Junior middleweight Marques Valle, a promising power puncher, is on the verge of making a big name for himself in the division.
Valle, in his first scheduled 10-round bout, returns Wednesday against Raul Garcia at the ProBox TV Events Center in Plant City, Florida.
Both Valle (10-0, 7 KOs) and Garcia (13-1-1, 11 KOs) are 25-year-olds who turned pro in 2021. The matchup marks Valle’s chance to prove himself as a formidable contender.
“Every fight means the same to me – someone they put in front of me that I have got to get by,” Valle told Boxing Scene. “It is no different to me.”
In his last fight, Valle faced an undefeated fighter, Farid Ngoga, who tested him before Valle pulled away for a unanimous decision win.
“Every fight, you learn little things. I can’t [pinpoint what],” Valle said when asked what he picked up from defeating Ngoga. “Each fight gives you a handful of experience. You learn little things about yourself. It is up to me to make those improvements in the gym.”
Garcia is a different test. Coached by trainer Bob Santos, Garcia is a power puncher who believes he can knock out Valle. His only defeat was a split-decision loss to Leonardo Ruiz in a close fight.
“Having the competitive boxer mind, I am confident in myself and what I can do,” Valle said.
On Feb. 28, Valle’s training partner, Najee Lopez, defeated Marcos Escudero in a grueling bout. Lopez took his share of damage, wearing a black eye as a souvenir after the fight. He fought a tough and dangerous opponent, which sets the tone for the rest of Marc Farrait’s stable of fighters. Valle trains with Farrait.
“That sets the [bar],” Valle said about Lopez’s last fight, which was a step up in competition. “We are all looking to take that step up and get somewhere – sooner rather than later.”
Valle, nicknamed “The Machine” – but sometimes called “Robocop” and “The Terminator” – is a big and relentless puncher who has gone only 24 rounds in 10 pro fights. Valle’s power has separated him from developmental opponents, and Garcia represents a new level of competition – one that is likely to offer more resistance.