Former WBO Light Welterweight champion, Brandon “Bam-Bam” Rios is gearing up for the biggest fight of his professional career. Rios (33-1-1, 23 KOs) is set to face off against the world renowned, Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao (54-5-2, 38 KOs) on November 23, 2013 in Macao, China.
Rios, who is coming off of a unanimous decision loss on March 30, 2013 to Mike Alvarado, transitions into a foreign land in hopes of a solid victory. A win would push Rios into the spotlight for future mega events.
Rios has been prematurely named as the underdog versus Pacquiao for a few reasons. Boxing critics and fans alike have remarked that Rios just does not have the athletic ability or boxing acumen to defeat the veteran Pacquiao.
It is with these critical comments that one needs to exam the recent events in boxing. Pacquiao’s loss to Juan Manuel Marquez should send skeptics a clear message that any boxer, regardless of status, can experience the bitter taste of a loss when facing the right game plan.
While examining Rios and his quest for redemption, there are key components which give him a realistic shot at turning the critic’s remarks upside down.
Read on for the keys for Brandon Rios to defeat Manny Pacquiao.
Distance
Brandon Rios will need to maintain a close distance through the entire scheduled 12 rounds. By remaining close, Rios takes away Manny Pacquiao’s ability to perform at his maximum potential.
Pacquiao, who is notorious for his full extension speed and knock out power, will face challenges in capitalizing at close range. It is a significant advantage to Rios while fighting in closed quarters.
Rios has shown in previous fights that at close distances–he delivers the most damage to his opponents.
Unilateral Movement
Brandon Rios, who is typically known for moving forward and backward, will need to attack Pacquiao from multiple angles. While studying film on Pacquiao’s previous fights, failing to box using angles has caused many opponents prior to Rios, a tragic defeat.
Those who tend to fight Pacquiao from the front never seem to see the infamous counter punch that has sent so many to the canvass.
On this night, Rios cannot afford to stay stationary or he will expose himself as an open target.
Precision Punching
Brandon Rios must capitalize on his punches. Every punch thrown must be delivered with strategic thought. If Rios can land with precision, it will increase his ability to stay in close range on the judges’ score cards, should the fight go the distance.
This may be the most important factor for Rios while in the ring. Knockouts are hopeful, however never guaranteed.
Rios is very capable of firing at Manny Pacquiao with precision; it is just a matter of capitalizing on this task in every round of the fight in order to be successful.
Pacquiao’s history in the ring has shown that he is temperamental when hit with precision. It will be a significant advantage to Rios if he can entice Pacquiao to exchange power shots with him.
Power in Numbers
When it comes to power, it can be argued that Brandon Rios is certainly a worth foe versus Manny Pacquiao. Both fighters have demonstrated that they possess raw knock out power.
According to CompuBox punch stat reports, Rios threw a total of 541 power punches, landing only 182 and leaving him with total of 34% accuracy against Mike Alvarado in his last match up.
During Pacquiao’s last fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, he only threw 148 power punches (per CompuBox). However, he landed 64 of them leaving him at an accuracy rate of 46%.
These can be looked at only in part, as the listed stats only reflect six rounds of Pacquiao’s performance. With this in mind, Rios will certainly need to work on accuracy in his game plan if he wants to stand with his hand raised victorious.
Extras
If Rios implement’s the aforementioned keys, he has the ability to turn in a historical performance, which could be talked about for years to come.
When it comes to strategy, both fighters are backed by the best. Robert Garcia, who is the 2012 boxing trainer of the year knows exactly what it will take to make this fight in favor of Rios.
Pacquiao holds Freddie Roach and his diverse knowledge on the opposing side, which will present many unknowns.
When it comes to odds regarding this fight, Pacquiao is a three-to-one favorite over Rios. Boxing fans worldwide will be trying to cash in on what many think is “money in the bank.”
Although critics seem to be confident in their preliminary results, speculation alone cannot determine the outcome of what is yet to come.
As so many bet on the odds, fans of Rios are betting on his iron fists and deceptive power to send the casinos bankrupt.
When the spotlight illuminates the ring in November, one thing will be certain; Rios will be ready to unleash his fury and truly show if he is able to stamp his legacy on one of boxing’s greats by sending him into retirement permanently.
Gino Garcia is a contributing writer for Round By Round Boxing and the founder of Bang Hard Boxing. Follow Gino @BangHardBoxing on Instagram.
