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Was Brandon Rios Vs Mike Alvarado The Fight of the Year: A Countdown of the Top 5 Contenders

The recent battle of undefeated light welterweight brawlers Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado that took place on October 13 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California lived up to its expectations of a memorable slugfest. It easily overshadowed the main event featuring super bantamweight champion and one of the world’s top pound-for-pound fighters in Nonito Donaire against Toshiaki Nishioka, but is it the leading candidate for ‘Fight of the Year’ honors?

The five fights below share the following criteria which put them in the conversation for ‘Fight of the Year’- both men had a realistic chance of winning at any given time of the bout, there were dramatic momentum swings, a fighter was drawn into a firefight and abandoned his strategy, there was all-out action with little regard for defense and the winner overcame obstacles.

5. Amir Khan vs Danny Garcia (Garcia – TKO 4)
WBA Super/WBC light welterweight titles, July 14, 2012
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas

It was almost impossible to believe the drama that took place outside of the ring leading up to this fight could be matched, let alone exceeded, by what occurred inside of it when Khan (26-3, 18 KO’s) took on undefeated Garcia (24-0, 15 KO’s) this summer. The 24-year old Garcia replaced original opponent Lamont Peterson after the Washington, D.C. fighter tested positive for synthetic testosterone, dashing Khan’s hopes to avenge his controversial split decision loss to Peterson seven months earlier. An angry Khan made a good deal of noise in response to both offenses but it was Garcia who was louder and made the most meaningful impact on the night of the fight.

Khan, who had been reinstated as WBA Super champion just days prior to the fight, appeared to be in control of the opening two rounds. He had the faster hands, getting off first and landing crisp shots in between Garcia’s wide, whiffing right hand punches. The underdog Garcia suffered a small cut over his right eye in Round 2 and the early sense was that he would be out-boxed by the more experienced Khan.

That sentiment instantly changed when Garcia threw a swooping left hook counter that caught Khan just below the ear and mostly on the neck that dropped the former Olympian in the closing seconds of Round 3. Khan managed to make it back to his feet and survive the final :30 but he was seriously wobbled.

Although on unsteady legs and not fully recovered from the previous shot that affected his equilibrium, Khan opted to meet his charging opponent head-on. While Garcia launched massive overhand rights with the sole objective to get the knockout, Khan fired back with his own big shots. However, since this brawling style is not the conservative boxer’s forte nor did he have the physical or mental tools at that point to sustain this activity, Khan found himself on the canvas twice more in the fourth round before the referee stopped the fight.

The sudden shift in momentum and Khan’s instinctive decision to brawl with a brawler heightened the intensity and surprised many observers. The CompuBox figures reflect that Khan was more efficient and landed at a higher connect rate, yet it was the power and placement of one shot by Garcia that was ultimately the difference.

Khan: Total – 92/206 (45%), Power Punches – 46/92 (50%), Jabs – 46/114 (40%)
Garcia: Total – 65/216 (30%), Power Punches – 60/179 (34%), Jabs – 5/37 (14%)

4. Kell Brook vs Carson Jones (Brook – Majority Decision)
IBF International welterweight title, July 7, 2012
Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield, Yorkshire, United Kingdom

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The composed, confident and polished boxer Brook (28-0, 18 KO’s) was tested beyond anyone’s expectations when he would up in a war with former USBA champion Carson Jones (34-9-2, 24 KO’s). After dominating the first six rounds with a textbook display of boxing, jabs and combination punching, Brook suddenly found himself in toe-to-toe exchanges in the center of the ring with the gritty Jones over the final six rounds. A determined Jones literally walked through Brook’s best shots to sustain the pressure and eventually disrupt the undefeated Brit’s rhythm, forcing an inside fight.

In addition to a relentless, constantly pressing opponent who effectively worked the body and threw sneaky right uppercuts, Brook also had to contend with a broken nose he suffered in the eighth round that made it difficult for him to breathe. However, Brook did not panic, digging deep to fight through the blood that he was swallowing and go blow-for-blow with Jones right through to the final bell.

