Escobedo Returns Home for High Stakes Bout Tonight CAPAY, CALIFORNIA – 2004 U.S. Olympian Vicente Escobedo is back in his hometown as he headlines tonight’s edition of Telefutura Solo Boxeo against Lonnie Smith at the Woodland Community & Senior Center in Woodland, California. For Escobedo the fight presents a risky proposition, as he is a name fighter in a division lacking such a commodity, but instead of a walkover opponent he meets the capable, upset-minded Smith. Fighters weighed in Friday night at the Road Trip Bar & Grill in nearby Capay. Escobedo (24-3, 14 KOs) is back on Telefutura for the third straight time after his wide points loss to Robert Guerrero in late 2010. Last time out, Escobedo moved past faded and undersized former title challenger Rocky Juarez via ten-round unanimous decision last November. Though Escobedo has fought in nearby Sacramento eight times in his professional career, tonight marks his Woodland debut. Smith (14-2-2, 10 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada has reeled off nine straight victories since he last suffered a defeat back in 2007. The one time previously that Smith stepped up in class, he controlled former fringe contender David Rodela over six rounds last April. Tonight’s bout marks a major step up, both in class and distance, as Smith, who will be fighting on his 25th birthday, has never had a fight scheduled for more than six rounds. Smith is scheduled to go ten tonight, as he and Escobedo vie for the vacant WBO NABO Super Featherweight title. The word at the weigh-in Friday was that should Escobedo, currently the WBO #10 ranked lightweight and IBF #10 ranked 130-pounder, move past Smith tonight, he could find himself in against reigning WBO 130-pound champion Adrien Broner next time out. However, looking past Smith, a fighter with nothing to lose and everything to gain, would be a horrible misstep for the former Olympian. Escobedo weighed in at 129-pounds, while Smith scaled 130. In the televised co-feature, Golden Boy Promotions’ super bantamweight prospect Manuel Avila (6-0, 2 KOs) of Fairfield, California moves up to the six- round distance for the first time as he takes on David Reyes (2-1) of Montebello, California in a rematch. Back in October on the Bernard Hopkins-Chad Dawson undercard, Avila floored Reyes in the third round, but had to settle for a split decision win. Fighting not to far from his Fairfield home, Avila aims to prove his superiority over Reyes once and for all. Avila weighed in at a career-low 118-pounds, while Reyes scaled 120. An intriguing match on the undercard almost came apart at the weigh-in Friday, as Paul Mendez (7-2, 2 KOs) of Delano, California failed to make the contracted weight for his six-round bout against unbeaten former amateur standout Dmitry Chudinov (6-0, 3 KOs) of Los Angeles, California by way Serpukhov, Moscow Oblast, Russia. Chudinov weighed in at 159 ½-pounds. Mendez came in at 166-pounds. Initially Chudinov threw his hands up and said there would not be a fight. But after some deliberation, Chudinov decided to go through with the fight and Mendez did not even have to sweat off any weight. When Chudinov appeared on the December card in Woodland, he took on a 180-pound version of Tony Hirsch, who had accepted the fight just before the official weigh-in. Coming in off of his an impressive performance in Woodland last December, Jonathan Chicas (4-0, 3 KOs) of San Francisco, California takes on blown-up super bantamweight Ephraim Martinez (4-1, 1 KO) of Buttonwillow, California in a four-round light welterweight fight. Chicas, who scaled 140-pounds Friday, quickly dismantled former amateur star Paul Cano in under two rounds in December. Martinez has fought as low as 118-pounds, and never heavier than 124 ¾ in his pro career. Martinez has been out of the ring since September 2010, when super bantamweight prospect Efrain Esquivas stopped him in five. Given the natural size disadvantage, it is hard to envision Martinez going the full four with the power-punching Chicas tonight. In an all-Sacramento battle, former amateur standout Payton Boyea makes his professional debut against Harry Gopaul (0-2) in a four- round light heavyweight bout. Boyea, who is training under former world champion and legendary Sacramento boxing figure Tony “The Tiger” Lopez, weighed in at 172-pounds. Gopaul, who also has competed in mixed martial arts, weighed in at 174 ½-pounds. Any remaining tickets for the event, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, Don Chargin Productions, Paco Presents and Jorge Marron Productions, will be made available at the door. Mario Ortega Jr. can be contacted at [email protected]..