Mike Alvarado knows that he can expect to hear calls of "quitter" from critics following last night's loss to Ruslan Provodnikov, but he says the decision was made for his health.
Mike Alvarado battled as long as he could last night, and 10 rounds was his limit, as he retired from the fight on his stool, losing to Ruslan Provodnikov in an action-packed HBO main event from Broomfield, Colorado, near Denver.
Alvarado (34-2, 23 KO) says that he's not a quitter, and that he made a decision that he felt was in his own best interests, remarking, "It was not worth taking more punishment, because the damage could be permanent. It just wasn't my night. I have a lot of heart. I'm not a quitter."
In the ultra macho boxing world where Miguel Cotto was called a coward (in so many words) for admitting that, no, he has no plans to "die in the ring," this sort of statement is always going to receive some backlash, but I say good for Alvarado. He's 33 years old, he's got some years left in a brutal sport, and it's not like he was out there making Manny Pacquiao money. This is a guy whose career has to continue on for as long as it can, because this is his livelihood. Is it worth having Provodnikov do irreparable damage and potentially cutting his career as a contender short? Not really, no.
Alvarado was trailing on all three official cards when he threw in his own towel, with Provodnikov (23-2, 16 KO) ahead on scores of 98-90, 97-90, and 96-92. BLH had it 97-91 for Provodnikov at the time of stoppage.
By bad Left Hook
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