By Chris Williams: Former WBA lightweight champion Brandon Rios (29-0-1, 22 KO’s) and Juan Manuel Marquez (53-6-1, 39 KO’s) will meet up on July 14th at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, provided that they both win their scheduled fights on April 14th. According to ESPN, Top Rank is in talks with the Dallas Cowboys officials in having the Marquez-Rios fight take place at the Cowboys Stadium. Along with this fight, WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire will be defending his title against Cristian Mijares as the co-main event.

That’s not much of co-headliner, as Mijares has no power, and isn’t a huge star in Mexico. He’s got some fans but he’s not a big name, but I guess this is the best Bob Arum can dig up for Donaire that takes advantage of the large Mexican community in Texas while at the same time doesn’t pose any real threat to Donaire getting beaten. It’s a fine line you have to walk, because Donaire is money maker and possibly a future cash cow for Arum if he can keep Donaire away from dangerous fighters like Guillermo Rigondeaux, Juan Manuel Lopez, Orlando Salido, and Yuriorkis Gamboa.

Rios has to beat his next opponent Richard Abril (17-2-1, 8 KO’s) on April 14th in their fight at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. I’d say Rios’ chances of success are about 100% because Abril can’t punch and has looked mediocre in losses to Henry Lundy and Breidis Prescott, two fighters that Rios would have no problem beating. The only reason Rios is fighting Abril is because he came to his recent press conference in Los Angeles to call him out. This was the same press conference that Rios’ scheduled opponent Yuriorkis Gamboa failed to show up. Abril isn’t a good opponent for Rios and it should be an easy knockout win for Rios.

Marquez also has an easy mark on his hands against the light hitting Serhiy Fedchenko (30-1, 13 KO’s) on April 14th at the New Mexico City Arena in Mexico City, Mexico. Fedchenko is no threat to Marquez with his little power, average hand speed and his hit and retreat style of fighting. The hardest part of Marquez beating Fedchenko will be trying to catch up to him to land, because he won’t be standing in front of Marquez.

Marquez will obviously beat Rios in their. Marquez is just a much more complete fighter than Rios and will always be a better fighter. Rios is a basic slugger beats guys on power alone. He’ll have big problems against Marquez.