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f#ckin hell, boys.
time to start sounding off the battlecries!
look at mel, staring off into the impending battle.
time to start sounding off the battlecries!
look at mel, staring off into the impending battle.
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damn the poll on here is like 50/50 and so is the ring boxing magazine is real close as well.
Who wins the Rios-Alvarado blood brawl?
by Lem Satterfield
Oct 11th, 2012
Both lightweight titleholder Brandon Rios and rival Mike Alvarado have promised victory in Saturday night's HBO-televised clash of unbeatens at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
One thing that appears certain is that the winner will have to bleed to succeed.
"Cuts will be a major hindrance in a toe-to-toe slug-fest, and Alvarado's scar tissue will surely break open if a war breaks out," said Lee Groves of ******.com "It takes time for them to accumulate the punishment needed to cut short fights, so we will likely be treated to a battle that will go rounds."
Rios (30-0-1, 22 knockouts) has promised that his bout with Alvarado (33-0, 23 KOs) will be "a very violent, very bloody fight," one he believes will invoke memories of the Arturo "Thunder" Gatti-"Irish" Micky Ward trilogy as well as the Diego Corrales-Jose Luis Castillo 2005 Fight of The Year. Of the three Gatti-Ward bouts, the first and third earned RING Magazine's "Fight Of The Year" honors.
Meanwhile, Alvarado has vowed to become the first man to score a knockout against Rios, whom he meets on the undercard of a main event matching Nonito Donaire (29-1, 18 KOs) against Japan's Toshiaki Nishioka (39-4-3, 24 KOs), THE RING's No. 3 and No. 1 junior featherweights, respectively, in what will be a battle for the 122-pound championship, as well as for Donaire's IBF and WBO belts.
"It has all of the makings to be a great fight. The way that they fight, they're both disciplined guys," Ward (38-13-1, 27 KOs), who defeated Gatti and then twice lost to before retiring.
"They fight hard. They don't take backward steps. So it has the makings of being a fight like the ones between me and Arturo Gatti. But, you know, who knows? But like I said, it certainly has the makings."
Alvarado and Rios are known for their fierce, blood-and-guts approach to boxing, with Rios having won his past two bouts by 11th-round knockout of British contender Johnny Murray in December and controversial split-decision over Richard Abril in April.
On the Rios-Abril undercard, Alvarado overcame rugged Mauricio Herrera for a 10-round unanimous decision after having survived for a come-from-behind, 10th-round stoppage of Breidis Prescott on the November undercard the third fight between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez.
"Rios is a tough guy, and Alvarado, he's tough too. You know, I might give Alvarado a little bit of an edge, but I don't know," said Ward.
"It's safe to say that it's going to be a great fight and that I'll be watching. People should tune in to watch it, because it's going to be a classic."
As ******.com's panel of experts takes a stab at picking Saturday night's winner, if there is one thing that seems guaranteed, it's the notion that there will be blood.
Mike Coppinger, ******.com/USA Today
Mike Alvarado late-round KO Brandon Rios: Brandon Rios will be climbing in weight and won't enjoy the same size advantages he's accustomed to.
Mike Alvarado loves to brawl and won't be discouraged by Rios' constant pressure. I expect Alvarado to outlast Rios in a battle of wills in an epic.
Record: 9-6
Doug Fischer, Editor of ******.com
Mike Alvarado W 12 Brandon Rios: This is just a hunch. But I think Alvarado's maturity and willingness to box in spots during what will no doubt be a hardcore slug-fest for most of the fight will enable the 32-year-old contender to earn a very close --and very bloody -- decision. I can see it being a split or majority nod to the Colorado native.
Record: 10-3
Norm Frauenheim, www.15rounds.com
Brandon Rios UD 12 Mike Alvarado: Energy is an edge that Rios may have sacrificed in the futile battle to make 135 pounds. At 140, Rios might have restored a depleted resource critical in his ability to sustain an attack so overwhelming a couple of years ago.
The guess here is he will, although the tough and stubborn Mike Alvarado figures to be there until the closing bell. Rios’ ****iness might get him in trouble, especially in wild exchanges that are the only sure pick in a bout between fighters similar in style and almost identical for their aggressiveness.
Alvarado could catch him with a combination. But he’ll have to do it early, and he’s not known for quick starts, unlike a re-invigorated Rios, who – from start to finish -- promises to be back at a pace exhausting to anybody who tries to stay with him.
Record: 14-6
Lee Groves, ******.com
Brandon Rios KO 10 Mike Alvarado: This will end on cuts. If Brandon Rios feels good, he'll fight good and his "good" is better than Mike Alvarado's "good."
Cuts will be a major hindrance in a toe-to-toe slug-fest, and Alvarado's scar tissue will surely break open if a war breaks out.
Neither is a dynamite one-punch knockout guy.It takes time for them to accumulate the punishment needed to cut short fights, so we will likely be treated to a battle that will go rounds.
It will be fun to watch for as long as it lasts but the feeling here is that the ringside physician will determine the final result.
Record: 4-5
Robert Guerrero, five-belt, three-division titlewinner
Mike Alvarado KO Brandon Rios: Brandon Rios vs. Mike Alvarado is a an even fight. Alvarado, in my opinion, is a slightly better boxer than Rios.
Since Rios is coming up from lightweight for the first time, we just don't know how he'll be able to take at punch at junior Welterweight. I'm leaning on Alvarado to win this fight by KO in the late rounds.
Record: 11-5
Ryan Maquinana, CSNBAYAREA/BoxingScene.com
Brandon Rios TKO 10 Mike Alvarado. Here's a true pick'em matchup between two warriors who make good fights.
I like Brandon Rios to shake off his last two lackluster performances now that he has a sturdy guy in Mike Alvarado, who can box if he wants to.
But it is likely that Alvarado will stand in front-and-center trade power shots. Of course, whether Rios will beat the scale is another story, but all things being equal in that regard, I like "Bam Bam" in another fan-friendly brawl.
Record: 14-5
Mike Alvarado UD 12 Brandon Rios: Hide the women and children. If there ever was a flat out "Fight of the Year" on paper going in, this is it. I expect a bloodbath, pure and simple.
It's going to be a war, big punches from both guys, plenty of bruising, and guts galore. I am slightly favoring Mike Alvarado over Brandon Rios because I think Mike has the strongest "will to win" of any fighter in the game today.
No matter the predicament, he somehow gets it done. I think he'll walk through hell Saturday night to get it done again.
Record: 7-2Comment
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Funny thing about the predictions is that this fight is a 10 rounder.Comment
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Yeah, honestly...I don't even know if Rios has a shot anymore
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Comments Thread For: Photo: Team Alvarado To Rios - Are You Ready For War?
Los Angeles, Calif. --- Undefeated #1 contender Mike Alvarado (ctr) of Denver, CO (33-0) poses with : (L-R) manager Henry Delgado (L) and trainer Shann Vilhauer (R) during a jam-packed roundtable media day Thursday for his upcoming Latino championship fight against Former Lightweight champion Brandon "Bam Bam" Rios , Saturday,October 13 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Ca. Promoted by Top Rank in association with Teiken Promotions and Tecete, this sensational night of boxing will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark. ---- Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank.
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Rios has said he wants to be in a Gatti - Ward type of fight.... i'm sure he'll be readyComment
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