Top Rank head honcho Bob Arum said the suicide by hanging in a Venezuelan jail cell was "the first sensible thing" that undefeated world lightweight champion boxer Edwin "El Inca" Valero had done lately.
Arum, 78 and obviously worldly wise through a career first as a United States attorney and then four decades as one of boxing's leading fightmakers, was not being insensitive in his remarks to me Monday. He was just being realistic.
"There's no need, no reason to play the blame game here. There were a lot of people, including his boxing manager (Jose Castillo) and Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, who tried to help this troubled guy out. I'm sure that Chavez and the government will help those two children (ages five and seven) who are left behind and now with a murdered mother and a father who killed her and then took his own life.
"I was shocked, really shocked, when he murdered the wife. But I was not shocked to hear this morning that he killed himself.
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A sensational brawl that will never happen: Manny Pacquiao vs. Edwin Valero (Pacland)
"I really figured it would end this way, starting from when he came down (from drugs and/or alchohol) and he realized what he had done to the wife.
"So am I shocked that he then killed himself? No I am not, because I believed he then realized he could either kill himself or spend the rest of his life in a prison cell," Arum said.
Arum, who took on Valero for just two bouts under the Top Rank banner, said that Japanese promoter Akihiko Honda had warned company president and Arum stepson Todd duBoef that Valero had serious issues while living in Tokyo.
"Todd was told by Honda that Valero had some real problems, drugs and alcohol problems, real substance abuse problems. The manager is a nice guy, a feeling guy, and he tried to do everything he could do for this kid.
"What can you say now but rest in peace? Valero's smartest move, the only move he had left, was to take his own life. It is a tragic thing any way you want to look at it," Arum said. "He wanted to avoid spending the rest of his life in jail and this was his only way to avoid it.
Arum said Valero's gaudy 27-0, all-by-KO record and his boxing potential is all "immaterial' now. But he did pause to reflect on what might have been in the ring had Valero's personal demons away from the ring not ended his wife's life and then his own.
It was clear that Arum fully intended to match southpaw slugger Valero against lefthanded puncher and Top Rank's chief client, Manny Pacquiao.
"I would have had him fight two more times, moving up to 140 pounds," Arum said. "He and Manny would have been a great fight, two so energetic and charismatic punchers colliding.
"I just think that this fight would have been a tremendous fight but now it does not matter.
"So be it, rest in peace."
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Comments
So why was he not on suicide watch, considering Arum had a crystal ball?
@Jerry Hoffman
Because Bob Arum is a boxing promoter and not the Governor of the Venezuelan prison where Valero was being held.
Why Edwin? You could have been a worthy opponent against Pacquiao.
I wish it should have been pussy boy who committed suicide in the cell!
i hope mayweather will do the same thing to keep his "0" record lolz...
R.I.P. Edwin... in my mind, you are still smarter than Floyd.
Valero is indeed a knockout artist, knocking out his career then his wife and finally his life. RIP Edwin!
i am so cant believe.. a very exciting fighter who everyone is willing to pay money just to watch just ended his life after killing his wife. i am very sad. these is tragic. i wish this never happened... these guy could have save the boring image of boxing.
bob is unbelievable sometimes.
Damn. This sux...Valero would'ev made it big time if what happen didn't happen. Only in boxing will u c a record of 27 wins with 27 knockouts! A movie should b made for his life in and out the boxing ring! Rest in peace
I WISH HE IS STILL ALIVE, HE ALSO BRING FUN TO THE BOXING LOVER, WHY NOBODY WAS ABLE TO CONTROL HIS BEHAVIOR, WHERE ARE THOSE GUYS THAT SURROUND HIM DURING HIS FIGHT? HOW THEY COULD NOT HELP HIM W/ HIS FAMILY PROBLEM?
Why Edwin? You could have been a worthy opponent against Pacquiao.
I wish it should have been pussy boy who committed suicide in the cell!
I never gave a ____ for Pacquiao vs Valero & never understood why anyone wanted to see it. Valero would have been over-matched he wouldn't have stood a chance, call it a death sentence death sentance if he were to step in the ring with Pacquiao.
I'm glad he offed himself now the world can forget his name quicker.
RIP Jennifer. Glad your dead Edwin!
As a fan who expect surely for a fight between manny and edwin it was very sad week for me but hearing a real life situation of edwin valero.."The color of this world is not all white there is a lot of color"..May you have find peaceful life with your wife on the other side..Thank you for the 27fights..May you rest in peace to both of you...
rest in peace, edwin. you got so tired living in a world you could never please.
If they say that valero is a drug addict how did he pass all the drug tests in his fights?
Chavez government zucks. They could have done something about it. How is this guy able to get an endless supply of drugs for so long? And even after assaulting family members multiple times he still gets away with it.
@realistic. are you sad that valero killed himself after killing his wife?
edwin deserve to die..RIP jennifer.
@realism i mean..hehe
is there a chance that the soul of a suicide person that valero did can enter in heaven? this is the big lesson for everyone inspite of fame.im sad for their children, i hope their government help those child
F@#k Edwin Valero!!!! Good Riddance to another piece of sh!t in this world! Drugs or alcohol are no excuse!!! He had all the potential to clean himself up and straighten his life out. Did he?!!! No!!! Screw him for taking a beautiful life away and orphaning his children. May he NOT rest in peace!!!
