The Los Angeles local cable show also aired Valero's workouts, sparring sessions and interviews conducted by Palmiere.

In his first attempt at a world title, on 5 August 2006, Valero faced WBA super featherweight champion Vicente Mosquera.

In what would arguably prove to be both boxers' toughest contest, Valero started out the match in signature fashion, knocking down the champion twice in the first round.

The answer came after ten grueling rounds when the ever-tenacious Mosquera finally started to wane under the challenger's continuous heavy-handed counters.

Deciding Mosquera had received enough punishment, the referee called a halt to the match at 2:00 of round ten, making the 24-year-old Valero champion.

Valero would go on to successfully defend the title four times before moving up in weight class, with his final defense a seventh-round stoppage of Takehiro Shimada in Tokyo on 12 June 2008.

[8][9] Valero's next fight came on his home turf of Venezuela, in La Guaira, where he successfully defended his WBC lightweight title by a TKO victory over Hector Velasquez in the seventh round.

[10] Valero was able to continue the fight and went on to win by corner retirement when DeMarco failed to answer the bell for the tenth round.

This injury was sustained prior to his launching his pro career, and it created roadblocks to major bodies sanctioning his fights.

Valero claimed that his doctor cleared him to fight on 17 January 2002, and he turned pro that July with a first-round KO.