Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank
Saturday, October 19, live from Broomfield, Colorado, hometown hero “Mile High” Mike Alvarado (34-1, 23 KOs) puts his WBO Light Welterweight title on the line when he faces hard-nosed Russian contender, Ruslan Provodnikov (22-2, 15 KOs).
The World Championship Boxing event will be televised on HBO starting at 9:45 pm, EST.
To some observers, it may be unfair that Alvarado is facing the tough-as-nails “Siberian Rocky” while the man he bested earlier this year–Brandon Rios–will enjoy the exposure and huge payday against Manny Pacquiao in a November pay-per-view bout.
But for Alvarado, this homecoming feels just as sweet as a mega bout on pay-per-view. In an interview with Nick Groke of The Denver Post, Alvarado proclaimed his excitement.
“It’s a dream come true for me. This is something that hasn’t been here in a long time. The only other thing I’ve dreamed is fighting at (the new) Mile High Stadium.”
Similar to Rios, Provodnikov promises to engage Alvarado early and often in what he hopes will be a brawl.
Alvarado must not let the thrill of being home affect his concentration and gameplan.
But, we have seen Alvarado drawn into a slugfest before, against Rios in their first bout.
While he’s argued that the first fight against Rios was prematurely stopped, it’s obvious that Alvarado can make things easier on himself by using his boxing skills.
Maintaining distance, working a meaningful jab, and showing the plodding Russian angles will give Alvarado his best chance to win.
Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank
In Provodnikov, Alvarado faces a hungry opponent who is looking for a career-defining victory.
Provodnikov is looking to bounce back from a close and controversial loss to Timothy Bradley in March of this year. That bout–along with Rios vs. Alvarado II–is near the top of Fight of the Year lists for 2013.
Regardless of the official decision in his bout with Bradley, Provodnikov won over a large majority of boxing fans with his fighting style and heart.
It was one of those few times where a loss ended up benefiting a fighter just as much as a win would have.
But Provodnikov knows that to stay in the mix at 140 pounds, he must not only perform well, he also must win.
Provodnikov will be looking to keep this fight at a short distance and hopes to bait Alvarado into a slugfest from the very start.
If he can get Alvarado’s attention early on with some meaningful punches, all hell may break loose and we may have a new Fight of the Year candidate.
Alvarado vs. Provodnikov Stat Comparison
