Brandon Rios believes Filipino great Manny Pacquiao will draw inspiration after Super Typhoon Haiyan, but that won't stop him trying to send the eight-weight world champion into retirement.
Rios sent his condolences after the giant storm slammed into the Philippines, leaving about 4000 people dead and three million homeless, but said he will have little sympathy for his opponent once they step in the ring on Sunday.
"It's a terrible thing that happened in the Philippines and for everybody that lost their families I feel sorry, my condolences goes out to them and, you know, God be with them," he told AFP in an interview by phone Monday from his training base in Macau.
"But we still got to concentrate on the fight. I'm not fighting the crowd or the Philippines people, I'm fighting Manny Pacquiao in front of me," said the fast-talking American.
Pacquaio's trainer Freddie Roach said last week that he would have no hesitation in telling Pacquiao, who turns 35 next month, to quit if he suffered a third straight defeat in his "must-win" battle against Rios in Macau.
The "PacMan" has been one of the best pound-for-pound boxers of his generation, winning 10 world titles at eight different weights.
But the Filipino's legacy suffered in 2012 with his first defeats in seven years: a controversial points loss to Timothy Bradley, and a devastating sixth-round knockout to Juan Manuel Marquez last December.
The 27-year-old Rios has no doubt he will make it three in a row and force the man with a record of 54 wins, five defeats and two draws, in a pro career spanning almost 19 years, to hang up his gloves for good.
"I'm young, I'm hungry and I want it. I want the success," said the nine-year pro with a record of 31 wins and just one defeat.
Sunday's World Boxing Organisation (WBO) welterweight title fight at the Venetian Macau resort will be Rios's debut outside of the US or Mexico.
"If they think I'm the bad guy for trying to beat Pacquiao then it's even better for me. I like being the bad guy. It don't bother me. I'm not really worried about the crowd," said Rios.
Rios will also be fighting at welterweight (66.7 kilograms) for the first time, having won his WBA title at 61.2kg and stepping up to junior welterweight (63.5kg) for his last two fights against Alvarado.
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