Uppercut Magazine.com - Rios and Alvarado Win

By Liz Q. Parr

LAS VEGAS-Fight of the night featured Brandon Rios (30-0-1, 21KOs) from Oxnard, Ca. and Cuba's Richard Abril (17-3-1, 8KOs) for the WBA lightweight title at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

Abril opened the fight with straight punches keeping his distance from Rios. Abril used his jabs to hit Rios to the body and back up to his face. Rios seemed cool and collected and landed a heavy right hand to Abril's chin. Rios began to connect with solid left hooks to the side of Abril's face. Abril now began to hold onto Rios left arm when Rios was fighting on the inside.

Rios figured out Abril's defense and was using his inside fighting skills to come over the top and still punch to the body. Although a bit smothered Rios continued his attack and force the fight more than Abril. Abril landed a couple of solid right hands but Rios just walked through them and continued to work his opponent.

In round four Abril managed more good straight rights while keeping up his jab and put more power behind his punches. Abril was till holding a lot but did his best to turn Rios and land punches off of that. The problem was he was holding way too much. Abril waited too long in between the time he decided to punch and his defense. Rios continued fighting a really great fight on the inside. By the seventh round Abril started to stick and move, but is still holding enough for the referee to say he had been warned for the second time now. 

Last rounds Rios was now running out of power punches and was now doing a lot of holding with referee warned Rios to not hit Abril's back. Rio was still pushing the fight but Abril cracks Rios with some good straight rights and flush jabs. After 12 rounds the crowd erupts into cheers as judges score the fight 117-111, 116-112, 115- 113 for Rios.

Semi-main event

Herrera bleeding round eight Alvarado has more energy than Herrera. Alvarado sticking his jab in Herrera's face causing more swelling in his left eye Herrera still doing his best to fight back Alvarado's onslaught of body punches and hooks. Alvarado lands some really good uppercuts.

In the ninth round Alvarado landed good one-two uppercuts driving Herrera to the ropes with his jabs and double jabs not giving Herrera room to breath.

In the last round Herrera's eye was almost completely shut, lands one-two-three but doesn't have enough energy to put power behind his punches, he tries to pick up the pace but isn't causing any damage. Both fighters in the middle of the ring fight their hearts out the last round. When Herrera would swing to Alvarado's body he would leave his face open and Alvarado would come up to the top. The scores were 99-91, 97-93, 96-94 for Alvarado.