“Mile High” win for Alvarado!
“Mile High” Mike Alvarado admitted that his biggest mistake was being “reeled into a slugging match” with Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios in October 2012. And after being stopped -some feel prematurely- he vowed not to make that same mistake in the rematch.
This Saturday, just 6 months later the two met at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas and gave the fans another classic and a guaranteed “fight of the year” candidate.
After boxing perfectly in the opening round, Alvarado 32, ate a leaping left jab that rocked the Denver Colorado fighter and had him fighting for his life in the second round. He returned the favor in the third round with a huge over-hand right that staggered Rios late in the round.
Rios 26, rallied back in the fifth with an all out body assault and opened up a cut over the left eye of Alvarado.
Thunderous left hooks were countered by vicious combinations down the stretch as the previously unbeaten Rios kept the pressure on but couldn’t catch the elusive Alvarado who pulled away, dominating the championship rounds with movement and superior offense.
After 12 all-action rounds both men held their hands up in victory but with unanimous scores of 115-113, 115-113 and 114-113 it was all Alvarado with the revenge victory.
“It was that movement” said Alvarado after the fight “That focus to stay on my game plan and the strategic ways that I did in camp. I capitalized on it and I did what I had to do, to win this fight”
“I gave you a rematch, let’s do it. Number three” shouted Rios(31-1-1, 23 KOs)
“Brandon gave me a shot to redeem myself, i’ll give him a shot for a trilogy” said Alvarado (34-1, 23 KOs)
Though both fighters seem to be eager to set up a third fight -Mike wanting it in his home state of Colorado- Promoter Bob Arum isn’t in such a rush.
“My first inclination, and of course we’re going to think it out, is that they should fight other fighters. No tune-up fights, real fights because these two fights were classics. We don’t have to do it right away. We could wait and they could each fight somebody else for great purses. They are both big stars now and eventually they will fight again” said Arum
In the co-main event, Terence Crawford (20-0, 15 KOs), won a unanimous decision over Breidis Prescott (27-4, 20 KOs) after ten rounds. scores were 99-91, 97-93, 100-90.