Rocky Juarez vs. Vicente Escobedo

This will be on the September 23rd edition of Solo Boxeo Tecate in Indio, California. It's quite a good main event by Telefutura's standards. (or ESPN2's for that matter)

I hesitate to call it a crossroads match, as even the winner wouldn't exactly be sitting pretty (even with beer goggles) when it comes to getting near another world title try. It's two guys whose ring age is greater than their chronological age winding down their careers, with the stakes more along the lines of each trying to avoid another blemish on all-but-notarized entries into the annals of legacy and register one more halfway decent name on their win column.

In other words, it isn't terribly important as far as the boxing landscape goes - but it should be fun. :good I see their styles mixing very well (even if Rocky decides to play the role of the boxer; the much bigger Escobedo will force him into exchanges).

Juarez - who has more or less been in the habit of doing just enough to not win since the very disputed and disheartening first loss to Barrera - is looking for his first win period since rallying to stop the Hyena three years ago. Escobedo did thwart the tricky (and better than his record) Walter Estrada on another Solo Boxeo card held in Indio earlier this year, but is really looking for his first meaningful victory since a very good 2009 where he effectively retired the venerable pair of Kevin Kelley and Famoso Hernandez.

 

For some reason, I can't shake the notion that Escobedo ought to be the underdog here...even though he's bigger, fresher, and on a less precarious slope of career momentum. :think His losses are less embarrassing than some of Rocky's as well. There's no shame in a very close decision loss to Katsidis or a game but mostly one-sided one to Guerrero. While I do think Juarez would acquit himself about as well against both of them (as would Escobedo in turn, losing to Linares and John), I seriously doubt Escobedo would allow himself to come up short against the likes of Litzau and Sanabria. In fact, I'd confidently pick him to grind down and stop either.

Juarez certainly has the ability to outclass him. The problem - rearing its ugly head for the umpteenth time with Juarez - is "how much of his ability will be applied?". The answer is never 100%. If it's anywhere close to it...if Rocky really wants a win here, bad enough to come out of sloth mode...then he can take this.

If it's below 70% or so (and that's a highly realistic expectation) then Escobedo will give him a thumping, mark up his face, and send him on his merry way to the rest of his life with idle non-wrapped hands.

 

I would think lightweight, yes. The original report didn't say exactly.

 

You'd think after so many years and so many losses he'd get the memo. :-(

 

Yeah. It's a rematch against a bum he knocked out in 1997. :rofl (and who hasn't competed in this millennium)

That doesn't mean he's the safe pick, though. His last ring appearance two years ago was a rematch with Harry Funmaker, who he'd beaten in their two previous meetings. Funmaker got revenge on Bean (and most assumed retired him).


What made you think of that, incidentally? Just that he's another guy who was presumed to be done after falling off the map but is making a return? :yep That's kind of insulting to Juarez to lump them together.