Rios hammers Alvarado in trilogy
Brandon Rios (33-2-1, 23 KOs) overpowered Mike Alvarado (34-3, 23 KOs) in three rounds on the way to a stoppage win in their trilogy on Saturday night at the 1st Bank Center, Broomfield, Colorado, USA.
American Rios, 28, nailed the 34 year-old Alvarado with hard shots in every round.
Alvarado tried to fight back but the only significant punch he landed was illegal when he hit Rios below the belt in the second round that dropped Rios in agony and halted the action momentarily until he recovered.
Rios continued to attack before finally dropping the hometown favorite in round three. Alvarado survived the round but moments later referee Jay Nady waved off the fight on the advice of the ringside doctor, with a battered Alvarado sat on his stool.
The fight was stopped due to Alvarado complaining of vision problems following an left eye injury he suffered when hit by an uppercut from Rios in the first round.
"It was my best fight ever," said Rios. "I did everything right in this camp. I was not going to let him beat me in the trilogy."
Unlike the two previous classic encounters - in October 2012, Rios stopped Alvarado in the seventh round before Alvarado outpointed Rios in March 2013 - this was a one-sided beating. Rios fought like a fighter whose career was on the line, Alvarado was running on empty.
"It was all in the preparation. I didn't train like I should have," said Alvarado. "I wasn't as prepared as I should have been, and I got what I should have got. I'll get myself out there again, I ain’t done yet."
Regardless of what Alvarado said, it could well be the end for him having lost 4 out of his last 5 fights and facing a potential jail term following his arrest earlier this month for having a handgun in his vehicle.
As a convicted felon, it is illegal for Alvarado to have a gun.
For Rios, he has now won his second fight in a row and will seek more lucrative fights next.
Promoter Bob Arum said: "There are four guys - Jessie Vargas, Brandon Rios, Timothy Bradley and Miguel Cotto - and we're going to see what we can do to match the four up."
Rios claimed the vacant WBO International welterweight title.
Also on the card, Mexico's super middleweight contender Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez (31-0, 24 KOs) defeated Maxim Vlasov (30-2, 15 KOs) of Russia by unanimous decision in a 10 rounder.
Southpaw Ramirez dominated most of the action, mainly with his body attacks. Vlasov had his moments, but not enough and Ramirez remained ubeaten, winning by scores of 96-94, 97-93, 97-93.