. While Mosquera is a respectable former titlist, he alone does not prepare one for the likes of Manny Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez or Joan Guzman.
The bar needs to be set higher for Valero, but as long as he has the KO and unbeaten streaks he will be relevant. Curiosity will continue to follow him into the ring and people like me will continue to shell out $30 just to watch him fight. The longer he remains suspended and the KO streak remains in tact, the better the chances he becomes a PPV star. Linares, on the other hand, is on the fast track to pound for pound water cooler talk. All in all, it was $30 well spent.
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