Miguel Cotto Next Fight News: Brandon Rios Hoping for Match With Cotto, Ruslan Provodnikov?
Brandon Rios is ready to fight again. He finally got a win under his belt, his first one since 2012, and now he says he's ready to face the likes of Miquel Cotto and Ruslan Provodnikov.
Rios just went nine dirty rounds with Diego Chaves Aug. 3. The match had to be stopped after Chaves elbowed Rios in the face in the ninth round. Rios wound up in the hospital for a check of his eye, his shoulder and dizziness and Chaves was disqualified.
The match was not a clean fight but Rios got the win regardless and now he says he's ready for Cotto.
Cotto would have to lose a few pounds to take part in a fight and Rios would have to fully heal his shoulder.
"It would be a bad a** fight because Cotto likes to fight," Rios told BoxingScene.com.
I'll go up to 152 [pounds]. We can fight at 152. I heard he's looking for an opponent in December. I'm ready. I'll be ready in December.
Cotto is 33 and owns a 39-4 record with 32 of those victories coming by knockout. He has won his last two matches and hasn't lost since Dec. 1, 2012 when he lost to Austin Trout in 12 rounds at Madison Square Garden in New York for the Super Welterweight Championship.
Rios is 28 and owns a 32-2-1 record with 23 knockouts. He won his last match versus Chaves by disqualification and lost the two previous. His most recent loss came to Manny Pacquiao back in November 2013.
If a Cotto-Rios match happens in December, Rios would have the youth advantage and also a one-inch advantage in height and reach. Cotto is 5-foot-7 and has a reach of 67 inches while Rios is 5-foot-8 and has a reach of 68 inches.
If the Cotto-Rios match doesn't happen, Rios said that he wouldn't mind facing off against Ruslan Provodnikov. Fans would be excited for this match too because they know it will be an intense brawl in the ring.
"I'm not scared of Provodnikov! Everybody thinks I'm scared of Provodnikov. Everyone thinks I'm scared of that fight. Show me the money! They put some money [up] for it [and] I'll do it. You know I'm not going to fight him for stupid money because it is a dangerous fight for both of us and I'm not going to fight for stupid money. Show me some money and I'll fight him, no problem," Rios said.
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