There
are two ways to look at the career of Vicente Escobedo. The “cup is
half-empty” perspective says that every time he has stepped up against
the likes of the relatively elite Robert Guerrero and Michael Katsidis,
he came up short. But the half-filled viewpoint is that those blemishes
on his record came at 135 pounds. Those were losses in which Escobedo
performed respectably and he’s come out of those experiences a seasoned
and hardened fighter. Not surprisingly, Escobedo, who faces WBO junior
lightweight titlist Adrien Broner this Saturday night on HBO, takes the
latter viewpoint.
“Yes,
absolutely, you learn more and no one likes to taste defeat but you
experience and you learn off it,” he told Maxboxing late last week. “You
learn off it and it becomes an experience. You manage to work with it,
move on and work hard. Work harder and make sure you don’t taste defeat
again. No one likes losing- I don’t- I want to be a winner and that’s
how I want to go out there and go get that belt.”
After
representing the United States in the 2004 Olympics, Escobedo turned
pro in 2005. It’s 2012 now and back then, you just knew he would win a
world title or three. He had a strong punch and had a telegenic style.
He was also very promotable. However, it’s been a career that been a bit
unfulfilled. He’s had a decent run but at age 30, it’s now or never.
Escobedo, who’s already fought twice in 2012, feels like he’s in the
best place spiritually and physically in his career. “Absolutely,”
stated Escobedo, who’s had to overcome hand issues in 2011, “I’ve tasted
it all. From being on the canvas, knocked down, from losing to
injuries, you name it- I’ve been through it all. And I’ve overcome that
so I feel at this point, I’m at the best state of mind, best physical
shape and everything. I’m at my best; I think.”
Now,
he’ll have to be to solve “The Problem,” the talented and flamboyant
performer from Cincinnati, Ohio. Escobedo is a well-traveled veteran and
he had no problems in facing Broner in his backyard at the U.S. Bank
Arena.
“Fighters
fight, no matter what. It doesn’t change anything, the venue. If we
were to fight in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, it doesn’t change anything.
Fights are fights; they happen and I’m a fighter. It doesn’t matter,”
said Escobedo, who has a record of 26-3 with 15 stoppages. “[Broner]
wants to fight in his hometown; that’s fine. I think more of the
pressure is on him. Me, I have everything to gain and go over there and
there’s just one thing on my mind- I want that title. I want that title;
he wants to look good in front of his people. He’s flashy and that’s
fine; I have nothing against that. But I’m going for one thing and
that’s to take the title.”
As
you talk to Escobedo, you hear a certain determination in his voice,
like a fighter who simply won’t let the moment get to him. Simply, he’s
been through too much. Broner might beat him- he is the betting
favorite- but you get the sense he won’t be overwhelmed by the moment
and Broner’s antics the way Eloy Perez was.
“I
think [Perez] let Broner get to him; he let his emotions and
everything, the talk, the hype. I think Eloy should’ve just let him say
what he says and just ignore him,” says Escobedo who, by nature, is very
soft-spoken. “I feel he fell into that little trap of Adrien Broner and
whatever he says to me- trust me- he’s not going to take me off my game
plan and I’m going in there for one thing and that’s to win and that’s
the only thing on my mind. Adrien can say all he wants and he’s going to
say all he wants in front of his people and that’s fine but I’m going
to do my demonstration in the ring.”
Broner
is a polarizing fighter; you either love or hate him. He always seems
to be “on,” whether it’s in the ring or outside of it. Recently, he was
the focus of HBO’s “2 Days” which followed him in the lead-up to his
early knockout of Perez. When asked his thoughts on what he saw,
Escobedo answered, “Not much; you got to know a little bit about Adrien.
At first, to be honest with you, I thought it was all about show; it’s
all about putting on an act but you come to realize that he is the way
he is. He’s a guy with character; he said it, whether you like him or
not, that’s his personality. And that’s fine; he’s a really loud guy. I
have no problem with that; that’s him and I’m just more of a mellow guy.
That’s what makes people different with personalities and that’s him.
“I
think that’s fine; I have nothing bad to say about Adrien. I don’t hate
the guy. I just want what he’s got; that’s the title.”
This
is easier said than done. For all his antics, Broner is an impressive
blend of speed, quickness and power. So how do you solve him?
“You
gotta have timing, power and patience and those fundamentals,” said
Escobedo. “And be well prepared and don’t give him openings and be
smart; be smart in there. He’s fast but I’m fast too and timing can take
that away and once you go in there with no respect and start hitting to
the body and start telling him, ‘Hey, I’m here; I’m right here and I’m
taking your punches and I’m giving these punches back to you,’ and
[when] he’s realizing I’m doing some damage and you’re not scared of
him, things will change. So I’ve seen his videos and there are moments
where he’s changed in his style. When he has his confidence up, that’s
when he’s on his A-game. But you take his confidence and things change.”
Regardless,
Escobedo has a healthy respect for the guy he’s facing this weekend. He
admits, Broner just might be the most talented guy he’s ever faced.
“Yeah, I think so,” he admitted. “I definitely think so. He’s very
skillful. He’s fast; he’s got a lot of skills. I definitely admit that
and I think he is by far the best that I’ve faced. Maybe not the
strongest but he’s definitely the best that I’ve faced. But on the flip
side, Escobedo also firmly believes he’s the stiffest test Broner has
ever had. “Oh, yeah, definitely. The only other guy he’s really faced is
[Daniel] Ponce de Leon and to be honest with you, Ponce did a great,
great job against him but he didn’t have the speed and the boxing
ability the way I do. So it’s definitely going to be the best fighter
he’s ever faced in his career. So we’ll find out July 21st.”
Escobedo
has to be bold. He’s not only facing a talented young fighter groomed
for stardom; he’s also doing it in his city. In boxing, the meek do not
inherit anything. Glory goes to those who are bold and audacious. He has
to be both on Saturday night.
So how does he see this fight playing out?
“It’s
hard to say; anything can happen. It’s just going to be one of those
fights where it’s going to be a scrap. You go in there and you’re going
in there and you’re going to see different adjustments, whether it’s
fighting, boxing, adjustments. It’s hard to say. I think it’s really
going to be an exciting fight; it’s going to be an action-packed fight,”
promises Escobedo. “Everyone needs to tune in because it’s really going
to be a tough, tough fight on both of us.
“So I’m just ready to get in the ring with Adrien Broner and face the best.”
