Just sayin! . Can you just imagine the combination that was about to come with alvarado hands at his chest?
I'm thinking TR wanted it over early so they can sell the rematch for bigger money. At the very least they didn't want either guy getting too banged up for future potential matches.
reasonable stoppage. i was a little disapointed to see the action stop, but after watching the replays it looked like a good stoppage.
it was a good stoppage. I remember people saying Hearns/Leonard one was a bad stoppage when Davey Pearl stopped it in the 14th round when Tommy was still fighting back. I always thought Davey Pearl stopped it well, and had he let it go on Tommy might have been knocked out worse which would have made his longevity to fight and win a title in 1991 10 year later against Virgil HIll not possible. Alvarado is a good fighter and he will be fine and fight well in the future. This fight was not stopped early. Good stoppage and a stoppage which puts a man's health first. I also thought Richard Steele did a good stoppage on Meldrick Taylor. He was not the time keeper.
Alvarado was totally out on his feet. He was looking to the ref for help. Rios would have murked him with another big flurry of haymakers had the fight not been stopped. I was surprised when guys like IB and others were vehemently arguing it was a premature stoppage and that Alvarado could have come back and beat Rios. Rios seized the initiative when he hurt Alvarado at the end of the 6th round and didn't give it up. I honestly think people upset with the stoppage had money on Alvarado :yep
The guys I was watching it with were a little upset because they thought it was kind of quick, but I said immediately that I had no issue with it. Alvarado was against the ropes with his hands down, wasn't defending himself, and was clearly very badly dazed and wobbly. The only thing missing was a knockdown, which would've come a few seconds later, and there was no need to expose him to further punishment from Rios. He can live to fight another day and be proud of his heart-filled determined effort, but he was completely done.
