Team Provodnikov: Alvarado Still Needs To Prove Himself

By Ryan Burton

Earlier this week Ruslan Provodnikov's promoter Artie Pelullo told BoxingScene's Rick Reeno that they had reached an agreement with Top Rank and HBO to face WBO interim junior welterweight champion Mike Alvarado in his hometown of Denver, CO on October 19th. While Provodnikov has agreed to the fight, Alvarado's manager Henry Delgado told The Denver Post that he still doesn't know who Alvarado will face next and will look for the best possible deal for his fighter.

“We call the shots,” Delgado stated. “We don’t convince anybody. They convince us. (Top Rank) throws some names to me, and we figure out what’s best for Mike, what’s best for his career."

Provodnikov's manager Vadim Kornilov responded to Team Alvarado by saying that the Alvarado-Provodnikov fight will determine who the real WBO champion is, pointing out that Alvarado's title is of the interim variety. 

"Alvarado is only the interim champion for now.  This fight against Ruslan will decide who the real champion is because they are both top rated by the WBO in the 140 pound weight class.  Once he becomes champion then they can choose and convince.  For now they have to fight the top rated WBO fighter and beat him.  Whoever wins this fight will be the real champion, the star, and accepted by the fans.  For now all he has is two close fights with Brandon Rios.  He still has to prove himself in this fight which everybody wants to see," Kornilov stated.

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