By Robbie Bannatyne: As the proposed mega fight between Floyd Mayweather Jnr and Manny Pacquiao oscillates from ‘done deal’ to ‘dead and buried’, fed up fans of the sport just want to watch some boxing. Enthusiasts of the sweet science are growing increasingly frustrated by the seemingly fruitless, protracted nature of the negotiation process between “The Money Team” and Pacquiao’s camp.
With no end in sight for the super fight, the Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado trilogy will be the perfect tonic for fans who are tired of the procrastination of Floyd Mayweather Jnr. Forget all the tiresome talk and the irrelevant rhetoric, the third instalment of Rios vs Alvarado will be an all action war from the bloody start to the brutal end. For boxing fans who like their bouts rich in drama and soaked in blood, Denver, Colorado will be the place to be tonight.
The terms ‘limited brawlers’ and ‘B-Class boxers’ are often bandied about where Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado are concerned. Although it is hard to argue with those frank assessments, it is a tad unfair of the fans to dismiss these two warriors with such withering criticisms.
Both men were never going to be destined for the ‘Hall of Fame’, but fighters such as Rios and Alvarado are the lifeblood of boxing. They are archetypal boxers who fight to put food on the table, and their entertaining styles put bums on seats and focus eyes on the box.
In an age where many mainstream fighters leave fans feeling malnourished with the shameless diet of mismatches they feed us, it is refreshing to see two fighters still willing to earn their money the hard way. In the new epoch of prize fighting, men like Rios and Alvarado are set to become forgotten relics, replaced by fighters who stoically stick to the ‘high reward-low risk’ model of matchmaking. Sure it makes sense, but still, it makes us loyal fans sick to the stomach to see supposed ‘top fighters’ coast through their careers against cannon fodder opposition.
Give me the blood and guts of Brandon Rios or Mike Alvarado over the bullshit and bravado of Danny Garcia any day of the week. On Saturday night we will see a high stakes game of Russian roulette with Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado both vying to put the bullet into each other’s boxing career. You better believe it is win or bust for both men, and the blood lust on display will make sure that the 3rd fight of their epic trilogy will go out with a bang.
Mike Alvarado knows the blue print of how to box from range and beat Brandon Rios, but I expect Rios to rediscover his form and repeat the knockout victory he scored in their 1st contest. Regardless of the result, any Mayweather vs Pacquiao rhetoric will be furthest away from the minds of boxing fans when these two willing and able warriors meet in the ring tomorrow night.
Boxing Fans- How do you see the fight going?
I look forward to reading your comments:
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