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”Manny Pacquiao versus Brandon Rios is a terrific stylistic matchup
that fight fans are going to be enormously excited about”, said
Mark Taffet, Senior Vice President, HBO Pay-Per-View. ”In addition
to so much being on the line in this fight we have the compelling backstory of the event taking place at a glamorous international destination that will generate even more interest in the fight and establish that Pacquiao vs. Rios is going to be an extraordinary,
can›t-miss night in boxing history.”
Trained by Hall of Famer Freddie Roach, Pacquiao (38 ,2-5-54 KOs), the
lone congressional representative from the Sarangani province in the
Philippines (he was re-elected to a second term, running unopposed
this year), is the only fighter to win eight world titles in as many different
weight divisions. A three-time Fighter of the Year and the Boxing Writers
Association of America’s Fighter of the Decade, Pacquiao’s resume features victories over future Hall of Famers, including Oscar De La Hoya,
Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Miguel Cotto, Shane
Mosley, and Juan Manuel Marquez. From 2008 to 2010, five of his seven
victories were world title victories in five different weight classes, where he dethroned super featherweight champion Marquez,
lightweight champion David Diaz, junior welterweight champion Hatton, welterweight champion Cotto, and he anni hilated threetime world champion Antonio Margarito for the vacant super welter weight title.
Pacquiao’s seven-year, 15 bout winning
streak came to an end on the 9th of July 2012
when he lost his World Boxing Organization
(WBO) welterweightcrown to undefeated
WBO junior welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, Jr. via a controversial
split decision. That was followed by a
knockout loss toprofessional nemesis
Marquez last December 8 –a
fight Pacquiao was winning before
he got careless trying to close the
show and instead was stopped by
the knockout punch of the year.
No active boxer has sold more
live tickets in the U.S. than
Pacquiao, who is also credited
with over eight million pay-per
-view buys.
Rios (22 ,1-1-31 KOs), the former
World Boxing Association (WBA)
lightweight champion, from Oxnard,
Calif., is on the hunt for his second
world title in as many weight divisions.
He enters this fight having won 11 of his previous 14 fights by knockout. One of boxing›s most exciting fighters, Rios is known for his
all-action fan-friendly fighting style. His trainer, former International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior lightweight champion and 2012
Trainer of the Year Robert Garcia, calls it a throwback style with a warrior›s mentality that screams excitement. Highlight knockout
victories on Rios› resume include Miguel Acosta, Anthony Peterson, Urbano Antillon, John Murray and Mike Alvarado. Alvarado, the
natural -140 pounder, entered that fight as the undefeated WBO No. 1 junior welterweight contender. Many consider it 2012’s Fight
of the Year. In their exciting rematch, which took place on March 30, Rios lost a close decision for the vacant WBO interim junior
welterweight title. It is considered the leading contender for the 2013 Fight of the Year. Rios enters this fight world-rated as the No. 1
contender.
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source:http://www.toprank.com/events/boxing-promotionspacquiao-rios-hbo-ppv-event/press-release