I’m not trying to suggest that I think DeMarco will be a test for Valero. I think he’s pretty much in line with the people Valero has already fought and, all due respect to the couple of die-hard DeMarco fans who’ve posted on the thread, I think this is going to be another relatively easy pancake(to mix sports metaphors… for anyone who doesn’t follow gridiron football, and any non-Americans reading, a pancake is when an offensive player puts a defender on his ass)for Valero. DeMarco may surprise us, but I don’t think so.

What I /was/ saying is that world-class 130 lber and lightweight contenders may be very dangerous for Valero indeed. I don’t think DeMarco is on that level yet, and Valero should continue to knock out anyone who isn’t a top-ten world class fighter. I’m just not ready to jump on his bandwagon until he does the same thing he’s been doing to tomato cans and top-twenty/top-thirty types to a top-ten/top-twelve level guy.

I agree, Ted, all things being equal.

Things are not equal, though, because of the potential to aggravate an existing brain injury inherent in a natural 122 lber being whacked by a natural lightweight who can hit.

Katsidis-Valero could be the greatest fight ever.

It also runs a frightening risk of being the next go-round of Griffith-Paret or Mancini-Kim. I fully support Valero’s right to take the risks he chooses, but I think it important that fight fans and boxing writers remember to factor those risks into their perspective on Valero. Especially as he has stepped up in weight.

It’s also important to remember that, for a two-division titlist, he’s tremendously protected. Katsidis would be the best opponent he’s ever faced. Considering that Katsidis is a flawed bar-room brawler who has made it to the top ten on sheer toughness, this raises interesting questions about Valero.

I disagree with the guy who said DeMarco will beat Valero, I think that’s very unlikely. Yet, until he proves otherwise, Valero is another potential alphabet-star/world-class-bust.