Manager Tim VanNewhouse has an excellent eye for talent. He hopes the fighters he recently signed to contracts turn out to be the goods.

VanNewhouse recently signed four top amateur standouts, including welterweight Marques Valle.

Lightweight Dalis Kaleiopu, junior middleweight Kahshad Elliot, and super middleweight Javier Martinez also signed managerial deals and each will make their pro debut later this year under the Split-T Management banner.

VanNewhouse currently manages former world junior bantamweight title challenger Antonio Nieves, welterweight Eddie Gomez, once-beaten junior welterweight Damon Allen, along with unbeaten prospects Abraham Nova, Brian Ceballo and Diego Pacheco.

Valle, who is originally from New York City and now resides in Wesley Chapel, Florida, began boxing at the age of 9 and has recently evolved into a solid amateur, culminating when he qualified for the 2020 Olympic Trials. The 21-year-old counted Miguel Cotto as his inspiration while growing up.

“Cotto was a big inspiration to me (while I was) growing up,” said Valle, whose younger brother Dominic is a Junior Olympic champion. “I believed in him. He gave our (Puerto Rican) people so much hope and pride. He displayed a big heart in the ring and gave it his all. We loved and supported him in my household and that is why I began fighting. I want to have a legacy someday like his.”

Valle has recently been sparring with the likes of Amir Imam in South Florida. While he believes he learned a great deal in the amateur ranks, Valle is confident he will have more success in the pro ranks.

“At the nationals, everyone had more fights and experience than I did. So it gave me confidence knowing I can beat these guys at this level or be right there with them. Last year, I earned my place on Team USA and trained at the Olympic Center (in Colorado Springs, Colorado). It was a good experience that I am proud of and I even was able to fight internationally with the team. But I’m more focused on the pro ranks now.”

“Everyone that watches me thinks I have a pro-style. I like to sit down on my punches and break my fighter down over time. I am ready for more rounds. I want to sit down more on my punches and break my opponents down. The amateur system was go, go, go. I didn’t like that.”

Valle has not yet signed with a promoter. He is currently trained by his father, Junior, but is looking to finalize a full-time trainer within the next month or two.