American brawler Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios finally has cause to celebrate, with a probable challenge to WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley provisionally scheduled for November, according to his manager Cameron Dunkin.
Rios hasn’t been in a boxing ring since January when he brutalized old foe “Mile High” Mike Alvarado in their third meeting, forcing the Colorado man to retire after a 3 round beating in which Alvarado simply didn’t turn up.
Following that performance Rios has struggled to get a fight, with a mooted September bout with IBF 147 lb champion Kell Brook falling through last month over a rematch clause in the contract and frustrations have been growing steadily around the camp, with his trainer Robert Garcia declaring his anger at the inactivity.
Bob Arum, who promotes both fighters is keen on the Bradley fight, and Desert Storm is currently waiting on an appeal for a rematch from Jessie Vargas before being upgraded to full belt holder status.
Despite Bradley pitching a wide points win in their fight, he was rocked right at the end of the final round by Vargas, just as referee Pat Russell called time at the sound of the 10 second clapper.
Vargas’ team argue he could have won the fight with the extra time, and while the rematch is unlikely to be ordered it is preventing Bradley claiming his strap while the appeal is heard.
Speaking about Rios’ probable November date with Bradley, Dunkin said via ESPN.
“It’s a big fight with a lot of storylines between two really good fighters. We’re working on it and hopefully we can get it done. Top Rank and HBO really want to make it. We want to make it too.”
There has been talk that Top Rank are asking more than broadcasting giant HBO are prepared to pay to stage the fight on their network however, and Vadim Kornilov – who manages the Siberian Rocky, Ruslan Provodnikov (himself in 2013 FOTY with Bradley) – has said that he feels Brandon Rios is actually the most likely option for his fighter.
Speaking to the TASS news agency, he said;
“Our target is Brandon Rios since Lucas Matthysse is pre-occupied with a championship fight with Viktor Postol. We just hope that Rios will agree to the terms and that his words aren’t just chatter. The networks are very interested in this fight.”
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