By Ben Jacobs

Hard-hitting Argentine Diego Cháves has confirmed that he is indeed scheduled to fight Brandon Ríos on August 2.

Speaking to BoxingScene, Cháves sounded excited about the prospect of returning to the United States for a big bout following his defeat to Keith Thurman last July.

“I’m very happy that they called me to fight Brandon Ríos, it was a surprise,” he said. 
“He’s just lost on points to Manny Pacquiao and they had me in mind to fight in the US again.  It’s very important to me to fight there, especially against someone like Brandon Ríos.”

Ríos will be coming back from two straight decision losses against Mike Alvarado and more recently Manny Pacquiao.  Cháves meanwhile rebounded from his defeat to Thurman with a third round stoppage of fellow Argentine Juan Alberto Godoy back in February.

“I think Pacquiao was totally superior to Brandon but I know he’s a very strong fighter and he comes forward like all Mexicans.

“He’s still a young fighter, despite having had some very hard fights like against Pacquiao and Alvarado.  I don’t think he’s past his best or anything.

“It’s going to be a difficult fight, but I will try to box him and move, show him angles, like Pacquiao did.  He’s a guy that punches very hard so you don’t want to stand in front of him.  It’ll be important to be able to move for 12 rounds.”

Fans will no doubt be delighted with a match-up between two hard punching men who don’t back down in the face of adversity.  Although his last outing in front of American fans resulted in a defeat, Cháves is aware that he made his mark on the big stage.

“I think I left a good image of myself in the US because against Keith Thurman, despite the loss, I don’t think he was superior to me,” Diego insisted.

“It was a lucky punch that he got me with.  It was a liver shot around a time that I was doing well in the fight.  But that’s how boxing is.  He beat me, and the fact they’ve called me back to fight a top fighter like Ríos shows that I left a good image.

“The idea is to train here in Argentina for about 70% of the time and finish the remaining 30% in the US to spar with top fighters.  But right now the idea is to train mostly in Argentina.”