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Humberto Soto: ‘I’m so excited to fight Brandon Rios, the fight will turn into a war’

Soto (left) in action against Antonio Orozco. Photo by Naoki Fukuda
Fighters Network
19
Feb

 

Former two-weight world champion Humberto Soto and the always exciting former lightweight titleholder Brandon Rios lock horns in what should be a fan-friendly 144-pound catchweight bout at the Auditorio Municipal Fausto Gutiérrez Moreno, Tijuana on Saturday.

Soto (68-9-2, 37 knockouts) has had a storied career over the past two decades. He got his first big break when he upset 2000 Olympian Rocky Juarez at two-weeks’ notice in 2005, then went on to win WBC titles at junior lightweight and lightweight.

The now 38-year-old grizzled veteran is excited at the prospect of a fire-fight with Rios.



“This is going to be huge you. Tijuana is my second hometown so I will be at home,” Soto told The Ring through translator David Ayala. “I’m so excited to fight Rios. We talked about this fight about 10 years ago but for some reason it never happened. Now we’re both more mature and because of the styles the fight will turn into a war.

“Brandon is a true warrior; he’s strong and brave, a guy who’s always going forward is dangerous. I’m very focused on my boxing skills and will use my feet properly to make him miss.”

Rios, 32, was a successful amateur who was an alternate on the 2004 U.S Olympic team. Since turning professional in the summer of 2004, Rios has become one of the most exciting fighters of the past decade. He won the WBA 135-pound strap in 2011 and, after battling the scales, moved up in weight to have an excellent trilogy with Mike Alvarado. Rios has also fought – and lost to – Manny Pacquiao, Tim Bradley and Danny Garcia.

As usual Soto is training at the Crea Gym, Tijuana, with long-time father and son trainers Romulo and Bobby Quirarte. “La Zorrita” (Crafty Little Fox) is using his vast experience to concentrate on the task in hand and hopes he can parlay a win into something even more significant.

“For the time being, it’s one fight at the time, I’m not getting any younger, my team and I always talk after each fight, they have always taken good care of me,” said Soto. “I know that this fight could get me one last big fight, one last title shot but, like I said, one fight at the time.”

This fight and undercard will be braodcast live on DAZN in the U.S.

 

Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at [email protected] and you can follow him on Twitter @AnsonWainwright

 

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