Rios: It’s going to be World War 3 against Alvarado

By Boxing News - 12/09/2014 - Comments

rios9By Dan Ambrose: #3 WBO, #9 WBC welterweight contender Brandon Rios (32-2-1, 23 KOs) is calling his January 24th third fight against former WBO light welterweight champion Mike Alvarado (34-3, 23 KOs) “World War III” when the two of them step foot inside the ring at the 1stBank Center, in Bloomfield, Colorado, USA.

The fight is being televised by HBO. There won’t be any titles on the line for the fight.

This fight should prove who the better fighter is of the two. Both guys have won one fight a piece. In theory, we should see who the better guy is between them, but that obviously doesn’t mean this is going to be the last fight between them.

You can expect their promoter Bob Arum to keep matching them against each other in the future, as long as their fights continue to bring in good ratings. I wouldn’t be surprised if Arum ultimately winds up matching Rios and Alvarado against each more in the future, even though neither of them are major players any longer in their respective weight classes.

Here’s what Rios said in their press conference earlier today in Denver, Colordado:

“World War III baby! We’ve got round three going on, it’s going to be a great fight. I’m very excited, just can’t wait. We’re ready to let it all out in the ring. We’re ready again. He was saying this is like a marriage, so will you marry me? See you on January 24, Alvarado-Rios, here we go at it again baby! World War 3.”

I don’t know that this fight is going to be any kind of war. Their last fight in March of last year was more of a boxing match due to Alvarado choosing to use his jab and a lot of movement to out-box Rios. I don’t know that Alvarado will change that plan in their third fight, especially with Alvarado having lost his last two fights to Juan Manuel Marquez and Ruslan Provodnikov.

The only way that Alvarado will choose to stand his ground and slug it out with Rios is if Alvarado physically can’t move for 12 rounds. That’s the major question. Alvarado tried to move a lot against Provodnikov and Marquez, but he didn’t have the stamina. At 34, it’s quite possible that Alvarado can’t move for 12 rounds in order to keep out of the way of Rios. If that’s the case then Rios will almost surely catch up to Alvarado and score a knockout at some point in the fight.

“I’m ready for this trilogy. It’s here. It’s been inevitable since the first two fights,” Alvarado said. “We never knew when this fight was gonna happen. I know it was just destined to happen. Our destiny is here now. I’m just excited about it. It’s going to be a great and classic fight.”



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