PACQUIAO WILL RISE AGAIN
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 20 Nov 2013
Manny Pacquiao will face Brandon Rios in Macau, China on November 24 (Philippine and China time) with the two boxers coming off from respective defeats. Pacquiao was beaten by Juan Manuel Marquez by KO and Rios lost to Mike Alvarado by unanimous decision.
Alvarado inflected Rios his first career loss during their rematch last March 30 at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nevada. During that rematch Alvarado moved a lot, fought from the outside, did some holding, and scored intelligently as Rios brawled and slugged like what he did in their first bout.
During the early rounds there were fierce exchange of blows like the brutal first bout which turned out to be the 2012 Fight of the Year. Rios won the first encounter by crushing Alvarado in the 6th and finishing him off in the 7th when the referee stopped the bout. Alvarez led in the judges scorecards until Rios proved himself to be the better warrior.
The rematch has the making of another Fight of the Year. As the two protagonists' skills are always headed for an excellent matchup. Alvarado however lost to Ruslan Provodnikov last October 19 by TKO after the 10th round.
Rios was seen as an opponent designed for Pacquiao to look good and recover from that shocking KO loss to Marquez. He prefers to fight in the inside, with little concern for defense.
Pacquiao plans the same technique he applied to Ricky Hatton whom he floored twice in the first round and knocked out flat in the second round. Both Hatton and Rios had similar brawling instincts.
Rios did not suffer any KO loss as a pro but went down twice in the first round during his clash with Joel Ortega in 2006 but he also sent his foe to the canvas twice in the 5th round to win by TKO.
Rios has a lot fighting years ahead if he fails in Macau. There's still a looming trilogy with Alvarado. But for Pacquiao a defeat could mean a final performance enroute to retirement at an age turning 35 on December 17.
However we are confident the fighting congressman from Sarangani will rise again. Rios is definitely not a Marquez or a Timothy Bradley because he is not a counter-puncher or an out-boxer. But he could be an Antonio Margarito, Miguel Cotto or worse a Hatton being a slugger.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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