Brandon Rios, Robert Garcia, and Angel ‘Memo’ Heredia in Las Vegas (Photo: Chris Robinson – www.HustleBoss.com)

By Chris Robinson

Since becoming familiar with Robert Garcia’s talented stable of fighters in Oxnard, Calif. over the past few years, I could never deny the entertainment value that former lightweight champion Brandon Rios always brought to the table when in camp.

From practical jokes to good old-fashioned trash talk, Rios helped to make for a lively environment that served as a backdrop to the intensity he always shows while in the gym.

Ahead of his rematch with Mike Alvarado this weekend, things were a little different for Rios, as he chose to have a closed camp for reasons that weren’t fully disclosed in the previous weeks.

Rios meets Alvarado for a second time on Saturday night inside of the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas in an HBO-televised attraction and eyebrows were raised when it was reported that he had enlisted the services of strength and conditioning coach Angel ‘Memo’ Heredia for this assignment.
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