Brandon Rios Slams Kell Brook, Says Amir Khan, Keith Thurman Would Destroy Brit
Brandon Rios has launched a scathing attack on IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook, insisting he, Amir Khan, Keith Thurman and others would be able to leave the Brit on the canvas.
Brook was set to defend his crown in a fight with Diego Chaves later this year, but has had to put the bout on hold due to a rib injury. Many have been looking at what could be in store for the Sheffield-born star beyond that fight, but speaking with ESNews (h/t Sky Sports), Rios insisted he’d be found out against a quality opponent:
"Keith Thurman would knock that mother out, Maidana would murder him. I'd kill this guy. This mother just saying names to get his name out there, but he ain't stepping up to the plate. He's fighting guys who can't hit, like Frankie Gavin and some other guy I never heard of [Jo Jo Dan]. Those are guys nobody ever heard about.
He's calling names out so they say 'oh Kell Brook's this, Kell Brook's that, they're dodging him, they're scared of him!.' Nobody's scared of that guy!….I'd knock that mother out, take his belt and be happy about it!
He also won't fight Amir Khan because he knows he'd get his a-- handed to him.
"
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As reported by Sky Sports, Rios looked as though he was going to fight Brook earlier in the year, but it was scrapped. The man known as “Bam Bam” is scheduled to go up against Timothy Bradley in his next outing on Nov. 7; he’s won his last two fights against Mike Alvarado and Chaves after previously losing to Manny Pacquiao.
A win over Bradley would definitely put Rios in the frame for some big fights down the line and he may be laying the foundations for a potential showdown with Brook, who will be the big favourite to beat Chaves when the pair do eventually go toe-to-toe.
Brook suggested on his Twitter feed that it shouldn’t be too long before we see him in the ring against Chaves despite his fitness setback:
Khan recently revealed that a fight between himself and Brook could be on the cards, admitting a dream fight with Pacquiao seems an increasingly unlikely proposition.
The Bolton-born puncher has been impressive in his last three bouts, beating Devon Alexander, Luis Collazo and Chris Algieri. He’s not fought since May this year and will surely be keen to get back in action as soon as possible. Brook’s injury and the subsequent delay to his fight with Chaves may mean that an all-British showdown is shelved for now, though.
As noted by Dewi Powell of Boxing Wales, Khan has wasted a lot of time eyeing up illustrious opponents recently instead of putting himself in the frame with big wins:
"In the time Khan has been blabbing about Mayweather and Pacquiao fights that were never happening, he could've had a trilogy with Brook.
— Dewi Powell (@DewiPowell) October 13, 2015"
Thurman is reportedly set to go up against Shawn Porter in what will be an intriguing fight next month, per Dan Ambrose of Boxing News 24. Brook famously got the better of Porter in 2014 in a majority decision and he’s likely to pose big problems for Thurman; the winner of that potential showdown could well be an ideal opponent for the Brit further down the line.
Rios is no stranger to controversy, having previously been accused of mocking legendary trainer Freddie Roach, who suffers with Parkinson’s disease. Indeed, you suspect this latest dose of trash talk from the Texan is an attempt to remain relevant in a welterweight division packed with quality fighters at the moment.
Should Brook get the better of Chaves there will be big opportunities for him in 2016. The British public would love to see a showdown between he and Khan, but if both men were to fight and win again, thus bolstering their reputations even further, that showpiece would have a global appeal as well as a domestic one.
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