By Chris Williams: Bob Arum’s plans to match former WBA World lightweight champion Brandon Rios (31-0-1, 23 KO’s) up against Manny Pacquiao in early April next year were foiled with Pacquiao’s knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez on December 8th.
With no other real ideas what to do with Rios, Arum is reportedly looking to put him back in the ring with light welterweight contender Mike Alvarado (33-1, 23 KO’s) for a rematch on March 16th.
Rios already beat Alvarado by a 7th round knockout last October in a fight that was competitive until Alvarado got hurt in the 6th and then taken out in the 7th.
Although it was an interesting fight between Alvarado and Rios, it’s not all that appealing to see them fight again because Rios proved that he’s the better fighter already and it’s dull to see rematches when they’re not needed.
I know Arum has been putting Pacquiao and Marquez back in with each over and over again, but this isn’t Pacquiao-Marquez. Alvarado is a fighter that had to struggle badly to beat Breidis Prescott, and the fact that he was able to give Rios huge problems is more indicative of Rios’s limitations as a light welterweight than it is a sign of how good Alvarado is.
Part of Arum’s problem is that he can’t match Rios against the best fighters in the light welterweight division in Lucas Matthysse and Danny Garcia, so instead we see Rios facing Alvarado for a second time. I can imagine how Rios is feeling right now about this. He was hoping he was going to get a big money fight against Pacquiao and now he has to settle for fighting Alvarado again.
It can’t be motivating. Recycling fights when they’re not needed is really dull, and a good way to kill the sport in my view. I’d prefer to see Rios fight a rematch with the guy that totally dominated him earlier this year in Richard Abril.
Rios was given a 12 round split decision win over Abril in a fight that looked like a lopsided win for Abril. That’s the fight that Arum should be looking to get a rematch for. Of course, Abril showed in that fight that he really had Rios’ number, so I’m not surprised that Abril isn’t getting a second chance to make Rios look bad again.
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