It was the toughest test of Brook’s career, enduring a harrowing evening to get a majority decision victory 114-114, 116-113, 115-113. The hard fought battle left Brook recognizing there were elements of his preparation he needed to improve upon. On the other hand, any questions that may have existed about his resiliency and heart were answered as he was able to keep pace with Jones at a generally equivalent connect rate.

Brook: Total – 193/616 (31%), Total Landed to Head – 166, Total Landed to Body 27
Jones: Total – 149/528 (28%)
, Total Landed to Head99, Total Landed to Body – 50

3. Marcos Maidana vs Jesus Soto Karass (Maidana – TKO 8)
WBA Inter-Continental welterweight title, September 15, 2012
MGM Grand, Las Vegas

Former light welterweight champion Maidana was coming off an uninspiring effort against Devon Alexander in his debut at 147 pounds. After losing a virtual shut out against Alexander, the dangerous Argentine vacillated between moving back down to 140 or continuing to campaign at the welterweight level before hiring acclaimed trainer Robert Garcia to help him better compete at the heavier weight class.

In this, his second fight at welterweight amidst questions surrounding his overall effectiveness, Maidana (32-3, 29 KO’s) took on a bigger, durable and energized Karass (26-8-3, 17 KOs) who had only been down once in his career heading into the bout. In the early rounds, we were watching a version of Maidana we had never seen before. The hard-hitting brawler appeared to be converted to a quasi boxer-puncher under the training of Garcia, circling and using the jab to set up his power shots rather than simply coming forward with punches flying.

However, Maidana still possessed the desire and ability to stand in the pocket and throw big shots which is what the rugged Soto Karass often demands and can absorb. There were great exchanges by both men throughout the fast-paced, highly physical fight, with punches thrown after the bell on two occasions and both fighters deducted a point for scuffles during a called break. Maidana suffered an additional point deduction for a sneaky low blow that he delivered during a break in Round 7.

The bigger, iron-chinned Soto Karass was riding the momentum at that point while Maidana had to find a way to overcome the point deductions and a potential disqualification. The baby-faced Argentine then resorted to what he has always done best – he dug his hooks even harder and fired a five-punch combination that was punctuated by a right hand that dropped Karass at the end of Round 7 for only the second time in his 36-fight career. The end came in Round 8 when Maidana smothered the gutsy Mexican with a rain of unanswered punches, prompting the referee to call a halt to the action and handing Soto Karass just the second stoppage of his career.

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The CompuBox figures show a relatively even distribution between the power punches and jabs thrown by Maidana, a rather startling statistic given his historic style. However, the rugged Argentine knew when to dial up the intensity with the power he still possessed to overcome a gritty and difficult opponent in a war of wills.

Maidana: Total – 213/539 (40%), Power Punches – 145/299 (48%), Jabs – 68/240 (28%)
Soto Karass: Total – 179/748 (24%), Power Punches –
143/420 (34%), Jabs – 36/328 (11%)

2. Brandon Rios vs. Mike Alvarado (Rios – TKO 7)
vacant WBO Latino light welterweight title, October 13, 2012
The Home Depot Center, Carson, California

Rios, the former WBA lightweight champion, entered this fight having won 10 of his previous 12 bouts by knockout but he failed to make the 135-pound weight limit in the last two. He was lethargic and ineffective in his previous fight against Richard Abril and faced a heavy dose of criticism after winning that bout by a highly questionable split decision.

Although many expected the fight to be a slugfest given the style match-up of these two brawlers, many observers questioned how Rios (31-0-1, 23 KO’s) would hold up in his debut at 140 pounds against the naturally bigger Alvarado (33-1, 23 KO’s). Alvarado started each round setting up his power punches with a heavy dose of jabs while Rios ended the rounds loading up on bombs which forced his opponent to engage in a less tactical brawl.

Alvarado put his punches together quite well, finding much success with his right hand and stunning Rios in Round 6. However, the granite-chinned Rios just kept coming and would not stop throwing punches, continuing to fuel exchanges at close range. It was in Round 7 that Rios connected with big right hands that hurt Alvarado and sent him wobbling to the ropes. Sensing his opponent was in trouble, Rios pounced on the opportunity and pummeled Alvarado with an overhand right and multiple left hooks. He stopped throwing punches only after the referee jumped in to wave off the fight in what may have been a bit premature as Alvarado was trying to tie up Rios and move away from the onslaught.

