Valero (27-0, 27 KOs) acknowledged killing his wife Jennifer Viera in a hotel on Saturday, April 18, 2010, according to Venezuelan officials. The next morning, he was arrested.
“El Terminator” used his clothes to hang himself at a police lockup in North Central Carabobo State, according to Federal Police Chief Wilmer Flores of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. He was formally proclaimed on April 19. He was 28 years old at the time.
Valero’s name was touted as a potential future opponent for Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao after he pounded Mexico’s Antonio DeMarco (23-2-1, 17 KOs) to win a ninth-round TKO in February in Monterrey.
“Manny Pacquiao is the fight the world wants to see,” Valero said. Pacquiao is the only fighter in the WBC’s 30-year history to win every match via knockout.
Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs) has agreed to face “Sugar” Shane Mosley, a former three-division champion, on May 7 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.
Mosley (46-6-1-1, 39 KOs) was chosen as Pacquiao’s opponent over more qualified boxers like lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (52-5-1, 38 KOs) and welterweight champion Andre Berto purely on the basis of his name recognition (27-0, 21 KOs).
“Styles make fights,”said Roger “Pit” Perron, 73, a former Brockton trainer who now works at Cappiello Brothers Boxing and Training with Mike and Rich Cappiello. “Mosley has quick hands, he will press the fight, and he is a legit welterweight who has fought real champions. But, he’s no Pacquiao.”
If Valero wasn’t a psychotic and suicidal psychopath, there’s a good chance he’d be fighting Pacquiao next month instead of Mosley.
If Valero had ever faced the “Fighting Pride of the Philippines,” Pacquiao is an all-time great, and the comparatively inexperienced Valero would have been a clear underdog.
Valero, a southpaw who set a world record by winning his first 18 professional fights by knockout in the first round, had a scary ring presence and outstanding overall prizefighting talents.
Valero’s frenzied, violent, and combative personality in the ring was eerily similar to that of boxing legend Roberto “Hands of Stone” Duran (103-16, 70 KOs).
Valero never achieved enough as a boxer before his death to be compared to a legend like Duran.
The Venezuelan street thug, who had an amateur record of 86-6 with 57 knockouts, was an extremely capable fighter who would have needed a lot of time to develop into a great fighter.
Valero’s jabbing skills were in desperate need of improvement, and he needed to learn to become a more disciplined prizefighter.
“El Terminator’s” dangerous tendency to keep his chin raised, as well as his rowdy, brawling approach, would have left him susceptible against an absolute ring tactician like Pacquiao, would have left him exposed.
Even yet, Valero would have had a “puncher’s chance” to knock the Filipino superstar onto Queer Street in a fight if he hadn’t self-destructed.
“Valero hit so hard, he absolutely could have beaten Pacquiao on any given night,” claimed Brockton promoter Rich Cappiello. “Valero was not considered great because he never fought the best fighter’s out there. If he was ever given a shot, he possibly could have proven his greatness.”
Pacquiao’s reputation as a legendary prizefighter has already been sealed.
Edwin Valero was a boxing prodigy who, if he had remained sane, may have gone on to become one of the sport’s best pound-for-pound fighters.
Valero, on the other hand, will forever be remembered as a wife-beater who eventually evolved into a cold-blooded killer.
Manny Pacquiao has triumphed both inside and outside of the ring.
Valero, on the other hand, was a dominant force in the ring who died a despicable loser outside of it.
Edwin Valero has the potential to be a tough opponent for Manny Pacquiao later this spring.
Unfortunately, fight fans will never know.
Two individuals have died as a result of a volatile evildoer, many lives have been forever changed, and there will always be questions rather than answers.
