Brandon Rios Staying At 135?

Former WBA lightweight world champion Brandon Rios’ struggle with 135 lbs. was well documented in HBO’s “2 Days: A Portrait Of A Fighter”. The 15 minute mini documentary focused on the moments leading up to him failing to make weight and eventually being stripped of his title at the scale. The .6 lb overage didn’t only cost him his belt, it also lost him $20,000 of his purse which went to his opponent.

According to the “2 Day” premier, Rios hadn’t ate for 5 day prior to weighing in and was physically and mentally drained.

“I’m going to be a 140 pounder, I think after this fight (with John Murry) I’m moving up to 140” Rios told HBO analysist Max Kellerman when asked if he was a 140 lb’er or a 135 lb’er “I’m going to be 140 after this fight. My body is just getting bigger and I’m growing, plus I’m doing a new workout with strength and conditioning. My muscles are just building up and I think it’s going to be 140 after this”

“I agree with him, I think Brandon is too big for 135” said trainer Robert Garcia in agreement with Max’s statment that Brandon looked like “a 140 lb’er trying to make 135lbs.”

http://youtu.be/wPzQZbon4hE

The 25 year old Rios would recover from the weight cut but not have his best performance, getting a hard fought TKO over John Murry after 11 rounds.

On Wednesday, Rios made a statement From his “Official Brandon ‘Bam Bam’ Rios” Facebook page in response to a L.A ESPN Deportes article by Rigo Cervantez which apparently insinuated that he would be fighting  featherweight Yuriorkis Gamboa at light welterweight. (The article could not be found at http://espndeportes.espn.go.com/los-angeles/blogs/boxeo)

“There has recently been a FALSE article from ESPN Deportes Los Angeles, Rigo Cervantez, about me and Gamboa” “Bam Bam” wrote ” I never had an interview with him nor did I make those statements. If and when I fight Gamboa, it will be at 135 not 140.”

So there you have it. The 140lb’er will not be fighting the 126 lb’er at 140. Instead “If and when” they meet, it will be somewhere in the middle at 135… who benefits? My guess is he will make the move to 140 but if a fight with Gamboa presents itself, he would be willing to ring himself out to 135 in order to make it happen…