Brandon Rios should prove himself against Mike Alvarado next

By Boxing News - 04/15/2012 - Comments

Image: Brandon Rios should prove himself against Mike Alvarado nextBy Jason Kim: Brandon Rios (30-0-1, 22 KO’s) may have seen his fight against Juan Manuel Marquez go out the window last night with win over Richard Abril. The victory, a questionable 12 round split decision, has turned a lot of boxing fans against him instead of winning them over as new converts. Abril was supposed to be the perfect guy for Rios to shine against. Instead, Rios was totally outclassed for 12 rounds and put in his place by the wily Cuban.

According to the boxing news talk going around, Rios isn’t being mentioned Marquez’s next opponent on July 14th. It could be that his promoter Bob Arum has wised up seen what a mess that would be for him to trot out Rios in a fight against Marquez. It would obviously turn off a lot of boxing fans and since it’s a pay-per-view bout instead of a regular fight on HBO, it could result in low PPV numbers.

Since Rios has a lot to prove after his questionable win, Arum might do well to put him in with the star of last Saturday’s fight card Mike Alvarado. That would be the perfect fight for Rios because if he can beat a slugger like Alvarado, it will win back a lot of boxing fans that Rios may have lost last Saturday.

Beating Alvarado won’t be easy for Rios, because Alvarado can really punch and is a bigger fighter than Rios. But it’s a perfect fight for him because Alvarado is a stationary plodder just like Rios. Rios won’t have to worry about being clinched or having to chase Alvarado all around the ring, because Alvarado doesn’t like to clinch and he only fights in one direction – the forward gear.

If Rios can beat Alvarado, it would be a huge win and a fight guaranteed to be exciting from the first round to the last. If Rios can’t beat Alvarado, then Arum needs to consider dumping Rios because there won’t be any future for him at 140 and he can’t move back down to 135 again because he can’t make the weight. It would be a do or die fight for Rios. Arum should get it over with sooner rather than later, because if Alvarado doesn’t get Rios, someone else likely will. It’s better if it’s at least an in house guy that beats him.

Arum won’t likely let Alvarado get that chance to put Rios out of his misery because a loss to Alvarado will make Rios all but unwatchable on HBO. Can you imagine Rios’ fights still being televised by HBO after Alvarado takes him apart? There would be no more excuses because Alvarado wouldn’t clinch Rios. He’s bludgeon him and beat him at his own game.



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