By Nick Bellafatto, Ringside
Getting to the Japanese fighter in the sixth, Nonito would deposit Toshiaki with a sneaky left uppercut for a 10-8 round. Fast forward to round number nine and “The Filipino Flash” would drop Nishioka for a second time, the result of a straight right hand off the ropes, finally finishing his adversary with yet another left uppercut in that same frame which would prompt referee Raul Caiz Sr. to call a halt, although somewhat prematurely. The official time was 1:54.
With the win the pound-for-pound prizefighter and San Mateo, California resident successfully defends both his IBF and WBO junior featherweight titles, while in addition Nonito picks up the vacant WBC Diamond Belt which puts him in line to face the winner of Mares-Moreno set for November 10th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles should either fighter want anything to do with Donaire.
And if by chance the man who considers himself a “surgeon” that dissects his opponents apart cannot find a willing dance partner in the junior featherweight ranks, referring to WBA 122 pound champion Guillermo Rigondeaux as someone he cannot get up for due to his boring and at times ultra conservative style, the “Filipino Flash” has already alluded to moving up to featherweight rather than continue on in a division he has astonishingly come close to cleaning out in so relatively few fights. Time will tell.
Rios takes a licking and keeps on ticking
In an instant classic between undefeated fighter’s, former WBA lightweight champion Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios (31-0-1, 23 KO’s) of Oxnard, California would successfully debut at junior welterweight in a big way, knocking off “Mile High” Mike Alvarado (33-1, 23 KO’s) to hand the bigger, stronger looking Denver, Colorado native his first professional loss.
Closing the show at 1:57 of round 7 starting with an uncharacteristic looping right hand that would wobble “Mile High” Mike, Rios would seize the moment by immediately following up with additional smashing right hands to the head and jaw, finishing his unresponsive foe with two left hooks while on the ropes which would cause referee Pat Russell to intervene on behalf of the seemingly out of sorts Alvarado.
At the time of the stoppage two judges would have the score even, with another judge having Rios in front, contrary to what most pundits at ringside would have which was Mike Alvarado ahead 4-2 in rounds. Alvarado simply landed the visibly more appealing shots at a higher clip, getting the slightly better of it both inside and out until the fateful moment in the seventh in what turned out to be final stanza.
With what looked to be “Mile High” Mike’s ticket to victory, working behind a successful jab from time to time that would leave his one dimensional brawler counterpart stifled, it would ironically be a lazy jab over which Rios would counter to begin Alvarado’s downfall.
Taking a licking while dishing out his own form of retribution whenever possible, “Bam Bam’s” tenacity and sheer will to win would finally paid dividends in this two way battle that kept fight fans riveted. The end result would see Rios garner the vacant WBO Latino junior welterweight belt in a bout considered a WBO title eliminator.
As to the future, a rematch involving Alvarado would be more than a welcome prospect as well as an event fight fans would have no problem shelling out hard earned dollars for. However, it’s been alluded to that Rios could very well face the winner of Maquez-Pacquiao IV first which is scheduled for early December.
Whatever path the one dimensional and yet undefeated brawler pursues, it’s that one dimension that’s sure to excite those in attendance as Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios, arguably the best slugger in the game, will no doubt leave it all in the ring.
In another contest after all the principal bouts had taken place, junior featherweight “Vicious” Victor Pasillas (3-0, 1 KO) of East Los Angeles, California would pound out a four round unanimous decision over Jazzma Hogue (2-3-1) of Farmington, New Mexico by scores of 40-35 all around.
