Could Roach make Valero better?
February 8th, 2010
By Jason Kim: WBC lightweight champion Edwin Valero (27-0, 27 KO’s) looked much improved in taking out Antonio DeMarco last Saturday night compared to his performance in December against Hector Velazquez. Most notably, Valero looked good on defense and was hit a lot less than he had in his last fight. But one has to wonder whether having a trainer like Freddie Roach would be able to make Valero even better. It’s hard to get better than 27-0, to be sure, but then again, Valero hasn’t faced any true elite fighters at this point in his career.
DeMarco didn’t really capitalize on it because he was too busy taking shots all night long, but he was able to catch Valero with an occasional hook and jab, resulting in Valero’s head snapping back violently. Against a better opponent than DeMarco, like Juan Manuel Marquez, this could have been a problem. I think Roach could really help Valero with this.
I also noticed that Valero doesn’t throw a lot of jabs and doesn’t aim many of his punches to the body. He’s a pure head hunter and needs to set up some of his power shots better by throwing more jabs. You know what Valero is going to do at all times, because he’s just tossing one bomb after another and looking for a knockout. I also wonder about Valero’s stamina. He looked gassed as early as the 3rd round against DeMarco.
It wasn’t as if DeMarco was forcing him to fight hard by pressing him. Valero was setting the pace and initiating most of the action in the fight, yet he looked really tired early in the fight and had his mouth wide open trying to get air as he fought. Roach, and his conditioning coach, could really help Valero with his stamina.
I don’t know if Roach would want to train Valero or not, but I think it would be interesting to see if Roach could help him. One problem that I think could get in the way of Roach training Valero is that he doesn’t have a good command of the English language. Roach, as far as I know, doesn’t speak Spanish, and there would have to be an interpreter there to communicate what is being said by Roach to Valero and vice versa.
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How about Valero vs Maidana at 140. Now that’s a fight of the year.
yes a hell off alot better
Why is there no talks about pitting Valero against Juan Manuel Marquez?
Right now, I believe the next bout of Edwin Valero should be against Juan Manuel Marquez. This will give Valero a lot of credibility should he beat Marquez.
The idea that Roach will be Valero’s trainer is very good. Though it is very doable, I really think it will create some headaches for Roach in the future. If there is a great demand that Paquiao and Valero will be matched up in the future, who will Roach side with? For me it is better to leave things as they are for now. Let Valero fights Pacquiao first then whatever happens, Roach could take Valero under his wings afterward.
Has Roach taken Manny to the top or is he just along for the ride?? Who else has he taken to the top??? James Toney, but Toney was a natural boxer and Roach never really made him any better. Toney could have been an all time great if he would have ever taking boxing seriously.
Roach worked with Tyson, but I don’t think he was his #1 man in the corner. Roach was the trainer of one of the most naturally gifted fighters ever in James Toney. In a recent interview, Roach said Pacquiao wasn’t the best boxer he’s ever trained and when asked who was, he mentioned Toney and said he worked with Tyson. Roach is a good trainer and a good trainer can make any young raw talent better. Personally though, I see Nazim Richardson as the best cornerman around. The strategies he’s developed for Hopkins and Mosley have been masterful. And right now Roach is working with numerous fighters, and I think his stable is a little too big as it is. I’d want a trainer that could focus on me more and not worry about his other fighters everyday.
Noones mentioning Floyd SR…………….lol
@ mike
you might forget that roach has been the trainer of mike tyson before… he was even known before he trained pacman…
roach is not over rated i think he will go down as the best boxing trainer ever especially if you consider his age and health for years he has acheived more then any other coach. i dont think he would take on valero cause of manny . im not sure but i would be suprised if they even wanted to spar each other because of the hype around both of them
Freddie Roach is a good trainer but people are elevating him WAY too high! There are many great coaches who are far more knowlegable than roach who’s reputation rides mainly on Manny and Manny’s successes!Who else has roached led to the pinacle of the sport?Look at trainers like Eddie Fudge,Cus Damotto,(not sure how to spell)who turned out dozens of outstanding fighters each! Roach is riding high off of Manny’s success and deservingly so but when I hear people talk like roach is the King I have to shake my head.
Very true Ben the foundation starts from the trainer who trains the fighter from the time he’s a kid. Than fighters like Roach do some shoe polishing and take the credit. It’s very difficult at time to train someone from nothing to something. I have trained my nephew from nothing to something. To bad he’s hurt right now or he would be a force for 2012 olympics. He can be viewd on you tube Hector Luna
THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF ROACH COULD HELP HIM OUT , VALERO IS EXCITING TO WATCH BUT HE NEEDS MUCH IMPROVEMENT!
I never used to think Valero had any boxing skills or savy and was just too powerful against boxers of a similar level.
But the guys improving and Roach is widly recognised as one of if not THE best coach out there, if Valero is up for learning more then somebody like Roach couldnt fail to improve him.
I doesnt matter if they were not elite as long as they where good boxers and all where KO.
Plus the guy cant fight in the US.
YUP VALERO NEEDS MORE HARNESSING,BUT YOU CANT DENY HIS TALENT,ROACH WOULD BE A GOOD HELP FOR HIM!
@ BOXER YOUR AN IDIOT..ACCUSING SOMEONE OF TAKING STEROIDS WITH OUT PROOF AND HIDING BEHIND A NICK..BE A MAN IF YOU ACCUSED SOMEONE LIKE THAT PUT YOUR NAME ON..
Freddie Roach does improve fighters dramatically, He dissects the opposition and always finds a way to capitalize on their weaknesses, even when others have not been able to find them.
Then it is just a case of fine tuning a fight plan that will destroy or slowly break down the opposition.
It is not a case of improving all boxing skills of his fighters, just working on the areas that are needed to get them over the line.
Valero is almost 29 years old. I don’t think Roach can drastically improve his boxing at this point in his career.
If valero has the desire to improve his overall skills, then he will get better over time with any decent trainer.
Freddie roach is not god. Hes a decent trainer whos has a reputation that attracts naturally talented fighters. He is bound to get lucky with some of them.