March 24, 2006
KOBE, JAPAN-WBA#4 ranked sensational 130-pound hard-puncher Edwin ”El Inca” Valero (18-0, all 18 first round knockouts), Venezuela, is highly expected to register his nineteenth KO win within the first three minutes of his competition against durable Mexican Genaro Trasancos (21-7-1, 12 KOs) tomorrow beneath the WBC bantam title bout between Hasegawa and Veeraphol in Kobe, Japan. Valero, 24, lately polished off world-rated Panamanian Whyber Garcia in the opening canto to acquire the WBA Fedelatin super-feather belt in Venezuela this February. It was also an eliminator to decide the next mandatory challenger against WBA ruler Vicente Mosquera. For Valero, a hard-hitting southpaw, his fight against Trasancos will be a tune-up go prior to his shot at the WBA throne, which will materialize within months.
Akihiko Honda, his hander and influential promoter, wishes to see Valero establish a new record surpassing the current history of One Round Hogan’s 18 consecutive KO wins (according to highly respected statistician Hebert G. Goldman). Valero, however, hopes to fight long in preparation for his forthcoming world title shot. Such a dilemma will be cleared tomorrow evening when Valero squares off against the game and more experienced Mexian Trasancos (who had lasted seven rounds against Jose Miguel Cotto until he suffered a TKO defeat in March of the previous year). Japanese aficionados are hotly looking forward to seeing Valero dispatch his foe within the first three minutes, as he did against Hero Bando in Yokohama last September.
Should Valero dispatch Trasancos in the opening session and should he capture the WBA belt also on a first round demolition, he will be much more sensational in the fistic world with 20-0, 20 first round KOs. Valero isn’t a flat-footed power-puncher, but a fleet-footed finisher whose southpaw left and right hook will collect another KO victim. Problem is whether he will do so in the first round again or not. We’ll see it tomorrow.
(3-24-06)