Al Bello - Getty Images
Brandon Rios is likely back on March 3, on HBO. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Brandon Rios, who lost his WBA lightweight title on the scales before his December 3 fight against John Murray in New York, will return to the ring on March 3, with HBO televising. And the fighter will be staying at 135 pounds for now. From RingTV.com and trainer Robert Garcia:
"We know that we will be fighting with Rios on March 3 on HBO, and the word is that it's going to be here in Los Angeles. We were told that it might be at the Home Depot Center, or maybe at the Staples Center," said Garcia.
"We're still not sure where, but they told us LA on March 3. We don't have an opponent yet, but I'm sure that Cameron Dunkin and Top Rank will give us the name soon. But that's what's going to happen with Brandon."
Rios (29-0-1, 22 KO) had three terrific fights in 2011, defeating Miguel Acosta, Urbano Antillon, and Murray, but he's been known to struggle to make 135 pounds for a while now, even before beating Acosta last February. Dunkin keeps saying "fast food, fast food," like that's the only problem, but it probably isn't.
They do have Victor Conte working with Rios already, and they're serious about figuring out if he can make 135 anymore. Garcia believes they'll fight a couple more times at the weight, then go up to 140.
As for possible opponent, who knows? 135 has plenty of options, but not a lot of marquee guys. A title fight against Antonio DeMarco, who holds the WBC belt, could be really fantastic, and while Rios is not currently ranked by the WBC, I'm sure that could be, uh, amended. But it could really be anyone right now.
0 recs | 21 comments
I’m throwing the question out there: what’s the value in staying at 135?
El Destruyo - January 8, 2012
Great question…I wonder this myself
KidSleez - January 8, 2012
Yeah, I don’t really know. Unless there’s some surprise in opponent, I’m not sure there’s really much left for him to do at 135 whether he can make it or not.
Scott Christ - January 8, 2012
Good question
Unless they have no confidence in his power at 140…..
pakinpower - January 8, 2012
Gamboa
ddog28 - January 8, 2012
Yeap, that's the one
I’m sure Arum would STRONGLY prefer to do Rios-Gamboa at 135, this is why Rios is waiting for Gamboa to catch up.
– first one co-feature with Gamboa fighting at 130 and the second one against Gamboa at 135.It’s pretty straightforward, really:
This way they avoid having Gamboa skip any divisions on his way up.
Radu - January 9, 2012
WOW
I just noticed Yuriorkis Gamboa IS ALREADY RANKED AT LIGHTWEIGHT BY THE WBA, even though he’s never fought at the weight, hasn’t announced what specific weight class he is moving up to and will quite possibly fight at junior lightweight in his next bout.
LIGHTWEIGHT (135 Lbs / 61.23 Kgs)
World Champion: V A C A N T
Won Title:
Last Mandatory:
Last Defense:
WBC: ANTONIO DE MARCO – IBF: MIGUEL VASQUEZ
WBO: JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ
1. RICHARD ABRIL (INT. CHAMP.) CUB
2. JORGE LINARES VEN
3. BRANDON RIOS USA
4. YURIORKIS GAMBOA CUB
5. PAULUS MOSES NAM
6. DARLEY PEREZ COL
7. MIGUEL ACOSTA VEN
8. MERCITO GESTA PHI
9. NIHITO ARAKAWA JPN
10. RYUJI MIGAKI JPN
11. JOHN MOLINA USA
12. TAKASHI MIURA JPN
13. ART HOVHANNISYAN ARM
14. DORIN SPIVEY USA
15. ANTHONY MEZAACHE (WBA I/C) FRA
… just freakin’ speechless …
Radu - January 9, 2012
… by the way, Gamboa is also rated at … Junior Lightweight (?!?!?!) by the WBO.
I couldn’t find him in the WBC rankings but at this pace maybe I should have looked at the heavyweight rankings… :|
Radu - January 10, 2012
Yeah, I’m surprised he’s staying at LW. He looked like walking death at the Murray weigh-in.
Love to see him against DeMarco (if Gamboa can’t be made). DeMarco has some “buzz” after that unbelievable comeback.
DPlainview - January 9, 2012
Are they still mentioning Gamboa as a possibility even though Gamboa would have to essentially leap over 130?
Kory Kitchen - January 8, 2012
unified Champion
Brandon Rios needs to unify the titles if he really decides to stay @lightweight. Don’t waste his time. For the WBC TITLE holder and Go after the IBF title holder. Bang there’s your 2 fights at lightweight. If he gets nutty and fights a 3rd fight at lightweight. Then challenge the WBO title holder. Now that’s building a legacy. Fuck I should be his manager!! -Dominic Fernandez
DiE_HARDFER - January 9, 2012 via mobile
He’d probably just get stripped of half the titles trying to unify them. The WBC in particular is not wild about unification.
Scott Christ - January 9, 2012
Now that everyone recognizes the WBO
It’s nearly impossible to unify unless you’re willing to defend against all comers 5 times a year or so.
Brickhaus - January 9, 2012 via mobile
Besides
I still think Rios loses to guys who are active, can box and have a chin. I think Vazquez would beat him, for instance.
Brickhaus - January 9, 2012 via mobile
He said post fight that it’s possible that the cold altitudes in Mexico made it harder for him to shed weight, whereas in Oxnard he was able to sweat away the pounds. Rios DeMarco is FOTY in my opinion. I’d love to see that fight. At 135, even as a walking dead man Rios is a giant and by far the most powerful/strongest one at that weight. 140 he’d be above average, and with the right conditioning he might be a monster at 147. Pc!
cylee1180 - January 9, 2012
Then we can see the fight we’ve all been waiting for: Rios Ortiz! Buahahahaha!!!
cylee1180 - January 9, 2012
Ortiz been wanting to fight Rios ever since he was a fetus!
cylee1180 - January 9, 2012
A fetus???
I
think there’s a law in Texas against that shit
Don From Prov - January 9, 2012
yeah there is
but the commision doesn’t enforce it
journeyintosound - January 9, 2012
I'm surprised Abril is ranked so high
I know he beat Acosta, which surprised me, but he’s literally beaten nobody else of consequence. A few cards break the other way and he’d have wins over Prescott and Lundy. I thought he beat Prescott close but clear myself.
Brickhaus - January 9, 2012 via mobile
Are you really surprised, though? It seems entirely predictable to me. Shit, Dorin Spivey is 14, and he’s terrible.
Scott Christ - January 9, 2012
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