Philippines, 21 Mar 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


RIOS AND ABRIL CONTINUE WORD WAR


PhilBoxing.com




Former world light weight champions Brandon ?Bam Bam? Rios and Richard Abril who is the current WBA Interim champion, battle each other for the WBA lightweight interim title at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino on Sunday, Manila Time, continued their word war after a media workout at the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas.

Rios (29-0-1, 22 KO?s) said ?I?m not letting this unknown come in and ruining eight years of hard work I put into building my professional boxing career. I beat Miguel Acosta when he was in his prime unlike Abril who beat him on his way down on short notice.?

Rios said he was disappointed when he lost the title on the scales because ?I lost the title to myself and not to an opponent. It was my fault 100%.?

He revealed that the minute he returned home after that fight (A TKO 11 victory of John Murray on Dec. 3) he ? went straight to the gym to resume training and hired a nutritionist. It was the best decision I ever made. I?m a beast. I feel so much more energetic and powerful and I?m not missing meals. I?m never hungry.?

The talkative Rios said ?I?m just a guy who loves to fight. I love my job.

?I originally came back to 135 pounds to fight Gamboa and to win back my world lightweight title. I wanted my title back. I?m not the same without a world championship belt around my waist. I also think a world title makes me worth more. It makes me more valuable.?

He noted that Juan Manuel M?rquez who goes for his 4th world title against the Ukraine?s Serhiy Fedchenko at the New Mexico City Area in a clash for the WBO super lightweight Interim world title also on Sunday, Manila Time and he ?have a lot of options in 2012 and a lot of opportunities. I think this could be a career year for either of us. One of us could end up as the Fighter of the Year.?

Abril (17-2-1, 8 KO?s) was unfazed by Rios? rhetoric saying ?This is a great opportunity for me to win a world title. It?s also a great opportunity for Rios to lose to a great champion. He?ll become more famous because he lost to me.

"When I beat Miguel Acosta to win the interim world title, I knocked him down three times during the fight. I had a more dominant performance against Acosta than Rios.?

Then Abril carried the fight to Rios, verbally, stating ?I?m going to break Rios? mouth when we fight. He?s said a lot of shit. I want Rios to make weight. I want him at his best when I beat him. No excuses.?

Abril said he was surprised when Gamboa withdrew from his fight against Rios pointing out that he thought Gamboa ?had a good chance to beat Rios. For a $1 million purse I would fight King Kong.?

The Mexican bluntly stated ?I don?t like Rios. He?s got a big mouth. Rios is a good fighter. He has a Mexican fighting style. But Saturday is going to be the end for him. My best weapon is my precision. That is my advantage over Rios.?


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • WEIGHTS, IMAGES, RUNNING ORDER AND THE LAST WORDS AHEAD OF ADAMES VS. WILLIAMS IN ORLANDO
    , Sat, 21 Mar 2026
  • COPPER BOX ARENA FIGHT NIGHT: WEIGH-IN RESULTS AND RUNNING ORDER CONFIRMED AS LIDDARD AND DENNY FACE-OFF FOR FINAL TIME
    , Sat, 21 Mar 2026
  • Weights From ‘Martinez vs. Aleem’ Event from the NOS Event Center in San Bernardino and Broadcast live on ProBoxTV
    , Sat, 21 Mar 2026
  • Jordan Orozco Training Camp Notes
    , Sat, 21 Mar 2026
  • Towns vs. Bordin for PAT Belt; De Barbo, Nancholas, Samiei in Supporting Bouts at Brico Santig's Exciting Show in Pattaya Beach, Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • YOENIS TELLEZ TRAINING CAMP QUOTES
    , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • Lebron James ties the most game played in NBA history
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • Pichay supports GM Antonio's Australian chess circuit campaign
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • LIDDARD-DENNY PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES IN FULL: EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID AHEAD OF SATURDAY'S COPPER BOX FIGHT NIGHT
    , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaiman: The WBC Continues the Fight for the Good of the Sport
    By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • AMMO: ADAMES FIGHT WILL BE EXPLOSIVE
    , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • Carlos De Leon Training Camp Notes
    , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • The Highly Anticipated  Box Fan Expo Invitational 2026 Returns with A  USA Boxing Amateur Show
    , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • Placibe, Sales tops Sprint Challenge
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • Lester Martinez vs. Immanuwel Aleem Los Angeles Media Day Quotes
    , Thu, 19 Mar 2026
  • MAPUA, PSKAI R-10 to play in Best of Best
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 19 Mar 2026
  • IIEE Metro East dominates the 4th D’ Engineers’ Darts Cup 2026
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 19 Mar 2026
  • LIDDARD: WHY I'M RUNNING MATCHROOM HALF MARATHON AFTER TITLE DEFENCE AGAINST DENNY
    , Thu, 19 Mar 2026
  • Press Conference Notes: DAZN and Top Rank Sign Multi-Year Rights Deal
    , Thu, 19 Mar 2026
  • DAZN and Top Rank announce a landmark multi-year media rights deal bringing elite events and a storied archive to DAZN users worldwide
    , Thu, 19 Mar 2026
  • Sampson Boxing Signs Top Junior Lightweight Contender Charly Suarez to a Promotional Contract
    , Thu, 19 Mar 2026
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 17 MARCH 2026: Collazo Stops Haro; Fundora KO Ruiz; Barboza Outpoints Sims; Cacace UD Dickens
    By Eric Armit, , Wed, 18 Mar 2026
  • Tapales Near Peak Form Ahead of April 3 Tokyo Showdown with Oguni
    , Wed, 18 Mar 2026
  • MILLER AND PERO CLASH IN HEAVYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN IN LAS VEGAS ON APRIL 25
    , Wed, 18 Mar 2026
  • Middleweight Championship Battle Between (C) Khamzat Chimaev and (#3) Sean Strickland Headlines UFC® 328 at Prudential Center Live on Paramount+
    , Wed, 18 Mar 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.