By Chris Williams: World Boxing Council lightweight champion Edwin Valero (27-0, 27 KO’s) looked superb on Saturday night taking out WBC lightweight interim champion Antonio DeMarco (23-1-1, 17 KO’s) just after the 9th round had ended. A battered and tired DeMarco, 24, retired on his stool after the 9th round had ended. After the fight, Valero, speaking of WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao, said “That’s the fight the world wants to see.”

However, Valero’s promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, isn’t looking to put Valero in with Pacquiao just yet. Arum wants to get Valero licensed to fight in Nevada, and bring him over there for a fight against WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley at 140. In an article at Boxing Fanhouse, Arum said “I think that he [Valero] looked great, but he had a lot of trouble making the weight and he wants to go up to 140. We’re going to look to see if we can make him and a Timothy Bradley fight.”

I think Arum is making a mistake if he matches Valero against a fighter like Bradley in his first fight at light welterweight. Bradley is considered to be the best fighter at light welterweight, and he would probably be more than a handful for even Pacquiao to beat. Valero should be tested against a good light welterweight for his first fight, but not necessarily against Bradley, the best fighter in the division.

If Arum puts Valero in with Bradley, that would be a very risky fight for Valero to take. It’s one thing beating a young fighter like DeMarco, who was throwing little punches back at Valero all night long, and quite another thing beating a top guy like Bradley. Arum seems willing to risk Valero getting beaten by Bradley.

I could understand that move if Valero had just beaten a good light welterweight, instead of lightweight DeMarco. Arum didn’t do this with Pacquiao. When he moved Pacquiao up, he chose an old Oscar De La Hoya to put him in with. After that, he selected Ricky Hatton, who didn’t look at all good in his two prior fights against Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Juan Lazcano. Even when Pacquiao was moved up to lightweight, he took on David Diaz, a good fighter, but not considered to be the best fighter in the division. So why throw Valero in with Bradley, the best fighter in the light welterweight division for his first fight.

It’s a risky fight and one that won’t be giving Valero a huge payday. If they want to take risks with Valero, they need to set him up with Pacquiao. At least if Valero loses the fight, he’ll get a huge payday. Valero looked strong on Saturday night against DeMarco, but he had an opponent that wasn’t mixing it up with him.

I don’t know how good Valero would look against a fighter like Bradley, who is a lot faster than Valero. I could see that fight ending up being a nightmare for Valero. I think he could give Bradley some problems with his power, but I don’t think Valero has the hand speed or the size to beat a fighter like Bradley. If Arum wants to throw Valero in with him, more power to him, but I think it’s the wrong move to make.