By Rick Reeno

Unbeaten lightweight contender Brandon Rios (26-0, 19KOs) verbally blasted his professional rival, junior welterweight Victor Ortiz (28-2, 22KOs). The two boxers, who at one time were stablemates under trainer Robert Garcia, are no strangers to trading words. Rios was irritated by Ortiz calling him "tune-up" opponent in a recent interview.

Rios believes Oritz's promoter, Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions, matched his boxer against Andre Berto in order to cash him out. Rios is predicting that Ortiz will quit in the upcoming fight with Berto, which takes place on April 16 for Berto's WBC welterweight title.

"He waits until he's moving up to 147, two weight classes [from 135], to call me out. He's a retard, talking about that I'm a little boy, this and that. He ain't sh*t. Berto is going to do to [Ortiz] what Maidana did to him. De La Hoya is using his ass. De La Hoya is his pimp right now. He's cashing him out. He's trying get back some of the money that he invested in him because after this fight Ortiz is done," Rios told BoxingScene.com.