Valero not fighting in US due to medical reasons...

The Boxing Gamble That Edwin Valero Takes: Is the Risk Worth the Reward?
By Dr. Howard Reynolds-September 11, 2006

If Edwin Valero is the recently crowned WBA Featherweight Champion (and he is, as of August 5th), yet he is banned from boxing in the United States (and he is, as of 2002), does he matter in the 130-pound division?

Valero’s record certainly counts for something: 20-0, 20 KO’s. His first 18 fights ended in the first round. Never in the history of professional boxing has anyone run a streak of eighteen straight first round knockouts. No matter how you may dismiss the list of opponents, Valero’s record is worthy of notice.

Yet, it is hard to notice when these bouts occur in his native Venezuela, in Paris, in Panama City, Panama, in Kobe and Yokohama, Japan. Only three of his fights, all in 2003, were held in the USA. His medical ban by the New York State Athletic Commission made Valero a world traveler, turning him into boxing’s Keyser Soze, the unseen but much discussed arch criminal specter from the film, “The Usual Suspects.”

In January 2004, Valero was scheduled for an HBO fight. As a routine part of his pre-fight medical clearance, an MRI scan of the brain showed a small black spot, indicative of a prior injury. When questioned, Valero told the doctors he had suffered a head injury years before.

"The accident was on February 5, 2001, when I crashed my motorcycle against the back windshield of a car,” Valero is reported to have told investigators. “I was running fast and was not wearing a helmet."

He had a small amount of subdural bleeding on the brain, which was drained with a small incision through the skull. He suffered no ill effects and resumed his boxing career. However, subdural bleeding is the one specific type of brain injury most closely associated with death in boxers—Leavander Johnson, Martin Sanchez, Luis Villalta, and Beethavean Scottland, to read the grim roll of professional fighters who died from ring injuries in the United States in recent years, all suffered from this particular damage.

A subdural hematoma means automatic medical suspension in most states, including New York and Nevada. And all states recognize and uphold a medical suspension issued elsewhere. This is the reason Joe Mesi was permanently suspended from fighting in Nevada, and had to resort to legal maneuvers to box again.

So, even though Valero did not suffer his subdural injury in the ring, he has not been permitted to fight in the USA since the end of 2003. And he has been wearing out his passport.

The lefty, Valero, employs a wild-swinging, reckless style, paying little mind to defense, as you would expect from a first round knockout artist. In Kobe, Japan, on March 25th, of this year, the first time he was extended beyond the initial frame, Valero dispatched Genaro Trazancoshe, in the second. The WBA Title bout with Vicente Mosquera on August 8th, in Panama City lasted until 2:00 of the tenth on the referee’s stoppage. Valero tasted canvas for the first time in his professional career in the third, but he seemed to have some boxing and defensive skills (as much as you can tell from viewing a bootleg downloaded internet video copy).

The victory over Mosquera provides some validation to the legend Valero has been building from such internet videos and mythologized reports of sparring triumphs. Mosquera, who hadn’t lost since 2000, in over 13 fights is legit, earning his belt in April 2005, by a convincing decision over Yodsanan “3-K Battery” Nanthachai.

So Valero finds himself a top contender, unable to ply his trade in the promised land of the US. Lucky for him and for fight fans, there are several 130-pound champions and other contenders who would make excellent and lucrative matches with Valero on their home turf. Marco Antonio Barrera (Mexico), Manny Pacquiao (Philippines), Erik Morales (Mexico), Jorge Barrios (Argentina), Joan Guzman (Dominican Republic) and Rocky Juarez (Texas, yeah, I know, but he has Mexican-American parents and a lot of trans-border fans) all have strong followings in their native lands.

Perhaps it is true what a Nicole Kidman character voiced in one of her early movies, “To Die For.” Playing a fame-obsessed beauty, she said:

“You're not anybody in America unless you're on TV. On TV is where we learn about who we really are. Because what's the point of doing anything worthwhile if nobody's watching?”


No doubt, when Valero finally appears on American television, lots of us will be watching.
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I was wondering why I never heard more plans about getting Valero to fight in the US. You know his style would be a hit...such an exciting guy seems like it would attract a lot of spectators. Kind of scary about subdural hematoma..not good for any fighter especially a guy like him who doesn't care much about protecting himself.

CC bro INTERESTING!!!!!

:coolclick: for the article, definitely a great read but I feel I must say (just to get it in before Britkid does :P) that Valero's 18 1st round KO streak is not unique, he actually matched the existing world record set by 1 round Hogan in the 1920's. :soapbox:

CC's back to both you guys. What do you think about that subdural hematoma though? Article said it's the type of brain injury most associated with death in boxers and valero (from 2 fights Ive seen) doesnt seem to care about protecting himself at all. There's a lot of BANGERS at 130 and if he ever gets into position to fight some of the top guys he'll be taking a lot of abuse.

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Originally Posted by dasamm

CC's back to both you guys. What do you think about that subdural hematoma though? Article said it's the type of brain injury most associated with death in boxers and valero (from 2 fights Ive seen) doesnt seem to care about protecting himself at all. There's a lot of BANGERS at 130 and if he ever gets into position to fight some of the top guys he'll be taking a lot of abuse.

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I'm really torn. On the one hand I really, really, really want to see Valero on HBO fighting the big guys. On the other hand I don't really want him to die for my entertainment.

But then I think, well it's his life, his choice, let him box. If anything goes wrong we can always come on here afterwards and rain self-rightous wrath on the boxing commision for putting dollars before safety, thus salving our own guilty consciences. :P

hmmmmmmm maybe hbo can make a helmet for him to wear in the ring just for him tho wink wink ahaha

Sounds like the problem is that the black dot was still there a couple of years after the motorcycle accident. I wonder if he has had any recent MRI's done, and if it still shows the same thing. If the black dot is no longer there then he could go the Joe Mesi way through the courts and start fighting in the US. I would thind that the spot being there so long afterwards is little bit concerning.

One things for sure, you can be sure that HBO are not keen on showing another fatal display of boxing after than leavander johnson tragedy, boxing is in enough trouble in the USA as it is, I'm like bilbo in saying that I'm absolutly torn myself, because Valero is magic to watch, his fight against Mosquera is incredible, but you can't help but think its probably for the best if he is forced out of boxing, the only problem is that boxing is his life, is it fair for use to stop a fighter from boxing when it his whole life, and he is willing to die for it?

CC for the read,I love Valero BUT if it really does compromise his health,I would rather see him give up the game rather than risk his life but only he knows the truth regarding the seriousness of the damage.