Valgar's trainer throughout the 1920s was the legendary Ray Arcel, and his manager was Billy Gibson, who also trained long reigning world lightweight champion Benny Leonard. Valgar and Leonard would often train together. As someone who would know, Arcel once said of Valgar, "When it came to all around ring generalship, Benny Valgar was on a par with Benny Leonard, though Leonard packed the better punch." Leonard once said of Valgar, that he was "the fastest boxer I ever knew." Arcel also noted that Gibson's concentration on Leonard as the reigning World Lightweight Champion may have increased the time and attention Arcel had to influence Valgar in his boxing career.