“Bam Bam” Training at Ten Goose

After his loss to Timothy Bradley back in November, Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios toyed with the idea of retiring from the ring. He even announced his (brief) retirement from boxing at the age of 29 after his last defeat.

But now Rios is back. The now 30-year-old is back in the gym, back to training mode. After working with longtime trainer Robert Garcia, the team split up in January. Rios said he would go back to training with his father Manuel Rios, who had ignited Brandon’s amateur boxing career in Kansas.

Brandon and his dad have also been training with Ricky Funez out of the famed Ten Goose Boxing Gym in Van Nuys, Calif. Funez has become a “Trainer to the Stars” lately having worked with several A-list celebs, actors, singers and familiar faces including Justin Bieber, Tai Lopez, Mike Epps, etc. Ricky was mentored by the late Dan Goossen and also Joe Goossen and was very close to fallen warrior Diego “Chico” Corrales.

Now Funez has a new warrior putting in hours in his gym. Just like Corrales, Rios (33-3, 24 KOs is an aggressive warrior with his gutsy, balls out style of slugging it out. He is a former WBA and NABF Lightweight Champ and a WBO International Welterweight Titlist. He has fought the likes of Timothy Bradley and Manny Pacquiao and is also known for his Mike Alvarado trilogy. But after his loss to Bradley, many wondered what the future held for him when he said he was retiring? Turns out, Rios just can’t turn his back on boxing just yet.

On the day I visited the gym, Brandon and Manuel Rios were already at Ten Goose ready to spar with new pro Damien Lopez.

I hadn’t seen “Bam Bam” for a little while but the gregarious puncher greeted us with a big smile and introduced me to his father sitting on the edge of the ring. After his losses to Bradley and Manny Pacquiao, I wondered if Brandon would still be the same outside the ropes? For fans who love his sound-bite personality, colorful quotes and crazy sense of humor, you will be happy to know that Rios hasn’t changed in that regard. He still jokes around a lot and during breaks in training can be a total prankster in the gym. During his rise to the top, Brandon rapidly became a crowd favorite with his “El Grito” war cry on the canvas.

Now Rios is returning to the sport he loves. But is this “new” version of Brandon Rios the same person that won championship matches?

The Rios crew believes he still has a lot in the tank. Brandon does seem more mature and focused. His work ethic is strong; he was one of the first ones in the gym and the last one out of the ring. His cardio and conditioning continue to rise as Funez mentions Brandon has lost about 25 pounds in the two and a half months the duo have been working out together. Ricky says he’s enjoyed training with Team Rios and is tweaking nuances and making adjustments in Brandon’s game. Ricky says Brandon is very committed, making the drive out to the legendary Ten Goose gym about four times a week; during the other days he trains out of the KO Studios in Agoura Hills.

And even though he’s not training for any particular fight right now, Rios kept his focus up. After he was done sparring several rounds, the ex-champ stayed in the ring shadowboxing with new pro Damien Lopez and 7-0 pro Juan Funez (Ricky’s nephew). I watched as Brandon took time to show the young pugs some pointers in the ring, giving them a little advice and a few tricks of the trade. Having first picked up the gloves at the tender age of eight; he’s been lacing up for 22 years now. He’s proving his passion and love of boxing by reinventing himself in this next stage of his career. Outside the gym, Brandon stays busy with his wife Vicky and their children (Laila, Mia, Ava, Marcus, Brandon II), all named after prizefighters and also participating in charity organizations.

I also chatted a while with Brandon’s dad Manuel, who watched over his son. Born in Texas and growing up in Kansas, the sweet science has long been part of their lives. Young “Bam Bam” was an amateur standout before turning pro in 2004. His pops guided him to early success before Oxnard’s Robert Garcia became his coach. Manuel tells me that Brandon followed his brother into a boxing gym and it became a lifelong passion. Manuel believes the world still hasn’t seen the talent that he knows is within his son.

July 23 marks Rios’ 12th anniversary of his professional debut. During his championship-caliber career, Brandon has seen the highs and the lows of the fight game. Now the boxer is ready to rise up again.

While there’s no official fight in the horizon yet, the team hopes to make a “comeback” very soon. He’ll have to shake off the proverbial “ring rust” and get back in the ranks but Funez, Manuel Rios and Brandon himself all believe he can do it.

Stay tuned for the return of “Bam Bam”!

Photos by Michele Chong