Bradley-Rios WBO Title Status Still Up in The Air

By Jake Donovan

With or without the title at stake, the show will go on for Timothy Bradley and Brandon Rios.

The pair of welterweights are scheduled to collide on November 7 at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. HBO will televise the event as part of its World Championship Boxing series. Whether or not an actual championship will be at stake, will depend on how soon negotiations can wrap up between Top Rank—who promotes Bradley and Rios—and Golden Boy Promotions, whose client Sadam Ali is the mandatory challenger to Bradley’s title.

“Our position is the same as it was (on September 7) when I last spoke,” confirmed WBO President Francisco ‘Paco’ Valcarcel, who went public with his insistence that an agreement hadn’t yet been reached to green light a voluntary title defense. “Top Rank and Golden Boy are still negotiating on their end. Until then, we cannot yet sanction this fight.”

Ali was named mandatory challenger earlier in the year, and promised first dibs at the winner of the June 26 vacant title fight between Bradley and Jessie Vargas. Bradley prevailed by unanimous decision, though not before having to wade through a crazy ending. For a few moments, Vargas believed he won a come-from-behind stoppage thanks to referee Pat Russell mistaking the 10-second clapper for the final bell, a moment that came just as Bradley was briefly dazed from a flurry.

Order was immediately restored, but clarification on who will be his first official challenger has been anything but timely. Top Rank initially attempted to make a Bradley-Ali fight, but declared that HBO—its preferred boxing network for its biggest events—had minimal interest in funding such a match.

From there, attention turned to making a Bradley-Rios clash, which initially never evolved beyond negotiations and financial demands. However, a combination of HBO raising its license fee and both Bradley and Rios moving down from the original asking price helped make the fight a reality.

The HBO date is a sigh of relief for Rios, who has been out of the ring since January. At this point, he really doesn’t care what’s at stake, as long as he gets to punch someone for pay.

“I was just happy to get the call saying I'm getting the fight,” Rios (33-2-1, 24KOs) said during Wednesday’s press conference in Los Angeles to formally announce the event.

Rios has fought just three rounds in all of 2015 to date. His last ring appearance came in January, settling up old business with longtime friendly rival Mike Alvarado. Rios scored a 3rd round knockout on Alvarado’s home turf in Broomfield, Colo., avenging the first defeat of his career one year prior and going up 2-1 in their three-fight set.

The Oxnard, Calif.-based brawler was in negotiations for a potential clash with unbeaten welterweight titlist Kell Brook. Those talks ultimately bottomed out, leaving Rios without a fight until the shot at Bradley resurrected.

“I'm here now and ready to go. I'm well prepared,” said Rios, though visible signs of “chicho” somewhat challenge that claim. “You will see the best Brandon Rios. I'm coming to put on a show.”

Present condition aside, the fact that Rios signed on for such a dangerous fight is a statement in and of itself. Despite boasting a fan-friendly style and the backing of HBO and Top Rank, big fights remain difficult come by for Bradley (32-1-1, 12KOs).

The always sculpted Californian signed with Top Rank in 2011 for the very purpose of landing the best opportunities. It led to a major upset win over Manny Pacquiao in June ’12, although the split decision nod in his favor remains widely scrutinized to this very day.

He wound up sitting out the remainder of 2012, holding Arum to task in waiting for his next opportunity. A memorable 2013 atoned for the extended break, first surviving 12 hellacious rounds with Ruslan Provodnikov to score a decision win in the 2013 Fight of the Year and then going on to claim a close but clear 12-round nod over Juan Manuel Marquez in April.

Bradley’s luck ran out last April, dropping a unanimous decision to Manny Pacquiao in their HBO PPV-headlining rematch. He’s fought just twice since then—a disputed 12-round draw with Diego Chaves last December, followed by his aforementioned title-regaining effort over Vargas in June.

“I want to comment Brandon and his team. These guys are willing to face anybody and everybody,” stated an appreciative Bradley during the press session. “I understand that Brandon is going to be extremely ready for this fight. I embrace any challenge.

“I embrace what's to come on November 7. We will give it to you guys 110% like we always do.”

That promise comes, whether a title is at stake, or both are forced to fight simply for bragging rights.

TICKET INFO

Tickets— priced at $400, $200, $150, $100 and $50—are due to go on sale Thursday, September 17 at 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT. They can be purchased at the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office, online at http://www.unlvtickets.com/ , at UNLVtickets Outlet Town Square Las Vegas and La Bonita Supermarkets.  To charge by phone call 702-739-FANS (3267) or 866-388-FANS (3267). 

Arum confirmed during the press conference that the venue will be scaled to seat 9,000 in attendance, with all price points representing floor seats as well as the lower bowl.

Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com.
Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
Facebook Page: JakeBScene