by Chris ‘Polish Hitman’ Morris
When Mike Alvarado and Brandon Rios recently entered the ring for the rubber match of their trilogy, Rios gave Alvarado a humiliating one-sided beat down, one that Alvarado later said “he deserved.”
I concur with Alvarado’s view on that 100%. You don’t train and take this sport seriously, you get what you deserve.
However, let me tell you what Mike Alvarado doesn’t deserve.
He doesn’t deserve to be done the disservice of lying. Does Robert Garcia really NEED to add insult to injury? Does videographer Elie Seckbach need to keep prodding until he gets the quote he wants?
I don’t believe so.
A video surfaced this week on ESNews, which is Seckbach’s YouTube channel, one that follows the paths of the boxers in the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy. In the video, Garcia makes the charge that Alvarado’s camp “tried to use wet hand wraps” for the Rios fight.
When Seckbach pushes the issue, Garcia also says the Alvarado camp also tried to use “gloves from home.”
I was sickened when Greg Rowe, from Death Rowe Combat, sent this clip to me. All the rumors running rampant and now this? How could it get any worse for Alvarado?
I decided to do some digging of my own. I contacted several members of the Colorado Boxing Commission, which has a very strict, “no media” policy when it comes to statements, so all of these statements were made, “off the record,” meaning you won’t see direct quotes.
I will instead paraphrase in my own words. Believe me, these anonymous sources are as rock solid as it gets. I’m going to give you some of the accounts of the events in question.
First, on the issue of “wet hand wraps.”
No they were not wet, they were not even damp. You couldn’t even feel moisture unless you pressed into the wraps. The rules state that the wraps must be dry. So they had Team Alvarado open yet another new pack. In no way, shape or form was Alvarado trying to gain any upper hand with this. It was nitpicking on camp Garcia’s side and nothing more.
Second, on the issue that Alvarado “wanted to bring gloves from home.”
If you noticed, Alvarado was decked out in black and gold. His gloves? Green and gold? Why? They didn’t bring the matching gloves to the rules meeting for approval. Small mistake, but not what Garcia and Seckbach are making it out to be. Alvarado’s manager Henry Delgado called the commission the day of the fight and asked about using the matching gloves.
He was told to bring them to the arena, in the package, and if camp Garcia approves them, no problem. Delgado thought better of it and decided against the switch. He left the “gloves in question” at home. They were NEVER in the arena. When Delgado called the commission, the commission contacted Garcia to let him know of the possible change. End of the mystery.
This was a complete non-issue as the gloves were never brought to the Broomfield Event Center. So why push for an extra quote? Was the overwhelming Rios victory simply not satisfying enough? You then feel the need to run the fighter’s name through the mud?
Always remember Robert and Elie, without Mike Alvarado, there is no trilogy, there is no huge spotlight on Rios, who then isn’t led to a fight with Manny Pacquiao. Alvarado has been as important to Rios’ career as you have. You owe Alvarado and his team better than that. Be professional.
In this writer’s opinion, a public apology from camp Garcia is in order.