While not as busy or technically proficient as Alvarado throughout the bout, the persistent Rios persevered. Through good old relentless pressure and power, he was able to get his man.

Rios: Total – 161/541 (30%), Power Punches – 144/440 (33%), Jabs – 17/101 (17%)
Alvarado: Total – 175/779 (22%), Power Punches – 132/423 (31%)
, Jabs – 43/356 (12%)

Promoter Bob Arum may have gotten a bit caught up in the excitement after the fight, comparing it to some of the all-time classics.

“I put that right up with Ali-Frazier, the third fight….the one in Manila…[I put it up there] with Hagler-Hearns, and right up with those fights. It was definitely the fight of the year. How can it not be?,” Arum said.

As thrilling an affair Rios-Alvarado was, ranking it among these caliber of battles is a stretch. In fact, there is one other fight that took place this year that might be more worthy of “Fight of the Year” honors.

1. Orlando Salido vs Juan Manuel Lopez 2 (Salido TKO 10)
WBO featherweight title, March 10, 2012
Coliseo Roberto Clemente, San Juan, Puerto Rico

The first fight between these two warriors in April 2011 was a slugfest that was ultimately dictated by the measured assault of the come forward Mexican Salido (39-11-2, 27 KO’s) who wrestled the title away from Lopez (31-2, 28 KO’s) with a questionable eighth round stoppage in front of his hometown fans in Puerto Rico. In a huge upset, Salido knocked down Lopez and rocked him on several occasions but not without the Puerto Rican’s typical display of heart and ‘never say die’ fighting spirit.

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Although Lopez was determined to change his tactics in the rematch by avoiding another slugfest by boxing, it was fully expected that we would get another exciting and dramatic action-packed war. Lopez did try to box in the first four rounds but it resulted in his hesitation to let any purposeful punches go. Given his limited boxing and defensive skills, Lopez was unable to get away from Salido’s power punches and could not keep the persistent Mexican at any kind of distance or disrupt his rhythm.

Lopez managed to knock down Salido with a sneaky right hand counter in Round 5 that triggered another slugfest, something the former champion had desperately tried to avoid but was baited back into by his gritty opponent. With his instincts taking over, Lopez found himself in a toe-to-toe battle that contained the unusually high dosage of excitement, vulnerability and resiliency that only a “Juanma” fight can bring.

Both men whaled away at each other in the center of the ring for the entire three minutes of Round 9, throwing everything they had at each other. Lopez delivered some good body shots, while Salido got through with solid lead right hands. With two swollen eyes and his mouth wide open gasping for air, the 31-year old Salido landed a devastating four-punch combination that stopped Lopez dead in his tracks before being smacked to the canvas in Round 10. Lopez got up quickly but it was abundantly clear that he could not continue as he was on seriously uneven legs, forcing the referee to stop the fight.

Salido: Total – 235/637 (37%), Power Punches – 230/582 (40%), Jabs – 5/55 (9%)
Lopez: Total – 138/559 (25%)
, Power Punches – 111/387 (29%), Jabs – 27/172 (16%)

So what makes this contest stand out for “Fight of the Year” over other contenders?

It was a rematch of a war that uncharacteristically surpassed the action of the original.

Salido stopped Lopez for the second time as a visitor in his opponent’s backyard.

With this victory, Salido earned the respect that eluded him after the controversial victory in the first fight and proved he is a world class champion regardless of his record.

Lopez was still relatively competitive despite throwing 200 fewer power punches than Salido.

The fight was rich in tradition of a classic Mexican-Puerto Rican rivalry.

Salido overcame a knockdown to impose his will and force Lopez into the kind of fight that gave him the best chance of winning, outsmarting and out-punching his opponent in the process.

The victory came way of a crushing and unquestionable technical knockout.

Perhaps when the excitement of the most recent battle between Rios and Alvarado subsides, the beauty of the war involving Salido and Lopez will be recalled with the glory it deserves, including the official vote for “Fight of the Year”.

Sources:

BoxRec, www.boxrec.com
Boxing Scene, Arum: Rios-Alvarado Was Definitely Fight of the Year