(Photo credit: Chris Farina – Top Rank) By Dan Ambrose: Despite moving up in weight to 140 lbs in order to have less of a struggle to make weight former WBA World lightweight champion Brandon Rios (30-0-1, 22 KO’s) is looking like he’s STILL having problems trying to make weight, as he looks painfully thin going into his fight this Saturday night against unbeaten Mike Alvarado (33-0, 23 KO’s) on the undercard of Nonito Donaire vs. Toshiaki Nishioka on HBO at the Home Depot Center, in Carson, California.

Rios, who failed to make weight for his last fight against Richard Abril six months ago in April, moved up five pounds from the lightweight division to the light welterweight division so that he could safely make weight. However, I had a feeling that this still wouldn’t be enough because five pounds is really nothing given how badly weight drained Rios had been for his last two fights. And sure enough, Rios looked completely emaciated as he tries to trim water weight so that he can make the 140 lb division. Judging by the photos I’ve seen of Rios, I honestly don’t see the light welterweight division as being the answer to his weight problems.

Even if he makes the weight on Friday for Saturday’s bout, Rios is going is likely going to be weaker than he would if he moved up to 147. Looking at his body when he’s not draining water weight, Rios is really a welterweight and he’s not going to be able to make 140 for long, if at all. It’s too bad because I don’t think Rios will be able to do much at welterweight unless his promoter Bob Arum can get him one of the interim titles and possibly pick off a weak champion like WBA World welterweight champ Paulie Malignaggi before someone else does.

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In other news, Steve Kim of Maxboxing.com/doghouseboxing.com is reporting that WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley’s title defense scheduled for December 15th may get pushed back to February. There are reports that Bradley’s foot injury from his fight with Manny Pacquiao is still healing and he likely won’t be ready for that date. However, Arum still plans on keeping the December 15th fight card, which will be televised by HBO. He’s thinking of putting WBA World super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux on the card against a still to be determined opponent, as well as former two time world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa. It’s been a year since Gamboa lost fought, and hopefully Arum doesn’t match him soft.