Around the Net: Robert Guerrero vs Vicente Escobedo Pre-Fight Edition

Robert Guerrero meets Vicente Escobedo tomorrow night in the opening bout of HBO's Boxing After Dark double-header.  Though no title belt is at stake, plenty is on the line as the fighter that emerges from the ten round battle on top will advance their standing in the 135lb divison and could possibly find themselves in line to square off against the winner of Marquez/Katsidis at some point in the future.

Let's check out some of the pre-fight buzz from around the net for the lightweight clash...

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I have a sneaking suspicion that "The Ghost" is in for a bad night with Escobedo, and I couldn't really break down why that is. He's just one of those guys who is always going to be in contention, but I think is going to be prone to off nights his entire career. Escobedo badly needs this win to make his mark at 135, and I expect he's going to be in great shape and ready to go. I think it'll be close, but I'm going with the mild upset. Escobedo SD-10

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Escobedo isn't bad, per se. He has some talent. He fights like a third-generation photocopy of the Marquez brothers and has some speed and guts, or at least he did in the bouts against Hernandez and Katsidis that I've seen. I don't hold his Katsidis loss against him much. But I don't see him posing a challenge to even the version of Guerrero who struggled against Casamayor.

I'll take Guerrero by passionless unanimous decision. (Now watch this one turn into the fight of the night.)

Boxing Scene - Six Years Later, Vicente Escobedo’s Time Has Come

"I made that decision (to bring in Diaz after the Katsidis fight) because I felt that I needed more one-on-one time and a hands on type of trainer," said Escobedo, 22-2 with 14 KOs. "Nacho is a wonderful, great trainer and obviously one of the best, but I think he had his hands full with Juan Manuel Marquez, and at the time when he had Rafael Marquez. I felt like I needed a little bit more time, more one-on-ones to correct my mistakes. With Joel, I get that every day. I make a mistake and he tells me ‘no, you do it this way,’ and he shows me. And one thing that I love about Joel is that he pushes me. And that’s what I need. I’m a gym rat and I love to work out, and ever since I was a kid I’ve loved working hard. He pushes me to the point where I’m exhausted."

Diaz’ influence extends beyond the Indio Boxing Club though, and Escobedo may be at a better place mentally than he’s ever been at in his pro career.

"He tells me that everything is possible and it motivates me. That’s very important and I don’t feel like I’ve reached my prime yet. I just stay focused and I think being mature helps you out a lot in the ring in terms of keeping me more focused on what I’ve got to do as far as winning and being more comfortable in the ring. I think boxing and these tough fights have matured me and made me realize what I can do."

Boxing FanHouse - Robert Guerrero on Vicente Escobedo, Juan Manuel Marquez, Michael Katsidis

Since your last victory, one of the things that you said that you would like to see happen is a fight with either Michael Katsidis or a chance to face Juan Manuel Marquez, and, it looks like you will get a shot at the winner of Marquez-Katsidis if you defeat Vicente Escobedo?

I want to continue trucking through boxing and winning titles, that's the first thing that was on my mind after beating Joel Casamayor. I want to be one of the best in the sport. I want to become a Hall of Famer. I want to be known as someone who fought the best and who beat the best.

After the Casamayor fight, I was praying that I would get the fight with Juan Manuel Marquez. But it didn't happen. It wasn't the right time. But I believe that it will be there soon. I just have to move on from that. But now, I see that as a possibility. I just have to do what I have to do and that opportunity will be there.

The Sweet Science - Robert "Ghost" Guerrero Meets Vicente Escobedo In Jersey

"I’ve known him for a while. The first time I fought him was in Santa Clara. He had just got back from the Junior Olympics. I think he’s a year older than me so he went to the Junior Olympics and when he got back, I beat him," said Guerrero, 27, a native of Gilroy, California who is a former featherweight and junior lightweight world champion. "I think he was 15 and I was 14. Three times we fought. I beat him twice and he beat me once."

Guerrero became a professional boxer in 2001 while Escobedo stayed in the amateur program and eventually represented the U.S.A. Olympic boxing team in 2004.

"We roomed together too one or two times at a tournament in the US championships or some other tournaments," said Escobedo, who turns 29 on the day of the fight. "Were not really close but we’ve known each other for quite a bit."

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Escobedo, a 2004 Olympian, went 12 rounds with WBO lightweight titleholder Michael Katsidis last September, losing by split decision.

"Absolutely it was a good thing I lost, it opened my eyes," Escobedo said. "If I won, I'm a world champion and I'm celebrating. After I lost, I looked at all the mistakes and bad habits I had on tape, and then I viewed it a second time. I really worked hard in the gym and corrected everything. I feel like a whole different fighter now. I know that I've improved."