Michael Katsidis is the sort of boxer, like Diego Corrales and Arturo Gatti, who could be described as a 'phonebox fighter'.
That's to say, if he had his way, he'd happily swap a spacious boxing ring for the confines of a telephone box, allowing him to trade blows with his opponent in an honourable last man standing contest.
With Duracell bunny-like energy levels Katsidis (27-3) always comes bounding over to his opponent and loves to pressurise and trap his foe against the ropes, ideally in the corner with no escape. This pattern tends to follow until either the opponent is good enough (as Joel Casamyor and Juan Manuel Marquez were) to score enough counter shots to hurt him and push him back - or more likely they succumb (like Graham Earl and Kevin Mitchell) to the pressure.
This weekend he takes on a completely different sort of fighter, Robert Guerrero (28-1), for the Interim WBA and WBO Lightweight Championships.
Southpaw Guerrero is the kind of boxer that relishes using his wits to evade the sort of pressure fighter that is Katsidis. He uses speedy footwork to get in, score points and get out of trouble.
That said, the former IBF Featherweight and Super-Featherweight Champion has some pop in his fists with 18 knockouts, including five first round stoppages.
Where Katsidis is easy to find and hit, Guerrero, nicknamed The Ghost, is likely to be a more frustrating proposition for the man in the other corner.
With 14 straight victories coming in Guerrero would look to be a bit fresher than Katsidis, who was stopped in nine thrilling rounds with Juan Manuel Marquez last year and is said to have suffered an eye injury while preparing for this one which could have scuppered this bout.
Katsidis should have a significant size advantages against a former featherweight. He always gives 100 per cent and has an exhaustive will power to destroy his opponent. However, I'm not sure it'll be enough against the superbly-skilled Guerrero.
I'm inclined to think of Katsidis' points loss to Juan Diaz immediately after he had been stopped by Casamyor back in 2008.
Diaz, who has often lacked finesse and is not the most fleet-footed, was able to outfox Katsidis. Many thought Katsidis had gone straight back into a world level fight too soon after a crushing but valiant defeat and he lost on points.
Here there are similarities.
This time Guerrero is a much better skilled boxer than Diaz and is likely to be exuding confidence as he seeks to gain better exposure after flying under the radar for too long. You can never write off Katsidis, who is sure to turn up in fantastic shape, but I would pick Guerrero to dazzle on his way to a points decision.
* Postscript: Guerrero went on to take a comprehensive decision, winning 117-108, 118-106 and 118-107.
In defeat Katsidis was a brave and try-hard as ever. He was considered a little unfortunate to lose two points for low blows - despite not being warned first.
Katsidis should now take some time off to re-charge his batteries.
There will also be a place for his popular, hard-working fighter but he might be better served to step back to allow him to come back a fresher fighter.
Guerrero, funnily enough, may have less options open to him than Katsidis right now!
He's a southpaw, he's skilled, he's dangerous. I'm not sure promoters of the big names in and around the lightweight division will relish the thought of Guerrero has an opponent.
However, he deserves credit for putting on a clinical, marvellous performance.
That's to say, if he had his way, he'd happily swap a spacious boxing ring for the confines of a telephone box, allowing him to trade blows with his opponent in an honourable last man standing contest.
With Duracell bunny-like energy levels Katsidis (27-3) always comes bounding over to his opponent and loves to pressurise and trap his foe against the ropes, ideally in the corner with no escape. This pattern tends to follow until either the opponent is good enough (as Joel Casamyor and Juan Manuel Marquez were) to score enough counter shots to hurt him and push him back - or more likely they succumb (like Graham Earl and Kevin Mitchell) to the pressure.
This weekend he takes on a completely different sort of fighter, Robert Guerrero (28-1), for the Interim WBA and WBO Lightweight Championships.
Southpaw Guerrero is the kind of boxer that relishes using his wits to evade the sort of pressure fighter that is Katsidis. He uses speedy footwork to get in, score points and get out of trouble.
That said, the former IBF Featherweight and Super-Featherweight Champion has some pop in his fists with 18 knockouts, including five first round stoppages.
Where Katsidis is easy to find and hit, Guerrero, nicknamed The Ghost, is likely to be a more frustrating proposition for the man in the other corner.
With 14 straight victories coming in Guerrero would look to be a bit fresher than Katsidis, who was stopped in nine thrilling rounds with Juan Manuel Marquez last year and is said to have suffered an eye injury while preparing for this one which could have scuppered this bout.
Katsidis should have a significant size advantages against a former featherweight. He always gives 100 per cent and has an exhaustive will power to destroy his opponent. However, I'm not sure it'll be enough against the superbly-skilled Guerrero.
I'm inclined to think of Katsidis' points loss to Juan Diaz immediately after he had been stopped by Casamyor back in 2008.
Diaz, who has often lacked finesse and is not the most fleet-footed, was able to outfox Katsidis. Many thought Katsidis had gone straight back into a world level fight too soon after a crushing but valiant defeat and he lost on points.
Here there are similarities.
This time Guerrero is a much better skilled boxer than Diaz and is likely to be exuding confidence as he seeks to gain better exposure after flying under the radar for too long. You can never write off Katsidis, who is sure to turn up in fantastic shape, but I would pick Guerrero to dazzle on his way to a points decision.
* Postscript: Guerrero went on to take a comprehensive decision, winning 117-108, 118-106 and 118-107.
In defeat Katsidis was a brave and try-hard as ever. He was considered a little unfortunate to lose two points for low blows - despite not being warned first.
Katsidis should now take some time off to re-charge his batteries.
There will also be a place for his popular, hard-working fighter but he might be better served to step back to allow him to come back a fresher fighter.
Guerrero, funnily enough, may have less options open to him than Katsidis right now!
He's a southpaw, he's skilled, he's dangerous. I'm not sure promoters of the big names in and around the lightweight division will relish the thought of Guerrero has an opponent.
However, he deserves credit for putting on a clinical, marvellous performance.
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