Abril: I'm Willing To Give Rios Another Schooling at 140

By Phil D. Jay

Lightweight contender Richard Abril (17-3-1, 8KOs) is still seething at his split decision defeat at the Mandalay Bay to Brandon Rios earlier this month and doesn’t believe that he will ever share the ring with the former WBA champion in the future.

The 29 year-old is still hoping to retain his interim WBA champion status with the World Boxing Association before deciding on his next move and told WBN that he could be tempted to 140lbs if a world title opportunity came calling.

“We are still waiting for the rankings from the WBA, but I am confident that I will be given a shot at the vacant title,” Abril told World Boxing News.

“As soon as the first judge gave Rios the decision, I knew I had lost the fight and all the talk of holding after the bout was his team trying to justify the boxing clinic that I gave him.

“I am more than willing to move up to 140lbs and give Rios another schooling, but I doubt Rios would accept the fight.

Asked whether he is looking to fight the likes of Yuriorkis Gamboa or Sergio Thompson for the vacant belt, Abril answered: “I will fight King Kong if I have too, I doesn’t matter who they offer me.

“If the opportunity to fight the legend Juan Manuel Marquez came up, I would willingly move up to light-welterweight, not for any personal reasons against him - just as it would be an honour to share the ring with him,” said Abril.

A likely scenario could be that Abril and Rios’ original opponent Gamboa could clash for the vacant title in the summer, although the WBA have yet to make any comment of who will contest the 135lb belt.

Phil D. Jay covers boxing for worldboxingnews.net