By Allan Cerf
Particulars: On June 10th at Lancaster, California and on PBC, Fox Sports 1/Fox Deportes: it’s Welterweights Brandon ‘Bam-Bam’ Rios vs. Mexico’s Aaron Herrera, 10 rounds.
Background: At last glance, Brandon Rios was retiring after a humbling defeat to Tim Bradley in a fight that I saw as competitive and exciting. In fact, it was a shutout ending in a KO. Bradley controlled the proverbial “every minute of every round.” For Rios, retirement seemed the wise move. He’d made his run, he’d peaked and it seemed with a wonderful family life – the Texas native was absolutely entitled to call it a day.
Like countless others, Rios used boxing as a springboard from a ton of trouble into stability and if wise, financial security. He has good fundamentals and is a solid pugilist. A professional. But, like countless others from Muhammad Ali on down – the lure of the ring and those greenbacks were too hard to resist.
Come June 10, he’s taking on a professional opponent who campaigns mainly in Mexico. Herrera comes to win but with no disrespect, it’s the coming that is the big thing: arrive, fight as hard as possible and win or lose, fight another day.
Nothing that I saw in reviewing Herrera leads me to believe that boxing is a grand passion. Nothing to suggest that he’s less than a complete professional. When I say opponent, let me be clear: this is NOT a middling MMA fighter giving boxing a whirl. Meet Aaron at a gym and he’d kick your butt, immediately.
Mexican fighters put the ‘P’ in professional and Herrera is a continuation of that long tradition. Rios is easily his best opponent. If there was ever a day in the life of a journeyman for everything to go right, for the planets to align – and to put forth an unprecedented effort - dude, this is it.
Fighters Scorecards:
Brandon Rios:
Speed: C+
Power: B+
Defense: B
Reach: C
Stamina: B-
Experience: B+
Age: C
Average of all letter grades: B-
Aaron Herrera:
Speed: C-
Power: C-
Defense: C-
Reach: C
Stamina: C
Experience: C+
Age: B
Average of all letter grades: C
Reality Check:
With tickets at $30.00 if you happen to be in or near Lancaster, California it’s a good deal. If Rios is serious about a last run, with the goal being another championship fight, then it’s $30.00 well spent. Failing to look very, very good, Rios should hang them up for good. The 28-year-old Herrera? I get the feeling that- as long as the sun rises and sets and he has, as Joe Frazier said, “2 hands,” he will continue to make a living in the very tough, strange life he’s chosen.
Personal:
I’ve covered Rio’s all-important family life before and nothing presented itself about Herrera; sorry.
Fight and Prediction: Let’s take Bam-Bam at his word. Rios TKO Herrera 8.