Rios vs. Alvarado II is an instant boxing classic and likely fight of the year front runner

On Saturday March 30th, 2013 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada boxing fans got exactly what they were hoping for; a straight up boxing classic on HBO’s Boxing After Dark by Top Rank Promotions. In the much anticipated rematch, Mike Alvarado smashed Brandon Rios’ prediction of a 5th round knockout, and instead almost knocked out Rios several times in this 12 round toe to toe war. Mike Alvarado evens the score after losing to Rios last October by TKO in the 7th round in what was the prelude to this 12 round classic. This was a rugged back and forth battle similar to their first fight. Every round had punches with bad intentions with blood and sweat visibly flying at ringside. Mike Alvarado won a unanimous decision with the judges at ringside scoring the fight 115-113, 115-113, and 114-113 respectively.

Both fighters in this one were battered and both had to be taken to the hospital to be treated after the fight and did not give post fight interviews. It was a very close rematch and will be televised again on Sunday on HBO. This fight started off with Rios winning the first couple rounds and almost knocking out Alvarado in the 2nd, smashing him twice with left hooks that had Alvarado’s face swollen from the onset. However, over rounds three and four, Alvarado was able to turn the tide and even things up in what became one of the best fights I have ever seen, and definitely the best I have seen in person. After round four, it was a back and forth onslaught by both fighters until the 8th when Alvarado rocked Rios in another unbelievable round that Alvarado edged out. After that, Alvarado, despite being banged up, started to outbox Rios and make adjustments in a fight that appeared to have a change in his corner at least midway through the bout.

Alvarado was fighting both orthodox and unorthodox styles during the fight, continually switching up on Rios, which visibly caused him problems in the later rounds. Going into the 12th round, Alvarado was up by a round in my eyes as well as many writers on press row, and he won the final round by stepping back and out-boxing Rios for the final minutes to even the score and win the interim WBO Super-lightweight title to improve to 34-1.

After the fight, fellow Top Rank fighter Tim Bradley indicated that this was a war and Alvarado won the fight because he made adjustments and Rios did not. Subsequently he also added he would fight Juan Manuel Marquez if Top Rank puts Marquez in front of him. Bob Arum indicated during the post-fight press conference that both Rios and Alvarado deserve to fight other top fighters and make big purses, and that there was no rush to a 3rd match between the two. He did, however, mention if there is a rubber match, that Denver, CO could be a site and that the city can produce a great boxing show at a venue such as the Pepsi Center. That said, Myboxingfans was able to catch up with Mike Alvarado’s younger brother Gabe who said a third match should be in Colorado. “We met him in his backyard for the first fight, met him half way for the 2nd fight, and now it’s time for him to come to our backyard” if the fight should happen.

If you did not see it, make sure you tune in to HBO and catch the replay. You won’t be disappointed. FOY 2013! And it’s not too early to say that.