Tim Bradley

Robert Garcia trained brawler, Brandon Rios, has warned anyone thinking he is washed up and/or doesn’t have the tools to deal with WBO welterweight champion, Tim Bradley next weekend, is likely to be in for a rude awakening.

Rios challenges “Desert Storm” at the Thomas and Mack Centre in Las Vegas, live on HBO/Boxnation (UK) and claims he is itching to get back in the ring, having not boxed since January’s third fight with old rival, Mike Alvarado, whom he destroyed in 3 swift and aggressive rounds.

WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley (32-1-1, 12ko) is confident that the corner switch to Teddy Atlas from long-time former trainer Joel Diaz, has been the right one ahead of next month’s defence against Brandon Rios in Las Vegas.

Bradley claims he is looking to box a smart fight against Rios, who has himself claimed he will box in his trademark, aggressive style and draw ‘Desert Storm’ into a toe-to-toe war – a notion the champion rejects, despite famously getting drawn in when not needed in the past.

RIVERSIDE, CALIF. (October 27, 2015) — Former world champion BRANDON “Bam Bam” RIOS (33-2-1, 23 KOs), of Oxnard, Calif., his trainer ROBERT GARCIA and manager CAMERON DUNKIN hosted a Media Workout at Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Riverside, Calif. today.

The hot topic?

Two-division world champion TIMOTHY “Desert Storm” BRADLEY JR. Rios will be challenging Bradley, (32-1-1, 12 KOs), of Palm Springs, Calif., for his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title next week. Coincidentally, both Bradley and Rios have fought in Fights of the Year in 2013 and 2012, respectively. Here is what Rios, Garcia and Dunkin had to say:

Brandon Rios claims he is ready for anything ahead of his clash with WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley next month, insisting he is confident he can draw Bradley in and make him fight ‘his fight.’

Rios goes into the clash having not boxed since way back in January when he destroyed an out-of-sorts Mike Alvarado in their rubber match, and knows that Bradley – under the guidance of new trainer Teddy Atlas – is looking to box a smart fight and not get caught in a war as he has been prone to unnecessarily in the past.

WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley fights Brandon Rios on November 7th at Las Vegas’ Thomas and Mack Centre in what will be his first fight with new trainer and ESPN analyst, Teddy Atlas.

“Desert Storm” made the change and left long time trainer Joel Diaz in the wake of his June fight with Jessie Vargas, which despite him clearly winning on all cards, came to a controversial end right in the dying seconds when Bradley was hurt and referee Pat Russell mistook the 10 second clapper for the final bell.