Luis Del Valle - Biography

Biography

Luis Orlando, who is related to former WBO bantamweight champion Rafael Del Valle, began boxing at the age of 14 at the Caná Boxing Club in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, losing his first amateur fight despite a spirited effort on his part. Instead of being disheartened by the setback, it served to motivate Luis to come back and just get better. With hard work and determination he continued to develop as a fighter at such an impressive pace that in just one year he had become Puerto Rico’s National Junior Olympics champion, bringing medals to the island during his 2-year reign. The trend continued as he represented the island at the 2004 under 19 World Championships in Korea. Being too young to try out for the 2004 Olympic team, his trainer sent him to New York where he won both the New York and National Golden Gloves tournaments representing Newburgh Boxing Club. His stunning rise through the ranks of the amateur boxing world took an unexpected turn when he was invited to the United States national team. “We decided to stay because things were going fine and traveling a lot. In Puerto Rico, Carlos Velazquez (2004 Olympian and current professional rising star) had decided to stay for the 2008 cycle and they only send the No. 1 to fight abroad. In the U.S., I had the chance to gain more international experience which has helped me a lot.”

Del Valle represented the United States at the 2007 Pan Am Games and many others International Competitions such as the 2005 International Tammer Tournament In Tampere,Finland. 2006 Six Nation Cup in Porto Torres, Italy.2006 Ken Goff Memorial Boxing Classic In Regina,Canada collecting two gold and a bronze medal in the process. Del Valle came up short against the eventual 2008 Olympic team member Raynell Williams in the U.S. Championships at 125 pounds.