Rios is reborn, Alvarado is dead and buried

By Robbie Bannatyne - 01/25/2015 - Comments

rios63By Robbie Bannatyne: In the immediate build up to their 3rd fight there was a groundswell of public opinion that Brandon Rios would prevail against Mike Alvarado. This was in spite of the fact that ‘Mile High’ Mike was able to comfortably out-box Rios in their 2nd contest.

Though whilst many thought that Rios would grind out a late stoppage after a long and grueling fight, no one predicted just how quickly, and clinically the contest would end. If Rios was reborn then Mike Alvarado is dead and buried after being obliterated in 3 brutal rounds by his arch nemesis.

The familiar boxing cliché of the bout being win or bust, obviously resonated with Brandon Rios, who raced out of the blocks to beat up Alvarado from the 1st bell. For Alvarado, who slumped wearily back to his corner after the 3rd round, it was clear that whatever he once had was lost, and was never coming back.

It was inevitable though, that at 34 years old, Alvarado’s career was coming to an end. Yet for Rios, only 28, defeat would have been an utter disaster- he would have had no drawing board to go back to had he lost in Denver last night. However, the Oxnard brawler came back from the brink with a bang and he can surely look forward to some big fights and even bigger pay days when he gets back to business later in the year.

Many seem happy to defame Brandon Rios’ boxing character for his perceived lack of ability, but no one can deny his box office value. He is brilliant to watch, and his war cry that he wants to face fearsome puncher Ruslan Provodnikov next will be music to the ears of HBO and his promoter Bob Arum. Title or no title that would be the hottest ticket in town. Although not one for the purists, stylistically, it would be a match made in heaven; a sure fire ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate.

For a fighter who flirts with death so frequently in the ring, he is lucky his career is still alive. But Brandon Rios lives and breathes boxing- he just loves to fight. That is why his flame will continue to burn for a while yet. Instead of reading the obituary of a broken boxer, most fight fans will be glad that a few more chapters in the Brandon Rios story remain unwritten.

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