Former WBC lightweight champion “El Terminator” Edwin Valero committed suicide in his Venezuelan prison cell early Monday morning, a day after he was accused of murdering his wife.
Venezuelan authorities revealed that Valero (27-0, 27 KOs) admitted that he killed his wife, Jennifer Viera, in a hotel in Valencia and he was arrested on Sunday.
Venezuelan Federal Police Chief Wilmer Flores told reporters that “El Terminator” used his clothes to hang himself to death at a police lockup in North Central Carabobo State.
“A classic case of addition by subtraction,” said Quincy resident Mike Cardello, 29. “Valero is subhuman.”
After Valero defeated Mexico’s Antonio DeMarco (23-2-1, 17 KOs) by a ninth round TKO in February in Monterrey, his name was mentioned as a potential future opponent for Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs).
“Manny Pacquiao is the fight the world wants to see,” said Valero, who had once established a world record by winning his first 18 professional fights by opening round knockout.
Pacquiao is an all-time great and Valero would have justifiably been a decided underdog in a matchup versus the “Fighting Pride of the Philippines.”
Still, Valero’s overall abilities in the ring were fearsomely impressive.
Actually, Valero’s ferocious and aggressive nature in the ring were somewhat reminiscent of Boxing Hall of Famer Roberto “Hands of Stone” Duran (103-16, 70 KOs).
Clearly, Valero had much that he needed to accomplish before he ever could have been genuinely compared to a legend like Duran and, frankly, it’s ridiculous to even compare the two at this juncture.
Valero badly needed to improve his jabbing capabilities and it was going to be essential that he learned to become a more disciplined prizefighter.
“El Terminator” had a dangerous propensity to keep his chin elevated and his rambunctious, brawling approach would have left him extremely vulnerable against quality opponents.
Nevertheless, if Valero had ever afforded himself the opportunity to face Pacquiao, the native of Venezuela would have had the very definition of “a puncher’s chance” to trump the Filipino superstar.
“Valero hit so hard, he absolutely could have beaten Pacquiao on any given night,” said promoter Rich Cappiello from Brockton. “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 legacy as an iconic prizefighter is already cemented.
Edwin Valero was a great boxing talent who, with the proper mindset, could have become one of the preeminent pound-for-pound pugilists in the sport.
Instead, Valero will now always be pathetically recalled as a wife-beater who eventually descended into a cold-blooded killer.
Manny Pacquiao is a winner both inside and outside of the squared circle.
Conversely, Valero was a force in the ring who died as an absolutely disgusting loser outside of it.
Keywords: boxing, edwin valero, manny pacquiao
