By Ryan Burton
Former multi-division champion Robert Guerrero will be a very interested observer of two upcoming Showtime Championship Boxing cards.
On February 17th, Danny Garcia (33-1) will return to the ring after an 11 month hiatus and face former champion Brandon Rios at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
For Garcia it will be his first fight since his close decision loss to Keith Thurman. Rios snapped a 16 month layoff in June when he stopped Aaron Herrera. It was Rios first fight since his stoppage loss to Tim Bradley in November, 2015.
Garcia is a big betting favorite going into the fight and Guerrero expects him to win but isn't ruling out Rios.
"I think that is a good fight. I don't think Garcia is going to exchange with him because Brandon Rios will chop you up inside banging your body. He is just going to flow and box him. I think he gets the win on points - but if he stands in there with him and trades it is dangerous," Guerrero told BoxingScene.com.
A month prior, Errol Spence will make the first defense of his IBF welterweight title against former super lightweight champion Lamont Peterson. Their fight takes place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on January 20th.
Spence captured his title in dominant fashion, stopping Kell Brook last May. Peterson has been very inactive, having only fought once in the past 27 months. His last fight took place last February when he defeated David Avanesyan to capture the WBA "regular" welterweight title. He had to vacate that title in order to secure this opportunity.
Guerrero is very impressed with what he has seen out Spence but expects Peterson to test him in the ring.
"That is a good fight. Peterson pushes everybody man. I don't care who it is. He has that inside game, rolls, counters. Spence though, I think he is going to take over the division," said Guerrero.
2023-10-20 07:31:40
