Ronnie Rios retired after a full boxing career.
However, Rios will be back on Wednesday night April 24 on ProBox TV, facing Nicholas Polanco in a highly anticipated 10-round featherweight bout he enters the title race.
The former junior featherweight boxer also joined a new team, coached by former friends Jesus Gutierrez and Frank Barajas.
Rios and Gutierrez have been fighting for more than 20 years, and now the boxer who thinks it will be his last fight, returns after a break of almost two years and thinks about his fight.
“To be honest, I’m retired, I’ve given up on the sport,” Rios told BoxingScene. ——I have given up this sport. I fought twice for the world title but failed. I thought, “You know what? Maybe it’s time to move on.
Rios got a job and was a married father, but over time he didn’t like his appearance and weight. Then he went back to the boxing gym and lost 20 pounds. At the same time, his fighting spirit returned and he realized that he wanted to fight again.
Rios Hoping To Close Out His Career WIth A Title Around His Waist https://t.co/OTn7cGxhMB
— BoxingScene.com (@boxingscene) April 23, 2024
“This fight is everything,” Rios said. — coming off the longest stretch of my career, not just this fight but every fight from now on. I want to build on my legacy starting April 24th.
– I don’t want to come back for a return. Ultimately, I want to go out and win the belt.
Rios hopes to improve defensively and says it’s an area he hasn’t focused on in the past. Three of his four losses were by knockout. His last loss came on June 6, 2022, against WBA and IBF junior champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev. Rios stopped in the twelfth and final round.
As a certified publicist, Rios admits that he found a big difference between the two codes, but he is now entering the final stages and wants to give his story a different ending. “It’s not about fame or money,” Rios said. –What is happiness? For me, it’s not about money. To me, this is peace. When I was young, I won national championship after national championship, and I always wanted more – and still do. But that’s not my priority. I want it because I want to say that I deserve this belt.
Ashley’s thoughts:
Ronnie Rios returns to the ring after a brief retirement, marking a new chapter in his career. Even after hanging up his gloves, Rios’ passion for the sport has not faded and he is now determined to leave a lasting legacy by pursuing his ultimate goal: winning titles.
In an exclusive interview with BoxingScene, Rios spoke about his decision to come out of retirement and return to the sport he loves. After taking a break from the ring and focusing on other aspects of his life, including work and family, Rios returned to the ring with a new purpose and a strong desire to back to competing at the highest level.
For Rios, his fight against Nicholas Polanco on April 24 is not just another fight, but an opportunity to rewrite his career and cement his place in boxing history. With a renewed focus on improving his defensive skills and the ability to give his best every match, Rios is ready to begin the road to recovery.
What sets Rios apart is his dedication to the sport and his unwillingness to settle for anything less than success. Despite the obstacles and challenges along the way, Rios is determined to pursue the glory of a champion, driven by a passion for boxing and a desire to prove himself on the world stage.
As Rios prepares to return to the ring, his passion and determination are an inspiration to aspiring boxers around the world. His journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and the importance of following your dreams, no matter what obstacles you face. In the end, for Rios, winning the belt was more important than personal honor, finding peace and the satisfaction of knowing he was among boxing’s greatest. With the victory, Rios is ready to write the final chapter of his boxing career on his own terms, and boxing fans everywhere are waiting for the outcome of his journey.
