Brandon
"Bam Bam" Rios had a roller coaster 2012, as it was a year he was a
must see fighter who had lots of fans talking about his fighting style
and success in the ring, but also questions regarding his commitment due
to trouble making weight in certain fights. There was also some
controversy due to a decision he received in a title bout that many
believe he should of lost. Rios ended the year in style with a thrilling
fight with Mike Alvarado at a new weight class, silencing some of his
critics. During the 184th edition of "On The Ropes" I had a chance to
talk with Brandon about all of these things, and also touch a little on
his career and what he sees next for him. Here is part one of my two
part interview with Brandon Rios.
Jenna Jay: Brandon, the last time we saw you in the ring was a fight that got
consideration by most for fight of the year. Now that you have had a
little time to reflect on that fight, what are you thoughts?
Brandon Rios: That fight was a great fight.
I showed the world what I can do with a bigger opponent, first time at
140 taking a tough competitor and a dangerous one. I just proved what I
can do when I'm ready, my weights perfect, when I train right and
prepare for a guy, they see what I can do and I just showed that to the
world fighting Mike Alvarado the way I did. I think everyone is going to
be a little scared of me right now.
Jenna: You took quite few shots in that fight, so I have to ask, at any point were you hurt?
Rios: I was never hurt, never dazed,
nothing like that. There was only one round where he caught me with an
uppercut that knocked my mouth piece out, but I was not hurt, I felt
great. If you see the fight you can see me smiling the whole time during
the fight. I love to fight and I love what I do, so it was great.
Jenna: Why Brandon, why do you like that type of fight? Face first, taking punches, why are you attracted to that type of fight?
Rios: Because it's like a high for me, like
a drug, an addiction. I was born in the getto, and I love to fight, I
grew up fighting, so that type of fight is always the type of fight I
bring to the table, and I love it, it's the best.
Jenna: You use to have trouble making
135lbs before that last fight. How much of a relief is it for you to
finally be a weight class you are comfortable?
Rios: It's a big relief because the last 5
pounds are the hardest to lose, now I can go out and fight the way I
fight, not worry about getting tired, holding punches back, so it's a
big relief and I can do a lot more in the ring and be a whole lot
stronger, so I'm very happy I made this decision, and I should of made
it a long time ago, or two fights ago, but I was young and dumb and
still thought I could make it. Not no more, never do that again.
Jenna: Let go back and talk a little about
your career Brandon. The fight that really brought you out and grabbed
peoples attention, back when you fought an undefeated Anthony Peterson
who was 30-0. Can you tell me what you think that fight did for you.
Rios: Well that fight showed the world, who
is Brandon Rios. That's my ultimate fight, I just showed the world what
I can do when I prepare myself and be ready and not focus to much on a
weigh in, actually training for the fight, I'm a animal in the ring, I'm
a beast, I'm a monster. What the fight did was show that I was ready
for the big dogs, I can beat an undefeated guy, I can beat a number one
guy, and can beat those type of guys and that's what happened in that
fight and I'm ready to prove it again with whomsoever next.
Jenna: You are no stranger to fun and
action packed fights, as the match you won your title was that was way.
Can you tell the fans a little about your fight with Miguel Acosta?
Rios: Oh man, it was a dream I always had,
to fight for a world title when I started fighting at the age of 10. I
always wanted to fight for a world title, I always wanted to be a world
champion, so fighting Miguel Acosta and just fighting the way we fought –
Miguel was slick boxer puncher, he moved he boxed very well, he did
everything he had to do, and he stayed on his game plan, and I stayed on
my game plan and I wore him down. The body shots, the head shots I just
wore him down and got him out of there. It was a great fight.
Jenna: Brandon, every career has it's up
and downs, and for you I think the low came after the Richard Abril
fight. Most boxing fans felt you lost that one, even thought you got the
decision. What do you think of that perception out there?
Rios: Honestly, I watched the fight a
couple of times already and I looked at it, and I keep looking at it and
ya, I was a great fight, I mean not a great fight, I was not myself
because of the fact I was already weight drained, I was dead the next
day and did not really feel like fighting, like my whole self I was not
100%. Yes it was a very close fight, but I feel I did enough to win that
fight. He did not want to fight, he just wanted to hug me hold me, and
his whole game plan was just to try and frustrate me, which you know it
did get to me a little bit, but not too much, and he did not do to much
to win the fight.
Everybody
says he boxed circles around me, but if he did box circles about me and
really beat me up like everyone think he did I would have had a messed
up face, or he would of knocked me out and I would have been hurt and
everything. He did nothing like that. He just survived, he just held on
and that was his game plan and if he was not beat, maybe I would of
given it a draw. I won, but if I didn't I might if given it a draw. He
was holding me and did not go enough to win the fight. I was more
aggressive, I was trying to land the punches, I landed a couple of
shots, he just tried to hug and hold me.
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