Denver, Colorado?s Mike Alvarado seems to be as straight forward as they come. An unbeaten contender in the junior welterweight class, Alvarado will find himself standing across the ring from the very-capable Mauricio Herrera inside of the Mandalay Bay tonight in Las Vegas, Nevada in a bout that is sure to entertain. The Alvarado-Herrera bout serves as a key part to an HBO pay per view split-site attraction that is co-headlined by a fight between former lightweight champion Brandon Rios and Cuba?s Richard Abril from the aforementioned Mandalay Bay as well as a showcase from Mexico City featuring three-division titlist Juan Manuel Marquez tackling Ukrainian Sergey Fedchenko.
Having noticed Alvarado behind the scenes the past few days in Las Vegas leading up to his fight, he seems to have contrasting personalities that he works with. Outside of the ring the 31-year old is laid back as can be but inside of the ropes he has a certain kind of vigor and intensity that is hard to find amongst most pugilists.
It was that rare fighting spirit that helped Alvarado overcome the elements in his last fight, a come-from-behind victory over Breidis Prescott this past November inside of the MGM Grand underneath the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez trilogy bout. His face dripping in blood and trailing on the scorecards heading into the tenth and final round, Alvarado rallied to drop and stop Prescott with a little over a minute left.
It was thrilling stuff and gave us a closer look at Alvarado?s temperament as a prizefighter as well as what his future may hold.
I caught up with Alvarado recently and discussed his performance against Prescott, got his feelings on his fight with Alvarado, pondered possible fights with Rios and Marquez down the road, and much more.
This is what the man nicknamed ?Mile High? had to say?
The danger of Mauricio Herrera? ?He has everything to gain and nothing to lose, so it?s a dangerous fight for me. I set a high standard in my last fight, so I got to be on that level. I got to be on my A game. I?ve got to show that this is where I belong; this is what I want to do. I?ve got to show even more heart than I showed my last fight. I?ve got to put on a good performance. It?s a huge fight for me. Training has been huge for me. It?s been a big learning experience up to now. I?m ready to put on a great performance and show that I?m ready for this next level.?
Falling into place? ?This training camp has been good. It?s been one of the best training camps I?ve had. Everything just fell in place in the right way. Timing has been good, sparring?s been great, it?s been a huge learning experience this camp. Quality training this camp as well as very hard conditioning. I?ve got a brand new strength and conditioning trainer. He?s been working with me this camp and I feel stronger, he made me that much better.?
Looking back at the Prescott victory? ?That fight gets me hyped every time I watch that fight over again. I needed a fight like that. I needed to show that I have it. That when it?s time to dig deep, that I can dig deep and overcome any kind of adversity that I?m faced with in that ring. It was a huge learning experiences and I enjoyed it. I look back and that fight only made me that much better. It set the standard. I?ve got to be more on my A-game now. Bring more exciting fights.?
No doubts late in the fight… ?I knew the mindsets of the judges. I knew they were going to give the fight to him. It was a very close fight. I did not feel he was hurting me or he had me beat at all. I know he got ahead on the scorecards early in the fight, but I never had any doubts. He split me, he cut me, he bled me up, but he never hurt me. I kept coming and I showed that I wanted to win that fight. I stepped on the gas, I took it out of him and I came through in that tenth round.?
Learning on the job? ?I?ve learned a lot. I?ve learned when to turn it on. Just so much different aspects that I?ve added to my technique as far as situations in the ring. When to adjust, how to adjust, and I?m still learning. I?m still young in this game and I have a lot to grow and I have to learn. It?s been all positive. Everything?s been going my way. I?ve been winning, I?ve been undefeated. It?s a blessing. I just give it God and thank him.?
Thoughts on Brandon ?Bam Bam? Rios? ?He brings a good style for me. He?s right there, he?s going to want to fight. That?d be a good fight in the near future. It?d be a very good fight in the near future. He?s an exciting fighter and it would be a very exciting fight to watch.?
Respecting Juan Manuel Marquez? ?Marquez, he?s been in there with all the best. I?ve been watching him growing up and when I first started boxing. It?s like a dream-come-true fight right there. He?s one of the best out there. He?s a great fighter and it would be an honor.?
Comparing Rios to Marquez? ?Marquez would be the harder fight. I think he?s more skilled, I think he?s more experienced. Experience plays a huge part in the fight. When somebody has that much more experience and they?ve been through that, that plays a huge part in any big fight. Even the Morales fight, you could see the experience that Morales had that kept him alive in that fight.?
The fight scene in Colorado? ?Not really a huge boxing scene out here. There?s a lot of talented kids, a lot of things out here, but it?s not just consistent fights out here for boxing in Colorado. It?s not really a good boxing scene. Just not a boxing public like L.A. or New York. We?re trying to get fighters into gym and get them training. You?ve got to reach out to the parents and push the kids to do something other than wanting to play X-Box all day long at home.?
A curiosity towards boxing? ?I?ve always wanted to try boxing out. I?ve always been good at whatever I did. I was a wrestler my whole life and I won over 2500 wrestling matches and I was just good at what I did. Boxing was something I never stuck with boxing until after high school, when I was doing sports activities and I decided to do boxing one day. From there, I was just curious where I could take it. I just stuck with it and here I am. This is my calling, what I?m meant to do. I?m going with it, I love it.? .
