WHO IS BRANDON RIOS?
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 30 May 2013
Brandon Lee Rios is slated as the next Manny Pacquiao foe this coming November 24, 2013. He was born in Lubbock, Texas and is 27 years old. He had a very impressive amateur record of 230-35.
With his father as amateur coach, Rios became US national amateur featherweight champion in 2004. It was in the Olympic Trials where he met his present trainer Roberto Garcia, the former IBF superfeatherweight champion.
Like Pacquiao, Rios is a protege of Bob Arum and Top Rank. In his first professional fights, he compiled six straight TKO victories, with three 1st round stoppages. He won the NABF lightweight title by 3rd round TKO over fellow American Jorge Teron in 2010.
Nicknamed Bam Bam, Rios defeated Venezuelan Miguel Acosta to win the WBA world lightweight title by 10th round TKO. He lost the title on the scales in his second defense when he did not meet the weight limit but defeated British John Murray by 11th round TKO.
Rios has a professional record of 31-1-1 with 23 KOs. His only loss was dealt by Mike Alvarado on March 30, 2013 by unanimous decision for the interim WBO light welterweight title. It was a rematch of their classic encounter on October 13, 2012 which became the Fight of the Year 2012. It was for the WBO Latino light welterweight title.
In that fight, Rios was behind own points when he rallied to castigate Alvarado prompting the referee to stop the bout at 1:57 in the 7th round. It was the supporting event of the Nonito Donaire-Toshiaki Noshioka WBO/WBC superbantamweight championship.
The Rios-Alvarado trilogy and the Pacquiao-Marquez pentalogy was held in abeyance to give way to the Macau, China face off. The taller Rios has not fought beyond the light welterweight limit and this will be his first pay-per-view fight and his biggest payday.
Pacquiao is picked as the favorite because of his experience. But Rios is very positive he can steal an upset.
"He picked me because I lost. They probably think Brandon is easy to hit. Brandon gets hit all the time. It's a very different story when you get in the ring with me...they made a mistake picking me," Rios was quoted by the Boston Herald.
A win over Pacquiao would catapult him to the apex of the boxing world and a possible pound-for-pound ranking.
"I want to fight him not just for the money but because of what he has done and if you beat him, it takes your name to a different level," he told Philippine Star. "It's my time to shine to take on the best and beat the best."
It will be the first time that Pacquiao will fight outside the United States since winning against Mexican Oscar Larios in Manila by unanimous decision in 2006. It will also be Rios' first bout outside the American continent.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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