BoxRec

Il Duce wrote:Sunday - March 16, 1980

#8 WBA Lightweight ~ Aaron Pryor ~ 21-0-0 {19 KO's}
vs,
#4 WBA Lightweight ~ Julio 'El Diabilito' Valdez ~ 17-8-1 {3 KO's}

Bout held at the Jai-Alai Fronton in Miami Beach, Florida.

On the undercard of the Wilfred Benitez vs. Johnny Turner 'Light-Middleweight' bout.

The 24 year, 5 month old - Aaron Pryor would receive his largest fight purse of his career up to
that point, which was $10,000.

28 year-old -Julio Valdez {Dominican Republic} was a crafty boxer/counter-puncher, who had
excellent defensive skills, and who was much better than his 17-8-1 record.

"El Diabilto' had gone 15-1-1 in his last '17-Bouts', dating back to July 1974, which included
early career wins over quality opponents; Tony Tris, Eduardo Santiago and Adriano Marrero.

In 1978, Julio scored impressive Decision wins over World-Ranked; Franciso Villegas and
Marcos Barahona, and in {October 1978} he scored a 'major upset' over the former
WBA Super Featherweight Champion - Alfredo Escalera.

Those wins got Julio Valdez a Championship Bout against WBA Super Featherweight Champion -
Samuel Serrano in February 1979. Though 'El Diablito' lost a somewhat one-sided Decision,
he went the distance in a game effort against a difficult and tricky Champion.

In May 1979, at Madison Square Garden, 'El Diablito' won an impressive 10-Round Decision
over the #10 WBA Lightweight - Canadian 'Knockout Artist' Ralph Racine.

That win, bumped Julio Valdez up to the #4 WBA Lightweight. But, since that victory, Valdez had
been inactive for 10-Months.

Il Duce wrote:Mr. Rover,

Nearly every Samuel Serrano fight was awful........

Problem was, that 'El Diablito' could not punch.

Aaron Pryor was the 'strongest and hardest puncher' Julio Valdez would ever face.

Up until that point, only Alfonso Frazer was Aaron's most difficult opponent.

Aaron 'steam-rolled' Julio, by a one-sided TKO 4.