Promoter Craig Goossen and Goossen Promotions brings boxing to the Pechanga Casino in Temecula, California tonight (Dec. 11, 2014). The books have put up lines for three of the bouts on this 13-bout card. None of the fights have an over/under posted, and despite the main event of Tyson Cave and Oscar Escandon for the interim WBA World Super Bantamweight title not having a line posted, we are unlikely to see more offerings than the three lines already up. In one of the feature bouts at Heavyweight, veteran Antonio Tarver is favored (-210) over Johnathon Banks (+160). Tarver is now 46 years old for those not paying attention, and he is long past his prime in terms of both skill and condition. He last competed more than a year ago, in November of 2013, and that fight saw him KO journeyman Mike Sheppard to net him something called the NABA Heavyweight title. It has now been more than ten years since Tarver was in the heart of his trilogy with Roy Jones Jr, and this is not the same boxer, but he remains a solid technician who could outpoint Banks. For his part, Banks needs some career guidance, as he is coming off a loss to Seth Mitchell, in a rematch where he won the first fight viaTKO in two rounds. Veteran Middleweight Austin Trout is a big favorite (-1350) to win his second fight in a row as he faces Luis Grajeda, who returns (+650). In December of 2012, Trout defeated Miguel Cotto in what seemed to be a breakthrough performance to win the WBA World Light Middleweight title. Unfortunately, he then took back-to-back losses to Saul Alvarez and Erislandy Lara, going 24 total rounds with two of the best fighters in the world. The losses left him out of the title picture, but he worked in a bounce back win against Daniel Dawson (40-3-1) back in August and he is looking to make it two in a row here. Grajeda is a tough fighter who is 27 years old, and has gone the distance with some good fighters, however Trout should be on another level altogether in terms of skill. The final line at Several Bookmakers features Light Heavyweight action as Edwin Rodriguez is a massive favorite (-4800) over journeyman Derrick Findley, who pays back (+1600). Rodriguez is (25-1) with 16 KO stoppages. His only loss came in November of 2013, when he went 12 rounds with Andre Ward. Since then, he took eleven months off before bouncing back in October with a win over Azea Augustama. Less than two months later, he is signed to this fight with Findley a veteran who has been in there with good people, but a guy who has lost nine fights since 2011. The match takes on special urgency for Rodriguez, as Ward has been inactive since they fought and he does not appear to be returning any time soon. Rodriguez needs to keep winning to keep his name on the front line for the title.
