Rios vs. Alvarado: There Will Be Blood

09/14/201610/10/2012 ESB

Rios vs. Alvarado: There Will Be Blood By John G. Thompson: This coming Saturday night Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios (30-0-1, 22 KO’s) will face Mike “Mile High” Alvarado (33-0, 23 KO’s) in the ring at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California televised on HBO Boxing After Dark. While the outcome of this fight is as hard to predict as Rios’ conditioning, one thing is certain – when these two aggressive power punchers meet there will be blood.

Rios of nearby Oxnard, California (born in Lubbock, Texas) is just twenty-six years old, but has already battled weight issues in his last two fights, losing his WBA World Lightweight title on the scales in July of last year. Rios was an experienced and decorated amateur with about 275 bouts and was the 2004 United States Amateur Featherweight Champion and a 2004 Olympic alternate for the USA.

Brandon Rios vs. Mike Alvarado: Fighting for respect on October 13th

09/14/201610/05/2012 ESB

(Photo credit: Adrian Hernandez) By Joseph Herron: In the midst of making their final preparations for their highly anticipated October 13th showdown at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios (30-0-1, 22 KOs) and “Mile High” Mike Alvarado (33-0, 23 KOs) have made it abundantly clear that winning the fight isn’t their lone objective.

“I want to make history on October 13th,” proclaimed Brandon Rios. “I want to make a statement in my fight with Mike Alvarado and show everyone a legendary battle. I’ve always wanted to be a part of a fight like Gatti/Ward. Hopefully my fight with Alvarado on October 13th is that fight.”

“I love to fight. I love hitting people in the face and I love to get hit. A heavyweight could punch me and I’d still love it.”

“The way I fight and the way he fights, it’s going to be a war. I know it’s going to be a tough fight but it’s going to be an exciting fight for the fans. We both have the same styles and I don’t change my style for anyone.”

Nishioka vs Donaire, Rios vs Alvarado: Prepare For Warefare

09/14/201609/07/2012 ESB

By Mark Klimaszewski – On October 13th, The Home Depot. Centre in Carson, California will see a superb double-header of boxing entertainment. Featuring the 122lb clash between Japanese “Speed-king” Toshiaki Nishioka and “Filipino Flash” Nonito Donaire; and it’s saliva inducing co-feature, the 140lb battle between undefeated “Mile High” Mike Alvarado against (also undefeated) former Lightweight World Champion Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios.

This is the kind of billing for fans to get excited about! In Nishioka v Donaire you have what will be a superbly technical, fast-paced chess match that will gather momentum and develop into a full blown war. Nishioka looked brilliant in his outpointing of Mexican hall-of-famer Rafael Marquez in November of last year; his speed and accuracy looked daunting for any potential opponent whilst he really seemed comfortable in there. Toshiaki appears to be at his physical peak right now and is a mouth-watering style match up for his slick, hard-hitting and maybe equally as fast opponent Donaire.

The Flash has struggled to find some career-defining fights outside of his huge upset stoppage victory over the then ultra-formidable knock out artist, Vic Darchinyan, and his shocking 2nd round demolition of then-unified 118lb champ Fernando Montiel. Nonito’s left hook was the deciding factor in both those fights and will be a dangerous prospect for the speedy Japanese southpaw. However, Donaire hasn’t looked overly impressive since his big win over Montiel and if Nishioka can avoid that left he will surely possess the speed to beat him to the punch through the mid to late rounds. Of course, that’s a big “if”.

Mike Alvarado: My fight against Rios will be talked about for a very long time

09/14/201608/28/2012 ESB

By Marcus Richardson: The October 13th clash between unbeaten light welterweight contender Mike Alvarado (33-0, 23 KO’s) and former WBA World lightweight champion Brandon Rios (30-0-1, 22 KO’s) promises to be an exciting one when the two fighters mix it up on the undercard of the Toshiaki Nishioka vs. Nonito Donaire fight at the Home Depot Center, in Carson, California.

Both Alvarado and Rios are hard hitters that constantly come forward trying to land knockout shots with every punch. Rios might be at a little disadvantage in this fight in that he’s moving up from lightweight to take it, and he’s not looked really good for some time. Rios could be biting off more than he can chew by fighting the all action Alvarado, because this is a guy that has torn pretty much everyone apart that he’s faced thus far.

Alvarado said in his recent conference with Rios as quoted by the denverpost.com “This is the fight that’s going to be talked about for a very long time.”

It’s possible that this fight could live up to the billing, but for that to happen Rios is going to have to raise his game considerably from his last two outings. He’s blamed his less than spectacular performances on him having problems making weight. That sounds like a reasonable excuse but he’s going to have to up his game none the less. At this point there’s a question of whether Rios can even make 140 without a great struggle because it’s only five pounds more than the weight class that Rios has been having big problems with.