By Jake Donovan
At times, boxing hits a point where we’re reading more about negotiations for a fight than an actual fight itself. Fans merely want to watch a sport, but too many participants view it strictly as business.
Then there are guys like Brandon Rios, who genuinely loves the part when he’s actually in the ring.
“What drives me is that I love my sport,” Rios stated during a conference call to promote his April 14 lightweight showdown with Richard Abril. “I love what I do. A lot of fighters do this for a job. I don’t do it for a job. I do it because I really love it and I have a passion for my job.”
That very passion is often exuded in Rios’ fights. The unbeaten American was on the verge of a breakout campaign in 2011, scoring thrilling knockout wins over Miguel Acosta and Urbano Antillon to emerge as one of the sport’s top action stars.
Holding him back from a Fighter of the Year-level run last year was his failure to make weight for his December bout with John Murray. Rios was forced to give up his belt on the scales, but still proceeded with the fight and stopped the British contender in the 11th round of their clash in New York City.
Rios returns to the ring for the first time since that bout, now armed with a nutritionist and reformed approach to training and dieting. The changes in his game allowed the former titlists to remain at lightweight, with the first step being his efforts to reclaim the belt he was forced to vacate last year.
After that, who knows? Rios is in this strictly for the thrill of the fans who pay to watch him ply his trade. The feelings are mutual from the viewing audience as well as those who guide his career.
“He’s just a pleasure to work with,” states Cameron Dunkin, Rios’ multi-award winning manager who is often cited for having the keenest eye for talent in the sport today. “Guys like that, there aren’t many of them. They don’t talk about money, they just want to fight. You want to make them money and want to do things for them.
“Todd (duBoef, Top Rank President) says all the time, ‘I want to make him money because of his passion and for him to be successful.’ We all love to watch him fight and we all want to root for him. He’s just a really great guy.”
How great of a fighter Rios can become is fully within his own grasp. April 14 was supposed to begin that run, but plans of a showdown with Yuriorkis Gamboa fell through once the unbeaten Cuban opted to go a different route that will now lead to a courtroom.
Even with unheralded Abril stepping in as the assigned opponent, Rios still views the date as his next opportunity to beat up someone and get paid for it – in other words, a dream job.
“I love my job a lot. If I don’t do this, I don’t know where I’d be right now. I’d probably be locked up.”
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com. Follow Jake on Twitter:@JakeNDaBox or submit questions/comments to JakeNDaBox@gmail.com