Pacquiao vs. Rios Fight Time: Critical PPV Info for International Event

The fight months-in-the-making has finally arrived. On Saturday, Manny Pacquiao and Brandon Rios will walk into the Venetian Macao in China for their scheduled World Boxing Organization’s international welterweight title.

No, I did not make that belt up. But for both Rios and Pacquiao, wearing the strap at the end of the fight is less about the title itself than what it would mean for their respective careers.

Once arguably the most feared pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, Pacquiao comes into Saturday with his career reeling. His knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez last December sent shock waves through the boxing community and created an entire cottage industry of Pacquiao-related memes.

The loss, in which Pacquiao was knocked out cold in Round 6, gives Pac-Man two straight losses for the first time in his career.

Now, keep in mind Pacquiao's first professional fight was in 1995. "On Bended Knee" by Boyz II Men—which should totally be everyone's wedding song, by the way—was the No. 1 song in the country. So, suffice it to say this losing streak means a little more than your average NBA two-game bender.

Rios is also coming off a loss, a unanimous decision defeat to Mike Alvarado in March. He also has a ton to prove in this fight. Most casual fans—the ones who typically represent a majority of the Pacquiao audience—are likely watching him for the first time Saturday night.

It should make for interesting theatre to say the least.

With that in mind, here are a complete look at when and where you can watch the fight and a look at the biggest storyline for both fighters.

Fight Information

When: Saturday, Nov. 23 at 9 p.m. ET

Where: The Venetian Macao in Macao, China

Watch: HBO Pay-Per-View (contact your service provider)

Top Storylines

Pacquiao: Where Do We Go From Here?

Anyone even remotely associated with pugilistic endeavors tends to bathe themselves in hyperbole. Every fight is the biggest of someone's career. Every fight could be the last of someone's career. Every fight is the difference between being remembered as a legend or the hollowed out bum hanging around a local gym remembering the glory days.

Fun, isn't it?

But for Pacquiao, Saturday's fight is one of the rare instances where the hyperbole just feels apt. Fair or not—and in the case of his loss to Bradley, definitely not—Pac-Man has fallen in two straight fights, one away from the usual "just step away" magic number. The number of fans doubting him have arguably never been higher.

And then, there's that whole sticky word that's usually best to stay away from: legacy. Go back in your mind about a year and a half and look how much has changed in Pacquiao's long-term career outlook.

Before his loss to Bradley, there were talks of Brinks trucks parked on his lawn for the inevitable fight with Floyd Mayweather. Hell, there were many in the sport—paid experts, trainers, everything—who thought Pacquiao was the only person in the world quick enough and powerful enough to finally take down Money May.

Now, he's fighting someone in Rios who only the most hardcore fans had heard of before the fight announcement. 

"Brandon Rios is the biggest test out there for me and I will be ready to meet the challenge," Pacquiao said. "I have heard what Brandon has been saying.  If he fights as well as he boasts it will be a great fight for us and the fans."

Does anyone actually believe that? That Pacquiao thinks Rios is the "best test" out there for Pacquiao? From an outsider's perspective, it seems the quotes from Pacquiao's camp sound a whole lot like a national championship contender in college football trying to keep themselves motivated for a midseason trap game. 

Pre-fight bluster aside, Pacquiao's camp smartly set this Rios fight up as chance for their guy to notch a victory. As soon as the major money of Pacquiao-Marquez V seemingly went out the window, the next best option for their side was to attempt to reclaim some of their fighter's lost reputation. And, it's a good move. This is a stepping-stone bout for whatever comes next.

But what happens next? If Pacquiao wins, are we finally getting Mayweather-Pacquiao sometime next year? Or, will he attempt to go back to where this nadir started and take on Bradley, who shocked most analysts by beating Marquez earlier this year?

Or, on the flip side, could a loss mean the end of Pacquiao's career? His wife already pushed for retirement after the loss to Marquez. Saturday night's fight will be interesting, but it might be more intriguing to watch what happens in the aftermath for Pacquiao. 

Rios: Can He Overcome the Odds?

Let us start off with congratulating Rios on getting paid. He'll get a guaranteed purse of around $3 million just for showing up, a figure far beyond his normal earnings scale. He'll also get the national recognition and the rest of the yada yada yada that comes with fighting Pacquiao.

Whatever.

The reality is that most fans just expect him to do that—collect a check. Frankly, I do, too. There isn't all that much going in Rios' favor from a boxing standpoint, which is why this fight feels like a slam dunk for Pacquiao and a wham, bam, thank you Pac-Ma'am into future paydays for Rios. Even Rios' pre-fight quotes are drenched with the type of dialogue you'd expect from a bad 1980s sports movie.

"Out with the old, in with the new...and I'm the new," Rios said. "Manny, this is my time."

OK, perhaps a bad WWE villain? I'm not sure. But I am sure that quoting a cliche that has its own Pinterest page doesn't exactly strike me as the best way to convince us all that you have a chance. Rios is young, just 27 when he steps into the ring on Saturday.

He's also coming off two straight fights where he's looked like the inferior boxer against Mike Alvarado, winning the first via TKO after being down on all three scorecards and losing the second handily.

Rios is also upping his weight class for the chance to fight Pacquiao. Judging how a boxer will react to added or subtracted weight is never the most fruitful endeavor before they've fought in that class, so it's hard to know whether Rios' speed will be sapped or if his already great power will increase and make him a better fighter with the extra tonnage.

Either way, the oddsmakers don't lie. No one expects Rios to win, and the overarching expectation is the only way he comes close is by stunning Pacquiao in the same way Marquez did. Or maybe Pacquiao is just washed up? That's what all his detractors would want you to think.

Rios is coming into the fight of his life with nothing to lose and everything to gain. Wait. Did I just sound like a bad WWE storyline where the underdog comes out the hero?

Yikes. Maybe Rios was onto something after all.

All quotes via Top Rank press release.

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