Brick City Boxing

By: Brad Marchetti

For years fringe welterweight contender Cosme Rivera has been one of my favorite fighters and Friday on Rivera will be in a 12-round main event in Cosme Rivera vs Raul Pinzon. The reason I like watching Rivera is that he is the consummate pro. Rivera, 30-11, 22 KO’s, doesn’t do anything flashy but he does everything well, box, slug or counterpunch. The 5’10” Mexican Cosme is coming off a tough decision loss to contender Andre Berto last July, but the tough vet planted Berto on the canvas with a left uppercut in the 6th. Rivera is a crafty tactician that moves well behind a well-schooled defense and can also fight equally as efficient inside with a good body attack.

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The 31-year-old Rivera’s opponent Columbian Raul Pinzon, 15-1, 14 KO’s, is a brawler that comes forward and swings for the fences with a big right hand power. Pinzon has faced fought mainly in his native Columbia against limited opposition and was beaten by a close decision when he stepped up in class last October against Euri Gonzales, 15-10, 10 KO’s. Pinzon is tough and hungry but he can be nailed with right hands quite easily. The stocky 5’7” slugger is a wide puncher without much ring savvy so he will most likely try to turn the match into a dogfight against the taller straighter punching Rivera. Can Cosme put himself back in yet another big fight with a win over Pinzon? Will Pinzon overwhelm the old vet with his aggression? Sportsbook.com has Cosme Rivera as a -250 boxing betting favorite