Edwin Valero Retires Antonio DeMarco After Nine Rounds: Live Round-by-Round Updates

FanHouse has a live, round-by-round update of Edwin Valero scoring his 27th knockout in as man victories without a loss over Antonio DeMarco when DeMarco failed to come out for the 10th round, resulting in Valero's second defense of his WBC lightweight (135 pounds) title on Saturday night in a bout televised on Showtime from Arena Monterrey in Monterrey, Mex..

Valero improved to 27-0, and DeMarco dropped to 23-2-1, with 17 KOs, ending his 12-fight winning streak and his run of 15-0-1.

Their main event clash of southpaws will start at around 10 p.m. ET.

The live blog begins below.

Valero (26-0, 26 KOs) vs. DeMarco (23-1-1, 17 KOs) live blog: Refresh this page often for minute-by-minute updates.

DeMarco enters the ring to the tunes of a band featuring seven horned instruments and accompanied by a singer. DeMarco is wearing a black velvet robe trimmed in red whose red letters on the back spell out his name. The native Mexican is cheered by the partisan fans in Monterrey.

Valero enters the ring wearing a red and yellow robe, and is slightly booed as he does.

The bout is being conducted using an open scoring system, which reveals and announces the overall score of the fight following rounds No. 4, and, No. 8.

Round 1: DeMarco kneels and prays in his corner before coming out. At ring center, DeMarco backs off and circles and Valero pursues. DeMarco lands first with a hard left, and works behind his jab. Valero lands a short right hand. Another right lands to DeMarco's body. Valero's right cheekbone exhibits blood. Another Valero right is delivered to the body. DeMarco's jab reaches. Valero lands two, hard lefts that shake DeMarco. Valero's round, 10-9


Round 2: In the second, DeMarco continues to circle, but he takes a hard, overhand left. Another short left and a decent combination by Valero are countered by a jab. Valero takes a right-left combination, and then, steps back -- but apparently, the left elbow of DeMarco sliced open the forehead of Valero. There is a gaping gash spilling blood from out of Valero's right forehead that is ruled to have resulted from an accidental elbow from DeMarco by referee Laurence Cole. As the fight resumes, however, Valero is undeterred and continues to attack. Valero's mouthpiece comes out as the result of his throwing a left-right combination, and the fighters exchange before the bell. Valero's round, 10-9.


Round 3: Valero is bleeding from the nose, a sign that DeMarco's jab has been effective. But Valero remains the busier fighter, throwing a big left hand, and a double-left hook. DeMarco appears patient and lands his left behind his right jab. Another Valero overhand left reaches its mark, but DeMarco remains focused on sticking the jab home. DeMarco takes another overhand left, but appears unfazed. Valero jabs twice to the body. Valero's round, 10-9.


Round 4: Valero drives home two hard left hands, but takes a stiff jab from DeMarco. Another hard left reaches the mark for DeMarco, but he has to absorb a counter-left. Two hard left hands and a right hand along the ropes buckle DeMarco. Valero jabs his way in and fires the left hand again. A right jab pops back DeMarco's head. DeMarco steps in with an overhand left, but backs off as Valero drives home two more lefts. DeMarco does not appear hurt, and lands a hard left before the bell. Valero's round, 10-9.


Round 5: All three judges have Valero ahead so far, and FanHouse has given Valero every round. Valero's mouth is agape even as he continues to come forward. DeMarco begins to stand his ground and exchange at ring-center. But Valero continues to be busier. Two chopping lefts from Valero and a right reach their mark. DeMarco moves forward behind his jab, but takes a chopping left hand and a right to the head as well as a right to the body. Valero steps back for the first time, but continues to throw the more frequent combinations. DeMarco takes a hard, overhand left at the bell. Valero's round, 10-9.


