Just like the upcoming New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl matchup this is the proverbial "pick 'em" fight. Many fans and pundits alike have no clue who is going to win the rubber match between Brandon Rios (32-2-1, 23 KO's) and Mike Alvarado (34-3, 23 KO's). 
You need to look no further than the video evidence from their first two brutal matches, to realize that these guys 1) make for exciting fights and 2) are pretty evenly matched in all departments.
However, there are two departments that could hold the keys to victory in their third fight.
The first one is form. By form, I mean, who has more left in the tank.
Alvarado is an old, by boxing terms, 34 years of age. And when you account for his brutal fighting style, the layers of scar tissue that he has developed from these brutal fights, and the fact that he is past his physical prime, it will not surprise me if he unexpectedly wilts under the pressure of Rios's able fists.
Rios is six years his junior (28) but he has also gone his fair share of brutal rounds in recent years against Alvarado, Manny Pacquiao and in his foul-marred victory against Diego Gabriel Chaves most recently.
The second factor to keep an eye on is ring generalship. Will Rios make any adjustments to counter the adjustments that Alvarado made in their second match-Alvarado's revenge win? Or will Alvarado be goaded into a brawl with Rios and be TKO'd again?
These are all intruiging questions that will be answered in a few days.
I'm leaning Alvarado in this one. Despite his age and brutal, recent bouts with Rios, Ruslan Provodnikov and Juan Manuel Marquez, I think he still has enough left in the tank to outwork, outbox and outfight Rios ever-so-slightly in their rubber match.
But as we all know, it won't be easy. And as a fight fan, for that, I am truly thankful.
