Some of the best fights in boxing are those that involve fierce passion, battles that quickly turn into riveting slugfests, which are fight-of-the-year worthy.
Today at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield, Colorado, Mike Alvarado, and Brandon Rios will settle the score for the third time.
After two junior welterweight slugfests, the two are set to break the tie in a 12-round non-title welterweight bout.
Based on how the first two fights turned out, the third should be even more unpredictable. In October 2012, Rios (32-2-1, 23 KO’s) stopped Alvarado (34-3, 23 KO’s) in Carson, California, in a ruthless bout. In March 2013, Alvarado avenged his loss in Las Vegas by fighting a technical fight against the brawling Rios, winning a close unanimous decision and the interim WBO junior welterweight bout.
With both fighters on the decline recently, both fighters knew that they needed each other to propel themselves back into remunerative status.
With no title of any sort on the line this time around, everyone is thinking KO. Will it happen? Let’s find out.
Round 1: Round 20 is underway as the third fight is on. Rios starts off quick and nails Alvarado with an uppercut inside and follows it up with a pair of powerful crosses. Alvarado is shaken early, trying to come back from back-to-back defeats against Ruslan Provodnikov and Juan Manuel Marquez. The cobwebs are showing early, but Alvarado gets away, and if he wants to win this fight, he will have to fight from the outside. Alvarado lands with a cross to the body. Alvarado tries to trap Rios against the ropes and takes a big combination downstairs. Now, a big hook from Alvarado rattles Rios. Alvarado’s left eye is already beginning to puff up. Two jabs from Alvarado find its target.
We have a war in Colorado!
Round 1 Winner: Rios 10-9
Round 2: Rios is holding on to Alvarado, trying to get at his body, but the referee separates them. Alvarado’s hook landed sloppily, but he was able to avenge that with a jab to the head. A one-two to the body scores for Rios. Rios is continuing to attack Alvarado’s body. It is an all-out war at the center of the ring. Rios nails Alvarado with an uppercut. Alvarado holds on, Rios takes a cross from Alvarado and gets away from the follow-up attack.
Round 2 Winner: Alvarado 19-19
Round 3: Alvarado stuns Rios with an uppercut. Rios attempts to drop the right hand, but Alvarado ducks underneath and lands a sharp hook. Rios has an incredible chin, and he is putting that on display once more in this bout. Alvarado attacks Rios’s body and was able to land a strong cross. Rios is trying to cut off the ring. Alvarado’s back brushes the ropes, but quickly spins away. Both fighters are back at the center of the ring. Rios had no answer in Round 3.
Round 3 Winner: Alvarado 29-28 Alvarado
Round 4: Alvarado is working effectively from the outside, making Rios work. Alvarado lands an uppercut, but there was not much power behind it. Rios lands the right cross but gets caught with a hook inside from Alvarado. It seemed like both fighters took this round off to regain the energy they displayed in the first three rounds.
Round 4 Winner: Alvarado 39-37 Alvarado
Round 5: Alvarado’s cross finds its home on Rios’s jaw. Alvarado doubles up on the hook to the body, but Rios is un phased. Alvarado lands a short jab to the stomach of Rios. An uppercut from Rios snaps back the head of Alvarado. Alvarado clinches, but eats another shot, a short hook right down Broadway. Alvarado is trying to stay on his feet. Another cross hurts Alvarado. The swelling around his left eye continue to be a major handicap. A vicious uppercut has Alvarado hurt again as the bell rings to end the fifth round.
Round 5 Winner: Rios 48-47 Alvarado
Round 6: Rios lands a hard cross that gets Alvarado’s attention. Rios comes up short with the right hook and a huge straight right hand from Mile High Mike has Rios in trouble. Rios pushes Alvarado against the ropes but misses with an attempted combination. A huge left hand from Alvarado stuns Rios, but Rios comes back with a strong hook to the body that hurts Alvarado! What a round.
Round 6 Winner: Alvarado 58-56 Alvarado
Round 7: Alvarado lands a quick combination downstairs. A strong combination lands for Alvarado. Rios is working effectively with the jab, landing a short jab to the body. Rios is able to sneak the cross through Alvarado’s guard. Rios misses with the jab but finds a home for the cross and a powerful uppercut.
Round 7 Winner: Rios 67-66 Alvarado
Round 8: Rios lands with a beautiful, short uppercut to the jaw of Alvarado. Alvarado is trying to get inside and finds success with the uppercut, a beautiful weapon. Rios scores with several shots on the inside in retaliation. Rios lands a one-two combination, and Alvarado is hurt badly.
Round 8 Winner: Rios 76-76
Round 9: A big right hook has opened up a cut just above Alvarado’s right-eye. This is a huge opportunity for Rios to put some damage on Alvarado. in addition, his left eye is still a swollen mess. Rios lands a quick jab. That shot made what was a cut, a gash. Alvarado takes a tremendous hook to the jaw. Alvarado fires back with a cross that nearly landed flush on Rios’s jaw and ties him up. Rios connects with a colossal uppercut. Alvarado took a step back, obviously hurt from that punch.
Round 9 Winner: Rios 86-85 Rios
Round 10: Rios feints and lands with a quick left hook to the body. Rios lands a two-punch combination to the body. Alvarado lands with a hard straight right hand. Now, it is Rios who is cut, and it is a nasty gash above the left eyebrow. This just made things very interesting. Rios eats Alvarado’s jab. Alvarado lands with another right hand. Alvarado is dancing gracefully around the ring, and a big hook lands flush. Rios is in trouble! Alvarado lands the cross. Rios is staggered as the round comes to a close. Rios is also developing some major swelling under his right eye.
Round 10 Winner: Alvarado 95-95
Round 11: Rios dips low and connects with the hook. Alvarado is stunned by a strong uppercut from Bam Bam. Alvarado connects with an uppercut to the body, then digs a sweet hook into Rios’s ribcage. Both fighters are throwing wildly as we come down the stretch. Rios connects with a huge hook. Alvarado is stunned and now is he switching stances to try and throw Rios off his game. He scores with a hook inside the defense of Rios. Rios lands with the right flush on Alvarado’s chin. The blood above Alvarado’s right-eye continues to flow.
Round 11 Winner: Rios 105-104 Rios
Round 12: The final round is underway. Rios lands with a cross to the head of Alvarado. Alvarado lands with a hook to the ribs. Rios lands with a paralyzing combination. Alvarado is in trouble. Alvarado is trying to stay away from Rios on the outside. Rios lands a pair of short right hands just barely above the waistline. Alvarado lands with a monstrous shot to the body. This fight is over.
Round 12 Winner: Rios 115-113
Given how close the fight truly was, I would not be surprised if this goes down as a potential fight-of-the-year candidate. In addition, this could be a controversial decision depending who wins, but if I had to pick, I would say Brandon Rios by majority decision. This third fight will not be the end of the rivalry. Whoever comes out on the losing end, is going to feel cheated, and will push for a fourth bout.
