It seems all but a given that Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado are headed towards the realms of history on the eve of their trilogy in January in Denver, Colorado. Rios’ trainer, Robert Garcia views it as something any fight fan can’t miss. “It’s gonna be a hell of a fight, Alvarado and Rios are made for each other.” The fight also come at the low point in both of the fighters careers.
Alvarado coming off the 2013 win over Brandon Rios was a riding a wave of career accolades only to have it meet with a rude awakening later that year. From Alvarado not getting the Manny Pacquiao fight, some saying Alvarado’s well documented outside activities may have played a role in that Pacquiao fight not coming to fruition as well getting stopped by Ruslan Provodnikov in his hometown later that year. Alvarado fought only won time in 2014 against Juan Manuel Marquez, a fight he was in a bit, but to be honest he seemed a bit less dynamic than the Alvarado of day’s past.
Rios on the other hand, was simply outclassed by Pacquiao who was far too fast for him on fight night and then had one of the ugliest fights in the past four years with Diego Chaves. A fight that Chaves was disqualified in after eye gouges, DDTs, and head butts, the fight marketed as a fight of the year type match up sort of came and went to little chagrin. Oh and in between the two fights there was that performance enhancing drug suspension on Rios that made for a miserable 2014.
Rios and Alvarado, who media were once worried about wasting their primes on each other, now will face each other in a fight that could decide which one stays in the fight game and which one moves onto future endeavors. “We won the first one by knockout, the second one Alvarado won by decision. Alvarado surprised us by moving around, this time we’ll be ready to cut the ring off and put some pressure on him,” Garcia explained. It is a truly compelling fight that, sees two blue collar fighters doing what they know, putting their best foot forward and fighting. The big question is will we get one last legendary night.
