After 6 1/2 rounds of what will no doubt be remembered as a classic, Brandon Rios made a successful debut at jr. welterweight, stopping previously undefeated Mike Alvarado at 1:57 of the 7th round. Although Alvarado appeared to be coming on strong, Rios kept pressing forward until he finally found a home for a devastating right hand that prompted the referee to call a halt to the action. Relive all the action in FightHype's round-by-round results.
PREFIGHT
HBO unofficial weights for tonight...Rios is 149 and Alvarado is 152. Alvarado comes out first. He looks extremely confident and focused. It's definitely going to be a pro-Rios crowd as the boos are rained down on Alvarado when he steps into the ring. Now Rios makes his way to the ring. He looks eager to get the action started.
ROUND 1
Both men square off right in the center of the ring. Rios gets in a nice uppercut. They trade jabs. Rios digs to the body. Right hand lands for Alvarado. Nice right lands for Rios. Uppercut lands for Rios. BIG left hook lands for Rios. Nice combination lands for Alvarado. Now a right to the body lands for Alvarado. They trade left hooks. Overhand right lands for Alvarado. Rios gets in an uppercut. Alvarado lands a right. Couple of jabs land for Alvarado. TWo uppercuts land for Rios. They trade at the end of the round. Good round. Close round. I give it to Rios.
Rios 10 Alvarado 9
ROUND 2
Rios lands a jab. Now Alvarado gets in a jab. Quick 1-2 lands for Alvarado. Left hook lands for Rios. They trade on the inside. Nice uppercut lands for Alvarado. Nice right lands for Alvarado. Uppercut lands for Rios. BIG right hand lands for Alvarado...and another. Now Rios gets in a right. They trade on the inside. Nice combination lands for Alvarado. HUGE uppercut lands for Alvarado followed by a right. Rios eats it though. Two nice left hooks land for Rios. Quick combination gets in for Alvarado. They trade on the inside again. Jab followed by a right lands for Alvarado. Rios digs to the body. Left hook lands for Rios. Alvarado lands a right. Rios gets in a nice combination at the bell. Another close round, but I give it to Alvarado.
Rios 19 Alvarado 19
ROUND 3
Alvarado fires his jab. Uppercut from Rios. Quick combination from Alvarado snaps the head back of Rios. Raking right hand lands for Alvarado. 1-2 lands for Alvarado. They trade on the inside. Looping right hand ladns for Alvarado. Nice 1-2 lands for Rios. Alvarado answers with a combination of his own. They trade on the inside again. Rios nails him with a left hook. Another left lands for Rios. Nice right lands for Avlarado. Another. Left hook lands for Alvarado. Rios works him on the inside. They trade right hands. Another good and close round. I give it to Alvarado for being more active, but the punches of Rios are stating to take their toll.
Rios 28 Alvarado 29
ROUND 4
Alvarado firing his jab again. Rios digs to the body. Alvarado lands a combination. Upstairs and downstairs lands for Alvarado. Right hand lands for Alvarado. They trade on the inside. Nice combination lands for Alvarado. Left hook lands for Rios. Right hand from Alvarado lands. Overhand right lands for Alvarado. They trade jabs. Now the trade on the inside. Left to the body lands for Rios. Big left hook followed by a right hand lands for Alvarado. Nice left lands for Alvarado. They trade on the inside. Round to Alvarado.
Rios 37 Alvarado 39
ROUND 5
Alvarado clearly the better boxer so far, but Rios continues to press forward looking to land bombs. BIG right hand lands for Alvarado. Another right lands for Alvarado. Quick combination lands for Alvarado. Another right lands for Alvarado. Rios looks like he fading a bit. Two jabs and a right lands for Alvarado. Nice counter right lands for Alvarado. Two more jabs land for Alvarado. Rios presses forward and tries to dig to the body. WOOOOO....HUGE three-punch combination for Alvarado wobbles the head of Rios. Alvarado working him now. They trade in the center of the ring. Rios lands some uppercuts. Round to Alvarado.
Rios 46 Alvarado 49
ROUND 6
Right to the body lands for Alvarado. Quick combination lands for Alvarado. Rios lands a left hook. Short right lands for Alvarado. Two left hooks land for Rios. They trade on theinside. Short left hook lands for Alvarado. Overhand right lands for Alvarado. Rios is still pressing forward, but he's starting to look a little weary. They trade on the inside. Nice right lands for Alvarado. Four-punch combination lands for Alvarado. Left hook followed by a right lands for Alvarado. BIG right lands for Rios and Alvarado wobbles. Another right lands for Rios. Now Alvarado lands a left. Round to Alvarado.
Rios 55 Alvarado 59
ROUND 7
They trade jabs. Uppercut lands for Alvarado. They trade on the inside. Right to the body lands for Alvarado. Uppercuts land for Alvarado. Rios walking forward behind a high guard. Alvarado just firing punches at anything. Overhand right followed by a left hook lands for Rios. Another BIG right lands for Rios. Alvarado looks wobbled. Another right lands for Rios and Alvarado looks shakey. That's it. The referee steps in and calls a halt to the action. A bit premature in my opinion.
RIOS TKO7
COMPUBOX
Rios total punches: 161/541
Alvarado total punches: 175/779
Rios power punches: 144/440
Alvarado power punches: 132/423
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