Rios to retire Pacquiao
Brandon Rios is not only aiming to beat Manny Pacquiao but to convincingly win that will force the eight-time world division champion into retirement.
Rios (31-1-1 with 23 knockouts), the former World Boxing Association lightweight, will face Pacquiao (54-5-2 with 38 KOs) on November 23 in a 12-round non-title bout at the Cotai Arena, Venetian Resort in Macao, China.
The 27-year-old Mexican-American told FightNews.com that he wants to send the aging and struggling Pacquiao into permanent retirement.
"One Mexican [Juan Manuel Marquez] knocked him out; this Mexican will retire him. I'm going to retire him after this," said the Lubbock, Texas-born orthodox fighter.
Pacquiao appeared to be sluggish in his last two fights where he suffered a sixth-round KO loss to Marquez and a stunning split decision setback against Timothy Bradley prompting some boxing analysts that he has lost his killer instinct and age seemed to be catching up with him.
Pacquiao, a still respected boxer who was re-elected to a second term as Sarangani province's Representative, will turn 35 on December 17.
Rios is hoping for a KO win over Pacquiao and not suffer Marquez's same fate the first time they met on May 8, 2004, where the bout ended in a controversial split draw.
Pacquiao won in another highly-debatable split decision with his second encounter with Marquez on March 15, 2008, and a majority decision in their third meeting on November 12, 2012.
Rios (31-1-1 with 23 knockouts), the former World Boxing Association lightweight, will face Pacquiao (54-5-2 with 38 KOs) on November 23 in a 12-round non-title bout at the Cotai Arena, Venetian Resort in Macao, China.
The 27-year-old Mexican-American told FightNews.com that he wants to send the aging and struggling Pacquiao into permanent retirement.
"One Mexican [Juan Manuel Marquez] knocked him out; this Mexican will retire him. I'm going to retire him after this," said the Lubbock, Texas-born orthodox fighter.
Pacquiao appeared to be sluggish in his last two fights where he suffered a sixth-round KO loss to Marquez and a stunning split decision setback against Timothy Bradley prompting some boxing analysts that he has lost his killer instinct and age seemed to be catching up with him.
Pacquiao, a still respected boxer who was re-elected to a second term as Sarangani province's Representative, will turn 35 on December 17.
Rios is hoping for a KO win over Pacquiao and not suffer Marquez's same fate the first time they met on May 8, 2004, where the bout ended in a controversial split draw.
Pacquiao won in another highly-debatable split decision with his second encounter with Marquez on March 15, 2008, and a majority decision in their third meeting on November 12, 2012.
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