With Saturday?s fight fast approaching, the relevance of Brandon Rios, or the lack thereof, has reared its ugly head?
It?s easy to judge others. Narcissism gives us carte blanche to determine who has value and who does not. But playing God is an unreliable barometer of another?s true worth, especially when our judgment is often flawed.
With Saturday?s fight at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas against Diego Chaves (23-1, 19 KOs) fast approaching, the relevance of Brandon Rios (31-2-1, 23 KOs), or the lack thereof, has reared its ugly head.
Everyone loves a winner; a loser not so much. In other sports a loss, even a blowout, doesn?t mean the end of a career. It?s accepted as part and parcel of what it means to compete. And if the reaction to loss is dignified, not accompanied by whining and/or chest thumping, who could ask for more?
Rios has lost his last two fights and his boxing obituary is being written. He was never a super skilled talent who was never going to lose. He always got hit, a lot, but he never gave less than his all. Bam Bam?s first loss was his rematch with Mike Alvarado on March 30, 2013, after defeating Mike High six months earlier. His reward for losing, a bona fide boxing curiosity, was a shot at Manny Pacquiao in Macau.
Pacquiao looked great that night, while Rios never looked more limited. Before the fight, it was Manny who was been written off, having lost his last two fights, to Timothy Bradley on June 9, 2012, and Juan Manuel Marquez on Dec. 8 that same year. But after the fight with Bam Bam, he was anointed Pacquiao the new, Pacquiao the reborn, Pacquiao the resurrected, the Pacquiao we?d grown to love, albeit without the killer instinct.
The second loss in two fights might have been a time of reflection for Rios, but upon what was there to reflect? Reinvention was out of the question. His strengths, as well as his liabilities, are a given, and one can?t teach an old dog, even an old dog who is only 28, new tricks, unless he?s an exceptionally clever old dog.
But haters?the most overused word in boxing?hate, and Brandon Rios, for reasons known only to them, is the proud recipient of their ire.
?Well, I do thank them,? Rios said, ?because they?re retarded, sort of, because they hate you. They write negative comments, they follow what you doing more than you?re following, and they hating at the same time and also supports you still. So I thank you guys. I appreciate it.?
Bam Bam?s eloquence is a tad less admirable than his bottom, but he made his point, which is let ?er rip, enjoy your lives, because I sure as hell am enjoying mine.
To call this a must-win fight for Rios is another droopy clich?. Granted, he wants to keep fighting on HBO and another loss puts that in jeopardy, but no one knows that better than Bam Bam.
?The challenge is I?m fighting a guy like Diego Chaves. He?s got tremendous skills, he does hit hard, and we?re ready for the test. We?re ready to take it on. I love tests. This is one of my tests. I like to pass ?em. I?d like to get A+ on my tests. So I?m ready.?
When asked what we can expect Saturday night, Rios said, ?This is going to be a war. He does use his jab a lot. He does use his right hand a lot. So we have to work our way in with head movement; I?ve done that a lot. I love to, too, because the fact that nobody?s giving me any chance with Diego Chaves.?
?I know I have to win,? continued Rios. ?I can?t take any more backward steps. When I won my title I was always disciplined. I always trained hard. And then you know what? I got too comfortable, started making money and just got too comfortable. But now I?m back to my old self. Now I?m ready.?
Few fighters are ever happy about having lost a fight, but Rios is the exception.
?I?m glad I lost to Pacquiao,? he said, ?and then again I?m not. But I?m glad I lost to him, one of the best in the world, because I can say I lost to a legend when he retires. I went 12 rounds with him. He knocked some of the greats out. I?m very proud of that.?
