Rocky Juarez vs. Vicente Escobedo

It turns out this will be 10 rounds @ super featherweight. :think

 

Escobebo hasn't made the 130 lb. limit in over four years, and that was only the second time ever in his career (the first being over six years ago).

 

I'd agree, it has to be seen as an advantage for Rocky. One of the very few tangible ones he has here on paper. :yep

 

Escobedo's a good fighter, SS.

You should check out his gutsy battles with the Ghost and the Gladiator, and his win over Estrada. :good

 

Around the bend! :good

This might actually be the standout fight of the week.

Anthony Mundine vs. Rigoberto Alvarez for a piece of the WBA 154lb title just got postponed from tomorrow to October 19th due to a cut Mundine suffered in training.

The German heavyweight card on Saturday features good names (Dimitrenko, Chakhiev, Boytsov, and Gomez) but pretty much all in mismatches.

Really the only two bouts that seem like they might give this a run for its money are the rematches:

Jorge Arce vs. Simphiwe Nongqayi II
Sykes vs. Buckland II
Raul Martinez vs. Rodrigo Guerrero II

When it comes to boxers who've never met before and from whom we don't know what to expect of their dynamic - Juarez vs. Escobedo is clearly this week's top draw IMO.

 

From the vBookie thread:

Anyone have anything to add?

 

The problem with Nongqayi is his age. He belongs to a very peculiar club of boxers (with membership counting the likes of Sonny Liston and another heavyweight and Nongqayi's neighbor on the big dark continent, Sam Peter). The DOB of all of these men is shrouded in mystery and not a matter of reliable public record.

Since himself becoming a "big" name by beating one in Arce, several guesses and unsubstantiated claims have surfaced on the internet regarding just how much of a Golden Oldie the Golden Master truly is. They ranged at the time of that win from late twenties to late thirties. My best guess is that he was probably at or around 30 by the time he turned pro back in 2002.

He is a solid operator despite the late start in the sport, but he is quite clearly not on the level of Arce at his best or of many of the younger & better talents that Arce has shared the ring with. He just happened to come in on the night as a game underdog and was fortunate to catch El Travieso at the proper time.

For a good many years, Arce had seemed totally shot - like his countryman Erik Morales. Then out of nowhere he restores himself to vintage factory default settings and wins a world title (like his countryman Erik Morales; although in El Terrible's case he spread the two accomplishments over two separate bouts...looking shockingly good against Maidana and then winning the world title - of however dubious merit - against Cano in a lesser showing). In hindsight, neither was shot despite all appearances. They were both just in some weird hibernation that rendered them crappy imitations of themselves, dialing in pedestrian efforts even in wins against people they'd have mopped the canvas with in their primes, and taking on some embarrassing losses.

The reason for Simphiwe being such a huge underdog is twofold.

A) he is in all likelihood pushing 40 in reality (despite some fishy reports out of S.A. that he is in fact currently a freaking twenty-something. atsch)

B) the alarm clock in the Lollipop Cowboy's cave went off sometime between losing to Nongqayi and beating Vazquez. He ain't hibernating no more.

 

BTW, I didn't even realize Arce-Nongqayi odds were up. :yep They weren't as of yesterday.

vBookie thread soon. :good

 

Also, more people need to discuss Juarez-Escobedo in the freaking Juarez-Escobedo thread! :rant