BRADLEY KO?S AN OUT OF SHAPE RIOS
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 08 Nov 2015
Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas:- Nobody, even Tim Bradley or his new trainer Ted Atlas I would surmise, expected the ending of the much bally-hood Bradley vs Rios title fight for the WBO welterweight title at this venue tonight.
Yes Bradley was favored to win the fight with the odds even hitting 5-1 in his favor. But Bradley hardly knocked out anyone (13KOs in more than 37 fights) so it came as a big surprise when body shots and a follow-up upper cut dropped Brandon Rios to his knees near his own corner.
We have seen Rios hit by tremendous body shots before in his classic fights with Mike Alvarado. But he never fell!
Most of the pundits in the area where I was up on Section 117 felt that Rios was going to lose via a wide UD after seeing Bradley out-gun and out-speed the hustle machine from Oxnard. In fact after 5 rounds, they were already predicting a shut-out after witnessing the very sluggish performance of the weight laden Rios trying to catch the elusive Bradley.
Rios, folks said came in at 170 pounds for the fight. He ballooned to that weight from the 147 lbs he was at the weigh in. And, the excess baggage showed its ugly side. Rios was very slow and his promise to cut off the ring and bring the fight to the Desert Storm never came. In fact, he hardly touched Bradley. That was the biggest surprise coming from Rios who was known as a none-stop mean machine.
After the fight, Rios announced from the top of the ring when asked by Max Kellerman about his plans that he is retiring. Perhaps that is just a spur of the moment statement capped by his disappointment due to the bad loss. But, be that as it may, the fight many wanted to see happen (Rios vs Victor Ortiz) may never come.
In talking to some pundits in the press room after the fight, many placed the blame squarely on Robert Garcia for more handling the training camp better. First, Rios came in over weight at the weight in. Yes, it was not by much. But still he was over the contracted limit when he first stepped on the scales. Then he came in at 170 for the fight!
Rios may as well be true to his word and retire while he is ahead health wise. For sure we will miss him if he does. He was such a great fighter to see and he was a warrior.
But there is time for everything. And for Rios it is time to retire and take care of his nice family. He has enough cash in the bank to live a good life. So what else is there to do?
Besides, Garcia is now so busy and it seems he just can spend the usual time with Rios.
I may be wrong, but that is my perception.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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