by James Slater – It looked too good to be true! Pure punchers Edwin Valero and Bredis Prescott – the pair of them being the most lethal-looking bangers in the lightweight division – were reportedly set to square off in a most intriguing fight that would contest the WBC 135-pound title held by Valero, but now the fight looks doubtful..
According to two sources – Fightnews.com and Boxing News magazine – the fight has a depressingly good chance of not happening, either on the originally planned July 25th date or at any other time. Firstly, a few days ago, it was reported in the British magazine that the fight was in jeopardy because U.K promoter Frank Warren, who has options on Colombia’s Prescott, had not been approached by or dealt with by Bob Arum or Top Rank and, quote, “unless they deal with us it’s not happening.”
Secondly, as has been reported today on FightNews, WBC lightweight king Valero said he knows nothing about a planned fight against Prescott. Apparently, no-one from Top Rank has discussed the Prescott fight with Valero, either. The first the big-punching Venezuelan heard about the fight was when a member of his camp read about it on the internet.
“I only want to fight big names for big money,” Valero said to FightNews. “A fight with [Juan Manuel] Marquez for all the titles would have been a big money fight but the fight is no longer possible. Prescott is not a big name and a fight with Prescott is not a big money fight.”
The 25-0(25) southpaw went on to say he would fight anybody, “if the money was right.”
It’s not yet clear whether or not Valero will actually still be fighting on July 25th, or against whom. As for Prescott, it appears he has legal obligations to Frank Warren that have to be dealt with before he can fight again (according to Warren in Boxing News, Prescott’s last fight, a DQ win over Humberto Toledo, “slipped under the radar and the lawyers are now working on it.”)
This is indeed a shame. Once again, boxing politics appear to have robbed us of a potentially explosive and thrilling fight. Valero seems to be in a better position than does the man who has thus far failed to build on the sensational one-round win he scored over Amir Khan last September. Valero, due to his bigger name and his world title, will be surely be able to land big fights down the road. But will Prescott?
In any case, the lightweight clash that would have seen two fighters with a combined 43 KO’s meeting in ring centre seems to be one we fans can now cross off the calendar. Damn!