Round 6: Valero jabs his way in, then misses with two long left hands. The fighters exchange left hands, and then, DeMarco lands a second, followup left. Another left hand lands, and another, and another -- all by Valero. Valero jabs to the body and lands a left to the head but then takes a left form DeMarco. Valero circles and comes in with two lefts, but takes a hard, right hook from DeMarco that gets his attention as the challenger comes forward. DeMarco, however, still is not letting his hands go and is being outworked over the last few moments of the round. Valero's round, 10-9.


Round 7: It is starting to appear that DeMarco's best attempts may have been beaten back in the sixth round, as he retreats to the ropes and allows Valero to hammer away unhindered. DeMarco lands a right hook, but then, takes a succession of hard lefts and rights that back him off. Two more hard long left hands from Velaro are followed by still another left. Valero fires an eight-punch combination, circles, and pot-shots as DeMarco plods and follows to close the round. Valero's round, 10-9.


Round 8: Valero has overcome, so far, the adversity of the bleeding from beneath his right eye and the right side of his forehead as well as the blood from his nose. Valero continues to box, and as DeMarco presses forward, he walks into a left hand that stuns him. Two more overhand lefts club DeMarco, who misses with long lefts and rights and takes the same from Valero. Three more hard lefts land by Valero, even as DeMarco lands a hard right hook. A left-right-left combination reaches the mark for Valero, as do two more overhand lefts. Eight punches by Valero go unanswered before DeMarco lands a nice, right hook just before the bell. Valero's round, 10-9.


Round 9: DeMarco trails 79-72 on all three judges' cards, and 80-72, on FanHouse's card. The round is going much the same as the previous eight, but it appears the DeMarco may be fading. Valero presses forward landing at will, but not recklessly. DeMarco starts to fire back with about a minute left. A four-punch combination and then a three puncher reach the mark for Valero. A monster left hand lands for Valero with about 12 seconds left. Valero's round, 10-9.

Fight's over as DeMarco retires on his stool. Valero earns his 27th knockout in 27 victories without a loss. Judges Marty Denkin, Steve Morrow and Oren Shellenberger all have it 89-81 for Valero.

FanHouse had it for Valero, 90-81.





Luis Carlos Abregu, Salta, Salta, Argentina (29-0, 23 KOs) by unanimous decision over Richard Gutierrez, Miami (24-4-1, 14 KOs), welterweights (147 pounds), 10 rounds.

After winning the first round, Abregu is floored on a delayed reaction from a second-round left hook. Abregu rises on wobbly legs and comes on for the round's remainder.

In the third round, Abregu returns the favor, dropping Gutierrez with a nine-punch combination that begins with a chopping, overhand right and ends with a right-left that floors his rival. Abregu is not able to finish off Gutierrez, however, as we enter the fourth, where Abregu wobbles Gutierrez, yet again, with an overhand right with about 13 seconds left.

FanHouse has Abregu ahead, 38-36, entering the fifth, where he closes strongly, yet again. Abregu hurts Gutierrez with two, looping, overhand rights in the final 10 seconds that negate a good, overall round by Gutierrez. Abregu takes round six by generally being busier, even as he appears to be fading, and Gutierrez's jab is steady and effective.

The effect of Gutierrez's jab is apparent from Abregu's bleeding left eye, which takes a hard, right hand in a seventh round that is eked out by Gutierrez. Gutierrez, nevertheless, trails on FanHouse's card, 67-64, entering the eighth.

Although occasionally pawing at the blood leaking from his left eye, Abregu outworks Gutierrez from the outside, punching and grabbing his rival throughout the eighth. Gutierrez, who is cut over a left eye that is swollen underneath, is told by his corner, "You're losing." FanHouse has Abregu ahead, 76-74.

FanHouse has it 86-83, for Abregu after he wins the ninth. Abregu largely maintains his distance throughout the 10th, which he wins by pot-shotting and being busier with combinations.

Abregu won, 98-90 on the card of Ernesto Saldivar, and 97-91 on those of Javier Camacho and Omar Mintun.

FanHouse has it for Abregu, 96-92.