By Luke Furman
WBO junior welterweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov (23-2, 16KOs) says a potential fight with Brandon Rios (31-2-1, 23KOs) is the last option on his list. The two fighters called each other out on the social networks and agreed to face each other, but the Siberian champion says a fight with Rios is the least likely opponent for his next return.
Provodnikov is a frontrunner candidate to fight eight division champion Manny Pacquiao on April 12th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. If he can't get Pacquiao, then Provodnikov wants a rematch with WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley or a high stakes fight with Mexican superstar Juan Manuel Marquez.
"Rios is the final option. As they say, he is the final option - if I can not agree with Pacquiao, Marquez or Timothy Bradley," Provodnikov said.
Luke Furman covers boxing for bokser.org