By Ryan Burton

Featherweight prospect Guy Robb (18-1) has begun training camp for the biggest fight of his career against Miguel Marriaga (23-1). The bout takes place on August 27th in Fallon, Nevada and is an eliminator to become the mandatory challenger for newly crowned WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez, who knocked out Matias Rueda in two rounds to win the vacant belt this past Saturday night.

Robb feels that the two-time Mexican Olympian Oscar Valdez is currently one of the best fighters at the weight.

"He has been looking good.  He looks to be the man right now," said Robb.

However Robb isn't looking past Marriaga. He expects a tough fight and believes that this fight will take his career to the next level.

Marriaga has won three fights in a row since losing an unanimous decision to Nicholas Walters last year.

"Miguel is pretty decent all around. He's not a straight up boxer but he is crafty and he thinks in there. He doesn't just go out there and brawl. I am going to have to bring my 'A' game and that is what I am going to do. This fight right here for me is an audition for the A class and when I get passed Miguel I am in that category. He is in my way and I am going to get through him," Robb explained.

The 27-year old Robb first burst onto the scene in a game loss to Joel Diaz in 2012.  Both fighters hit the deck in a thrilling battle that was televised by Showtime as part of their ShoBox series. While Diaz remains undefeated, Robb will be fighting in a much bigger fight and if he wins he will fight for a title sooner as well.

Robb said that isn't by accident or coincidence and that hard work has brought him to this point.

"I have been putting in work. This wasn't just given to me. It was an opportunity and I have stepped up to the plate and I am ready to roll. In that (Diaz) fight - see I was just fighting and boxing sometimes is a little bit more than that. Sometimes you got to get down and dirty but sometimes you got to be responsible and do what's right and in that fight I didn't do none of that. I was just street fighting. Just brawling," Robb explained.

Robb is part of the next wave of talented fighters coming out of Northern California that also includes Andy Vences and Ruben Villa while established stars like Robert Guerrero and Nonito Donaire are closer to the end of their career than the beginning. 

The biggest star from the Bay Area - Andre Ward - faces Alexander Brand on August 6th in a tune up bout for his November 19th showdown against Sergey Kovalev.  Robb believes that the Oakland native will be too much for Kovalev.

"Man I am going with Dre. I heard (Kovalev) didn't look all that great in this fight (against Chilemba) but I am sure that Dre is going to sense it and take those belts," Robb told BoxingScene.com.

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