Angel dust, crack, coke, methamphetamine, these are drugs that make cowards get the balls to commit crimes by flooding the brain with sympathetic amines! Alcohol in small amounts makes you behave that way as well but in large amounts will just cause one to slur and stagger. This wasn't "just" alcohol!
shame on you ! floyd is just like yuou
I knew it will happen. Valero crossed the line and went out of control. Death by hanging? Speaking of the devil. Valero's life was over the day he murdered his wife. Poor kids.
people, please.....let's keep these insults on the late edwin valero to a minimum. he already paid for his sins by taking his own life. is that not enough? this incident is not unusual. this happens everyday in the world. it just happened that he is a star. so give the man some peace. he's given his due.
"Who is that man over there? I don't know him. What is he doing? Is he a conspirator? Have you searched him? Give him till tomorrow to confess, then hang him! - hang him!
Oscar Wilde
1856-1900 British Author
Why didn't his heavy drug use show up in urine tests?
he's now in hell now, receiving more sufferings than here on earth..he will never rest in peace in hell...so sad that his two kids are too young to left alone in this cruel world...
=(
To be normal, to drink Coca-Cola and eat Kentucky Fried Chicken is to be in a conspiracy against yourself.
Jerry Fletcher
no matter how you help this guy out, nothing will help. he escapes rehabilitation. you cannot pressure valero from doing something especially in this mental state of his. so why would arum give himself too much trouble on a problem guy. he's just his promoter and not his father, he's not even Hugo.
#1Valerofan and felcon: You guys are probably gonna celebrate Hitlers b-day tomorrow huh....I mean after all, he too is a murderer but he paid his dues right?!!! Idiots. May Valero ROT!!!
to valero... may he R.I.P.
the saddest man in this event is floyd coz now there's less people in the runs for the manny pacquiao sweepstakes...
I think there should be a good article explaining why Valero was able to fight while being a dependent drug user.
Drug testing might not be so strict in Japan, Mexico, or Venezuela, but he fought once in Texas during 2009, was he a drug user at that time? Bob Arum needs to explain this man. While Valeros lost is a sad news to boxing, it is also a bad news for the sport.
rest in peace edwin valero.....
this was tragic story in the life of Edwin Valero in boxing history. Perfect KO record 27-0. String of events that led to murder and suicide. Conspiracy theories in some media prints surfaced. Valero's mother blamed the Venezuelan gov't. system for failure to rehabilitate her son. According to her "Valero was very ill and need treatment." And in some cases, his national hero status and political backing helped him to get out jail time and rehab center. "Perfect KO record in mishandled life." R.I.P Jennifer and Valero.
hope that their government help those 2 kids that valero left behind not only with basic needs but also education. anyway valero have contributed something for the government everytime he step up the ring and win for his dear country.
POLITICAL LEADERS SHOULD BEAR THIS IN MIND, "To conquer a country is to give their youths illegal drugs." It is easy to brainwash a person when he's under drugs and hungry.
Rest in peace edwin. I still could not believed you had ended this way but that's the way it goes so be it.
"Bob Arum: I knew Valero would kill himself to escape prison cage."
reading the title alone will make you see how stupid arum is. valero ended his wife's misery and surrender himself. do you think he wants to escape? he wanted to suffer, but those around him are turning a blind eye of what he has done in the past. like a suspension for collapse lungs of his wife. they practically letting him commit murder and letting him get away with it. so he committed suicide to make sure this time.
very unfortunate... if mayweather still doesnt want to fight Pacquiao after mosley... valero could have still had a chance of fighting Pacquiao... very unfortunate.. some people say valero's record is 29-0 but i think its 27-2... his 27 wins were his success however the murder of his wife and his own death was his two defeats and demise. i grieve for the two valero children.. may god keep them safe..
I WONDER THEY STILL LET VALERO FIGHT INSPITE OFTHE BRAIN INJURY.
May Edwin and his wife rest in peace.
I hate Arum's comments - how on earth can it be sensible? Valero has choices, come on. Well what can you expect. He's really not a great guy in the first place. Just a lucky man who found gold in Pacquiao.
nothing we can do now but wish the guy RIP.. we dont have to blame anyone because it had happened.. just wish the guy a RIP
WRONG! The correct word is MAMATAY!
SUBSTANCE ABUSE- REALLY SERIOUS SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
so that's how he got the 27 KOs? aside from fighting bums?
I pity valero, murder and suicide are two deadly sins... :(
I'll just pray for his two children...
arum should be questioned by police on why he did not inform the proper authorities about his knowledge that valero was going to commit suicide
@gary
You're an idiot. Go to school.
ANOTHER GUY TO WATCH ON SUICIDE LIST IS FLOYDGAY...HE GOT TOO MUCH DRUG ON HIS SYSTEM...THIS WILL BE AGRAVATED BY THE BATTERING THAT MOSLEY WILL INFLICT ON HIM... IF HE WILL SHOW UP TO FIGHT MOSLEY...HE WILL BE SO DESPONDENT...SO AUTHORITIES SHOULD PAY A CLOSE WATCH ON THIS GUY.
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