Richard ‘The Boxing Prophet’ Solomon’s Picks Of the Week
By Richard Solomon, RCM Boxing Radio Co-Host
Richard’s love of boxing preceded his love of solid food. Doctors report he came out of his mother’s womb throwing a jab. As a child he would only ever count from 1 to 10, and his favorite superhero didn’t wear a cape- he wore leather gloves that were A Thrilla In Manila. With his uncanny ability to predict fights, his parents gave up dreams of him becoming President and set their sights higher: Boxing Prophet.
His claim to fame: telling the whole world in Feb of 1990 that James Buster Douglas was going to beat Mike Tyson. Through jeers and laughs he stuck to his prediction. Rich was an overnight sensation. A folk hero in his town. The prophet was born. His parents wept.
For every 10 fights Richard predicts – he guarantees 8 out of 10 are correct. He prides himself on not only picking the winner of the fight, but also whether it’s by decision or knockout – being so bold as to even pick the exact round.
Richard went to Adelphi University and holds a Master’s degree in Special Education. He teaches preschool children with learning disabilities and special needs. His kids are fighters and Richard genuinely appreciates and nurtures that spirit in them.
Richard started his career on Adelphi radio in a weekly sports talk show and went on to co-host other boxing radio shows during his career. He is now the RCM Boxing Radio Co-Host since April 2013.
Brandon Rios (32-2-1, 23KOs) vs. Mike Alvarado 3 (34-3, 23KOs)
Both fighters find themselves in a similar situation. Neither man is in position to seriously challenge a champion at 140 or 147 pounds. Rios has lost two of his last three fights. The only win came by disqualification against Diego Chaves, but Rios was down on the cards and looked horrible for most of the fight before it was stopped. Alvarado has dropped three of his last four. Needless to say, each man sits at a crossroads in his career and is fighting to remain relevant. They need to put on a show that leaves us wanting to see more of them. That type of motivation can be the formula for a great fight. Back in 2012, the two men battled tooth and nail, with Rios using his power shots to ultimately win by a 7th round TKO. That bout was the runner-up for Fight of the Year.
The rematch took place in 2013 and Alvarado learned from his previous mistakes. He used his movement and boxing prowess to win a unanimous decision. After the fight, the two men agreed to fight again, but Alvarado insisted the third bout take place in his home state of Colorado. Almost three years later, we have the rubber match and it is indeed on Alvarado’s stomping grounds. Alvarado has had his share of run-ins with the law. As he attempts to right the ship in the ring, it seems his life outside of it might not be stable. Can we expect Alvarado to be at his best so closely removed from an issue that could ultimately threaten his freedom?
I’ll say this: If he is the same boxer/puncher who showed up in the second fight with Rios, he has an excellent chance to win again. If he’s not on his game, Rios will use his brawling style and will most likely stop Alvarado. Make no mistake about it, in his last few bouts, Rios has looked like nothing more than a heavy bag for his opponents. His lack of foot speed, head movement and his slow hands have made him an easy fighter to defeat. Rios has to do something to prove beating him isn’t as simple as the last few fighters have made it seem. Both Rios and Alvarado leave it all in the ring. The winner of Rios-Alvarado 3 will be the man who can match his skill level with lots of passion.
Bottom line is, if I were convinced Alvarado would have himself together mentally and physically for this fight, he’d be my pick. However, I’m concerned he’s not focused enough and that he’ll allow Rios to draw him into a brawl. Let’s also not forget that Alvarado has been in so many wars lately, I can’t help but wonder if he is on the verge of being a “Shot” fighter. The only thing that Alvarado has in his favor are the judges. Let’s keep it real: If the fight goes the distance, Alvarado could get a “Gift” decision victory. However, I just don’t think he has enough left in the gas tank. Rios has always been a slow starter, so Alvarado might win the first few rounds. But, Rios will scrap his way back into the fight and ultimately wear down Alvarado with his body attack and hard power shots. My Pick: Rios wins by a 9th Round TKO.
My pick for the other fight on HBO this weekend: Gilberto Ramirez (30-0, 24KOs) over Maxim Vlasov (30-1, 15KOs) by Split Decision.
Richard’s Record (66-9)
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