Pacquiao vs. Rios: Analyzing Tale of Tape, Records and Background of Both Boxers

Brandon "Bam Bam" Rios and Manny "Pac-Man" Pacquiao have taken different paths to their main event bout in Macau, China on Nov. 23.

Rios was a successful amateur fighter who was an alternate on the 2004 U.S. Olympic team. Despite his amateur success he was brought along slowly as a professional before reaching the heights of his profession in 2011.

Pacquiao's professional career began when he was just 16 years old. He hails from the most humble beginnings. His rise to stardom is the ultimate rags-to-riches story, per Bob Velin of USA Today. Pacquiao lived on the streets in Manila, Philippines before his gift in boxing led him to what was once unimaginable fame.

Even though both men have taken a different route to the bout, each will arrive as warriors. With Rios and Pacquiao coming off losses, this fight is huge for both men's future.

Pacquiao's entire career could be at stake. He has dropped his last two fights; the last defeat at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez was the type of defeat that can change a fighter in the ring and outside of it.

Pac-Man has had plenty of big fights in his career, but because of his age (34) and the circumstances, this is the biggest.

Rios has been a world champion, but he's never faced an opponent with credentials or raw talent remotely close to Pacquiao's. Assuming Pac-Man can still perform at a high level, this is a significant step up for Bam Bam.

Here's a look at the tale of the tape and the records for both fighters.

Categories	Manny Pacquiao	Brandon Rios
Nickname	Pac-Man	Bam Bam
Height	5' 6.5"	5'9"
Reach	67"	70"
Nationality	Filipino	American
Born	Dec. 17 1978	April. 29 1986
Stance	Southpaw	Orthodox
Total Fights	61	33
Wins	54	31
Wins by KO	38	23
Losses	5	1
Draws	2	1

Though there is a 2.5-inch height advantage and a three-inch reach edge in favor of Rios, Pacquiao's quickness could cancel out the length factor. When it comes to hand and foot speed, very few fighters have such a devastating combination of skills.

On the downside for Pacquiao is his age. Normally, 34 isn't old for the sport. However, when you've been fighting for almost 18 years and been in a good number of wars, even the most sturdy gladiators will show wear and tear.

Marquez's knockout could have literally taken years off Pacquiao's career. Some would argue that Pacquiao's decline began even before his most-recent loss. The question is: Will the decline begin/continue on Saturday, and if so, will he have enough to defeat Rios either way?

If Pacquiao was unquestionably in his prime, this would be easy work for him, but at this point in his career, there is a doubt. Watch on Saturday on HBO pay-per-view to see all of the questions about this potentially epic fight answered.

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