Valero Seeks 26th KO in as Many Fights

It seems like Edwin Valero just can't miss in the boxing ring.

That's where the 28-year-old Venezuelan-born southpaw has stopped all 25 of his opponents without a loss.

On Saturday night, Valero will go after his 26th stoppage when he makes the first defense of his WBC lightweight (135 pounds) title against 34-year-old Hector Velazquez (51-13-2, 35 KOs) of Tijuana, Mex., before his hometown fans at the Polideportivo José María Vargas, in La Guaira.

But as big of a hit as Valero has been in the ring, he's made some missteps outside of it.

Take, for example, last May, when the fighter did some impromptu joy-riding in Las Vegas following Manny Pacquiao's second-round knockout of Ricky Hatton at the MGM Grand.

An inebriated Valero was pulled over by the cops, resulting in a DUI, and, by extension, trouble in his native Venezuela.

"Edwin then went back to his country," said Top Rank CEO Bob Arum, Valero's promoter. "And when he applied again for a visa, it was denied."

Since then, however, Arum said Valero appears to have satisfied alcohol treatment requirements and rectified his travel situation.

"I talked last night [Monday] to Edwin Valero's manager, Jose Castillo, who is an American. And his information was that Valero had completed his course of rehabilitation in Venezuela for the DUI problem," said Arum.

"Jose was going to be flying to Venezuela to get all of the documents," said Arum. "And then, they would apply at the embassy for a U.S. Visa based on the new data. Jose then hoped that Valero would be in the U.S. as early as January of next year."

Valero knocked out Whyber Garcia in the first round to win the WBA's super featherweight (130 pounds) title in February of 2006, and defended that crown five times before rising into the lightweight division.

Garcia was the 18th straight first-round knockout, making Valero 18-0. Valero earned his present title with a second-round knockout of Antonio Pitalua, whom he floored three times during their bout in April.

If Valero takes care of business on Saturday, a world of possibilities could open up for one of the sport's premiere knockout artists.

Those opportunities include, perhaps, an appearance on the undercard of the upcoming Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather welterweight (147 pounds) fight on March 13.

"That's one of the things that I would consider him for -- a spot on the Pacquiao-Mayweahter card," said Arum. "There are a lot of guys that Edwin Valero could fight. I mean, he could fight anybody."

But Valero has yet another potential issue stemming from brain surgery he received as the result of a motorcycle accident in 2001.

A subsequent MRI by the New York State Athletic Commission revealed an epidural hematoma -- a blood clot on the surface of Valero's brain.

Although the surgery successfully removed Valero's clot, and he was cleared to continue fighting, the NYAC placed Valero on indefinite medical suspension in 2004.

Most athletic associations upheld New York's decision, which limited his ability to fight in America.

So following a first-round knockout of Tomas Zambrano in Irvine, Calif., in December of 2003, Valero spent nearly the next six years racking up 14 consecutive KOs around the globe.

Argentina. Panama. Venezuela. Japan. France. Mexico.

Valero's first fight back in America was against Pitalua at at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas -- the only United States jurisdiction which would license him to compete at the time.

But Arum believes that he has a chance to fight in Las Vegas, pending an evaluation by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

"Edwin would be evaluated in Nevada the same way any fighter would prior to this because of the crash and the bleeding in the brain. He was disqualified, but now, he comes in without that disqualification," said Arum.

"And assuming he passes the brain test," said Arum. "Then he would be licensed to fight based on his results, which were evaluated in Texas. That should be no problem."