By Ryan Maquiñana

Former world title challenger Vicente “Chente” Escobedo will meet “Lightning” Lonnie Smith in a junior lightweight ten-rounder in Woodland, Calif., that will serve as the headliner of the March 3 edition of Solo Boxeo Tecate.

In the co-feature, teenage junior featherweight Manuel “Tino” Avila, from nearby Fairfield, will fight an opponent to be determined in the six-round co-feature.

When he arrives at the Woodland Senior Center, the 30-year-old Escobedo (24-3, 14 KOs) will be fighting in his hometown for the first time in his pro career.  The 2004 Olympian is coming off a two-bout winning streak over Walter Estrada and Rocky Juarez.

The 24-year-old Smith (14-2-2, 10 KOs), a Las Vegas native, is on a nine-fight unbeaten tear that most recently includes a unanimous decision over David Rodela and a third-round stoppage of Eduardo Arcos.

Avila (6-0, 2 KOs), a 19-year-old Golden Boy prospect, is three months removed from a four-round split decision win over David Reyes on the Bernard Hopkins-Chad Dawson undercard.

The show will be promoted by Golden Boy in association with Don Chargin Productions, Paco Presents, Jorge Marron, and Let’s Get It On Boxing.

Ryan Maquiñana is the boxing correspondent for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Advisory Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com , check out his blog at www.maqdown.com , or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.

Tags: Vicente Escobedo