Brandon Rios: I Love Proving The Doubters Wrong

Confident Brandon Rios insists he is relishing being the underdog and predicts he will shock the world by beating Manny Pacquiao when they clash in China on November 23.

Pacquiao, the first and only eight-division world champion, faces Rios for the vacant WBO international welterweight title in Macau and starts the fight as a heavy favourite despite losing his last two fights.

But Rios (31-1-1 23KOs) believes he can pull off a major shock against 34-year-old Pacquiao.

"It's OK - everybody looks at me as a punching bag," said Rios, 27, who stopped Manchester's John Murray in 11 rounds back in March 2011.

"But that's all right - I have a great game plan and I am going to shock the world and show them what kind of a fighter I am.

"I am just ready man. To be honest with you, I don't care what people think - if I have a chance or not. I am just going to prove everybody wrong. And that's good; they are not giving me credit. That makes me train harder and gives me the drive to show them and shut them up.

"No one is giving me a chance. Everybody is overlooking me. But I am going to show the world that he belongs with the best; he wants to fight the best. This is the guy that has heart and balls that gives everything in the ring, that's what he wants.

"I love it. I love it when they doubt me and I can prove them wrong. I proved them wrong against (Anthony) Peterson. I did it again against (Miguel) Acosta. I did it with (Urbano) Antillon and I did it with (Mike) Alvarado. So I'll be ready."

Pacquiao (54-5-2 38KOs) goes into the fight having been surprisingly knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez in six rounds just over a year ago and before that he dropped a points decision to Timothy Bradley.