© Emily Harney

Lightweight contender Rolando Reyes made his first Houston visit a memorable one as he spent part of Thursday night assuring former world champion Juan Diaz that he is “more than ready” to return for a summer showdown. More...

Edwin Valero continued the most impressive KO streak in boxing last night at the Frank Erwin Centre in Austin, Texas, moving to to lightweight and stopping heavy-handed Colombian danger man Antonio Pitalua to win the vacant WBC title.

The Venezuelan southpaw had made four defenses of the WBA Super Feather crown and was going up in weight against tough customer Pitalua but any questions as to whether Valero's power would follow were soon dispelled as Pitalua was finished off in the second frame.

In the first round, Valero established his control over the bout's pace, using a busy offense to force Pitalua onto the defensive and using good footwork to avoid trouble when Pitalua did thow anything.

Valero and Pitalua traded big shots as the first came to a close, the only exchange thus far into the bout. More...

© John Rivera Hoganphotos / Golden Boy Promotions

The American debut of boxing's top slugger at any weight, Edwin "El Inca" Valero, headlines a big show tonight at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas.

Venezuelan southpaw Valero, 24-0 (24), knocked out his first 18 opponents in the very first round and won the WBA Super Feather title in August, 2008, climbing off the canvas to stop Vicente Mosquera in the tenth frame.

After four title defenses, all by stoppage, 27 year old Valero now comes to the US to contend for the vacant WBC Lightweight title against Mexico City based Colombian Antonio Pitalua, 46-3 (40). More...

© John Rivera Hoganphotos / Golden Boy Promotions

12 rounds, vacant WBC Lightweight title
Edwin Valero: 134.5 lb
Antonio Pitalua: 135 lb More...

Former world champion Julio Diaz will now square off against Oxnard, California's Rolando Reyes, who agreed to fight Diaz on the April 4 "Lightweight Lightning" card at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas after Joel Casamayor was forced to withdraw from the bout last week due to an acute lumbar spine sprain that will keep him out of action for six weeks. More...