Rios responds to fans calling him a “bum fighter”

By Allan Fox: With a month to go before his fight with Danny Garcia (33-1, 19 KOs), 31-year-old Brandon ‘Bam Bam’ Rios (34-3-1, 25 KOs) says he hasn’t taken a lot of punishment in his fights like some people think, and that he’s not a bum fighter.

(Photo credit: Scott Hirano/SHOWTIME)

To prove that, he plans on defeating Garcia in their fight next month on February 17 on Showtime Boxing at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino, Events Center, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Fans point out that Rios’ speech is now slurred at this point in his career, and they feel that this is from the punishment that he’s taken. In looking at old video of Rios speaking, he’s always talked in a slightly slurring manner. That could be natural for him. He always seems to have something in his mouth when he speaks.

“I see myself winning,” said Rios to Fight Hub in addressing the boxing fans that are calling him a “bum fighter.”

I think people will disagree with Rios about him beating Danny Garcia, and especially about the bum part. The fact is, a lot of boxing fans DO see Rios as a bum or punching bag. The fans seem to use them as interchangeable names for Rios. It’s not new that the fans see Rios as a bum fighter.

They’re been questioning Rios ever since his fight with Manny Pacquiao in November 2013. Rios took a lot of head shots in that fight, and he blocked almost nothing. Pacquiao seemed to take it easy on Rios after the first 5 rounds. It looked like Pacquiao felt sorry for Rios, as he didn’t go after him to try and KO him the way he’d done against many of his other opponents.

“Everybody’s calling me Brandon the bum. When you pay attention, when was the last time I really got [expletive] up,” said Rios in explaining why he’s not a bum. “In the Manny Pacquiao fight, I wasn’t [expletive] up. In the second Alvarado fight, I was, but it was a war. I’m 31. When I’m 35, I’m done. You guys are going to be surprised for doubting me. I’m going to show you I’m not done. All you guys counting me out because of my losses,” said Rios.

It’s unlikely that Rios will be able to beat Danny Garcia. That’s not because of him being a potentially over-the-hill fighter. I don’t think Rios ever would have beaten a fighter like Garcia, even in the prime of his career. Garcia is a boxer/puncher with excellent boxing skills. Rios is a straight up slugger, who leads with his face.

”I’m not training for weight loss anymore,” said Rios. ”I’m training for the fight. I wasn’t received as much [punishment] as people think. A lot of people think Brandon was receiving a lot; ‘he’s a real punching bag.”

Whether he wants to admit it or not, Rios did do a lot of receiving in his fights with Mike Alvarado, Pacquiao and Tim Bradley. Those are the 3 fights that Rios took a boatload of punishment.

Rios wants to win the WBC welterweight title before he retires from boxing. The title is currently in the possession of the often injured Keith Thurman. Rios would be at a huge disadvantage against Thurman with his hit and run fighting style. Thurman is really hard to pin down unless you’re able to chase him around the ring the way that Shawn Porter did.

”Since I was a little kid, I wanted the green belt, the WBC [belt],” said Rios. ”That’s my goal, to win the belt. Once I get the belt, maybe I’ll be done with boxing. I got to have that green belt,” said Rios.