By Sean McDaniel: On February 6th, World Boxing Council lightweight champion Edwin Valero (26-0, 26 KO’s) will be putting his perfect knockout record on the line against WBC interim champion Antonio DeMarco (23-1-1, 17 KO’s) in a 12 round title bout at the Arena Monterrey, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. Valero, 28, will be giving up three inches in height and reach to the 5’10” DeMarco. However, what he gives up in size and reach, Valero will more than make up in the power department.

Valero is the much more powerful puncher of the two, and has the better chin to boot. DeMarco, 24, is taking a huge step up in competition when he steps foot in the ring against the power hitting Valero, and it’s hard to see how DeMarco is going to be able to escape this fight without becoming the 27th knockout victim of Valero.

In most of DeMarco’s fights, he’s been matched fairly soft against fighters that he could look good against. DeMarco, a slugger basically, struggled when he was put in with Anthony Vasquez, losing a six round decision in a fight in which DeMarco was clubbed repeatedly to the head and hurt by Vazquez.

DeMarco also fought a six round draw against Curtis Meeks in October 2006. Some people think that DeMarco has improved since then, as he’s beaten his last 12 round opponents, including the likes of contenders Almazbek Raiymkulo and Jose Alfaro. However, there’s huge difference between those fighters and Valero, and on February 6th, DeMarco is going to find that out. Valero is a seek and destroy fighter.

And while he doesn’t have the best of boxing skills or hand speed, Valero’s power is for real and his high pressure offense makes him very hard to beat. Valero not only hits hard, but he sets a really fast pace and doesn’t give his opponents any breathing room to escape from his heavy shots.

In his last three fights, Valero has mowed down Takehiro Shimada, Antonio Pitalua and Hector Velazquez, with none of them making it beyond the 7th round. Valero’s power doesn’t seem like much when you watch him fight, but it’s a different matter for his opponents. Valero for the most part bludgeons his opponents into submission fight after fight with his big clubbing shots.

Any strategy to counter act Valero’s power immediately goes out the window as soon as the fight starts because of Valero’s heavy pressure and big shots. I see the same thing happening in the DeMarco fight. Actually this is going to be an easy fight for Valero, because DeMarco will be coming right at Valero and will make it easy for him. DeMarco doesn’t use his height very well by jabbing.

DeMarco prefers to throw bombs at his opponents, and he’s been very effective against the opposition that has been served up to him thus far. However, Valero is going to be a while different story and DeMarco is going to realize that as soon as the bombs start flying from Valero in the 1st round.

If DeMarco is smart enough to move and box, I think he might last seven rounds or a little more. But I doubt he’ll do that. I DeMarco will come out slugging and will quickly run into some big shots from Valero and end up getting taken out in the first four rounds of the fight. Valero is just too strong for the skinny 5’10” DeMarco.