Be Lem Satterfield
Top Rank is putting together their own internal lightweight elimination style tournament. The first part will begin on February 26, when lightweight star Brandon Rios(26-0-1, 19 KOs) will challenge WBA king Miguel Acosta in a Showtime televised clash at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Acosta (28-3, 22 KOs) has a 19-fight winning streak the includes 12 knockouts, and stoppages in his previous three bouts.
According to Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum, the Acosta-Rios winner would likely be matched against the winner of the rematch between WBC lightweight champion Humberto Soto (54-7-2, 32 KO) and challenger Urbano Antillon (28-2, 20 KOs). The rematch will take place on the Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley undercard on May 7 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
"Brandon Rios will be fighting Miguel Acosta on Feb. 26 at the Palms in Las Vegas on Showtime. The winner of that will fight the Soto-Antillon winner. The Soto-Antillon fight will be on the under card of Manny and Mosley," said Arum.
"Other than the Soto-Antillon fight, we're looking around and it [Pacquiao-Mosley] will be a great, great under card," said Arum. "I don't know the other slots, but it will be a fantastic card."
Lem Satterfield is the boxing editor at AOL FanHouse and the news editor at BoxingScene.com. To read more from Lem Satterfield, go to AOL FanHouse by Clicking Here.