It's clear that Brandon Rios is much bigger than a lightweight. While he's been draining himself quite hard, the size and strength advantage he has is huge compared to his opponents. Lightweight punches don't faze him, and his own punches are real hurtful at that weight. Rios simply walks through the other guys punches, and stops them sooner or later.
No doubt Top Rank have played him well in the lightweight division where he has no real competition unlike the 140 division where a few would beat him. But when he steps up to someone his own size, and with real boxing ability, I think he will be exposed for his lack of boxing skills. As someone put it on these forums (in reference to Mosley-Margarito), a guy with no defence will always get knocked out at one point or another.
Don't get me wrong, Rios is real exciting simply because of the nature of his style but, his wins seem kind of artificial to me.
What do you think?
All right well judging by the responses, I was wrong to overestimate the weight and size factors. I still think Rios is a bit too one dimensional but I have to admit I'm bias in favouring the boxer when compared to the brawler. Either way looking forward to seeing Rios move up.
Rios isn't some exceptionally tall or muscle bound dude. If you look at his musculature, he actually has a naturally small frame. His main issue with weight is his lack of physical conditioning- even after a full training camp, the dude is still skinny/fat. The guy needs to start working with a trainer and nutritionist because in his most recent fight, he looked extremely drained of fluids, but was still soft around his mid section.
I definitely agree. The man needs a nutritionist and some discipline.
losing muscle is different to dehydrating yourself
Dehydrating down a long way has a huge effect on ones performance. If anyone isn't a lightweight, they won't be able to compete at said weight. Anyone who can compete in a weight division, weight cutting and all, is fit to do so. There is nothing artificial about Rios or his victories.
I am sure he will find more difficult fights at 140, but he has been playing the build up game for a long time, short of a few opponents. Of course the step up in weight and class will bring him tougher fights and challenges, but that doesn't make anything he has accomplished thus far "artificial."
Rios isn't some exceptionally tall or muscle bound dude. If you look at his musculature, he actually has a naturally small frame. His main issue with weight is his lack of physical conditioning- even after a full training camp, the dude is still skinny/fat. The guy needs to start working with a trainer and nutritionist because in his most recent fight, he looked extremely drained of fluids, but was still soft around his mid section.
People mention fighters staying in weight divisions to maintain size and strength advantage. E.g. Donaire
I was under the impression they did this too. Are they flat out wrong then? In the sense that actually, the fighter doesn't really have an advantage?
donaire said that?
maintaining a weight will help you stay at that weight and get your body accustomed and more relaxed to it, but if you want to blow up to gain a size advantage you set a weight about 10lbs north and then go into moderate dehydration(about 10% body weight) losing about 10-14lbs and on fight night you'll have gained about 10-14lbs
if your maintained at that weight you wont gain as much, it's basic stuff and alot of fighters use the I.V to hydrate too, alot more common than people realise
No because draining yourself will also zap some of strength away.
People mention fighters staying in weight divisions to maintain size and strength advantage. E.g. Donaire
I was under the impression they did this too. Are they flat out wrong then? In the sense that actually, the fighter doesn't really have an advantage?
If he's draining himself really hard. Then he shouldn't be a strong LW...If he's too big for the division where he's draining himself. It will make him weak and no way should be good solid skilled top fighters of the divisions. So for him to do so...Makes it even more impressive.
losing muscle is different to dehydrating yourself
Doesn't the size and strength advantage outweigh the loss of energy from draining yourself?
No because draining yourself will also zap some of strength away.
If he's draining himself really hard. Then he shouldn't be a strong LW...If he's too big for the division where he's draining himself. It will make him weak and no way should be good solid skilled top fighters of the divisions. So for him to do so...Makes it even more impressive.
Doesn't the size and strength advantage outweigh the loss of energy from draining yourself?
If he's draining himself really hard. Then he shouldn't be a strong LW...If he's too big for the division where he's draining himself. It will make him weak and no way should be good solid skilled top fighters of the divisions. So for him to do so...Makes it even more impressive.