Video With “Bam Bam’s” Trainer Robert Garcia

The upcoming rematch between Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado is, arguably, one of the most highly anticipated matches of 2013 thus far. Their upcoming clash will take place on March 30 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The pair will be fighting for the interim WBO Light Welterweight title; this collision is promoted by Top Rank will air live on HBO Boxing After Dark.

These are two soldiers going to war, and this is one fight I am looking forward to watching! Neither fighter backs down, both have the will to win this fight with high stakes for both Rios (31-0-1, 23 KOs) and Alvarado (33-1, 23 KOs).

And on Saturday, March 30, these two men will once again head into battle in what should be another blood and guts war. The two first faced off last October in an all-out slugfest that had us all wanting more. In this initial bout, “Bam Bam” Rios bested his foe, scoring a TKO in the seventh stanza.

Up until this early ending, their brawl was the pure definition of an all-action fight. The judges’ scorecards reinforced how close this feud really was. At the time of the stoppage, official scores were 57-57 (by judges Max De Luca and Zac Young) and 58-56 for Rios (James Jen-Kin).

NOW THE REMATCH.

The unbeaten Rios has every intention of winning. And Denver’s Alvarado has no intention of losing.

Who will win? Both camps are focused. Both say they’re ready.

And after catching up with Team Rios, they say they will be victorious once again–but THIS time the KO will come even earlier.

Rios’ trainer Robert Garcia says his champion is saying it will be a 5th round knockout that will floor rival Alvarado. During our video interview, the Trainer of the Year adds that camp has been great and that his young charge is rarin’ to go.

“He trains very hard, better than before and sparring a lot more rounds,” Garcia said about their closed camp at the famed Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Oxnard.

The Rios-Alvarado first go-round was a dramatic one with fists flying, both blasting away. I watched it in person and the audience was truly in awe with the two gladiators blasting away. Each round got better and better; it was a “don’t blink” kind of fight where you didn’t want to miss any of the action.

Now comes a second chance for Team Alvarado.

So who will walk away the winner after this latest spat?

“If you’re asking me and Brandon, we’re gonna do the same thing again,” Robert Garcia smiles. “And if you ask Brandon, he says he’s gonna do it in FIVE rounds this time! If someone needs to make adjustments it’s gonna be Alvarado. We’re gonna come out and do what we did in October.”

And what they did in October was one for the ages in “Fight of the Year” and “Round of the Year” polls.

The two punchers will continue to thrill the crowd with the only question being: How many rounds will this fight go?

Rios is a champ who never gives up and is known to celebrate with his famous warrior cry. Alvarado is a reigning IBF titlist who is seeking vengeance in this nearing date with Rios. The Colorado fighter would love nothing more than to have his hand held high in victory.

WHO WILL DRAW FIRST BLOOD?

It will be a real West Coast shootout on Saturday night. Guns blazing, these two hombres will be fully loaded.

Twelve rounds to settle the score. Two warriors willing to go out on their shield.

A Rios win will cement his dominance over Alvarado. But if the “Mile High” fighter bests Brandon, this would be an instant classic trilogy, a modern-day rivalry like the recent Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez, Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez and Diego Corrales-Jose Luis Castillo feuds.

The Rios-Alvarado matchup has been building up so much steam since the moment it was announced. Capturing the fight fans attention and respect, this hard-hitting duo promise fireworks. If you want to see more of the two, a new show “Road to Rios/Alvarado II” will premiere this Saturday, March 16 on HBO with replays continuing through March 31.

And on March 30, it will be time for the Cali-Colorado explosion in the ring in which we will see if Brandon Rios 5th round KO prediction comes true.

This is octane stuff. A combustible rematch for braggin’ rights and a whole lot more all going down at the Mandalay Bay.

Don’t miss it. And don’t blink.

Tickets: Mandalaybay.com or Ticketmaster.com

Video Interview with Robert Garcia:

Photos by Michele Chong