2012 Boxing Awards

Most pundits argued there was no way that the fight between Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado would live up to the hype. By the end of the seven round battle, most agreed that the fight somehow topped the hype. Rios and Alvarado mostly traded in skill and technique so they could all-out brawl, but Rios showcased both his ability to work inside as well as land some thunderous punches. Rios eventually won in the seventh round after visibly injuring Alvarado, and the fight was almost instantly declared the fight of the year.