Little-known Abril confident he will capture vacant WBA title

Essentially, Rios is right.

Abril has been under the sport’s radar for quite awhile. But the 29-year-old from Cuba, who is 17-2-1 with eight knockouts, has had his share of success, including an Oct. 22 win over Miguel Acosta that gave Abril the interim WBA lightweight championship.

On Saturday at Mandalay Bay Events Center, Abril goes after a bigger prize — the vacant WBA lightweight title — and gets to do it on HBO Pay-Per-View against Rios.

"This is a big opportunity for me," Abril said through an interpreter this week. "Everyone will know about me after I beat Rios."

Abril is no stranger to Las Vegas, having stopped Marcus Luck in the second round at Paris Las Vegas in 2007 on the undercard of the Ricky Hatton-Juan Urango main event. Abril is glad to be back, especially given the circumstances.

"I remember when I was here the last time, nobody wanted to talk to me," he said. "Now that I am a champion, everyone wants to speak to me."

Abril basically had to call out Rios to get this chance. Last month in Miami, Rios attended a news conference to promote his fight against Yuriorkis Gamboa.

But Gamboa never showed up, and Abril, who was there, told Rios he deserved a shot. The two exchanged words, then shoves, before being separated. A few days later, Gamboa was dropped from the bout, and Abril got his wish.

"I just wanted to let him know that I was the (interim) champion and that Rios should fight me, not Gamboa," Abril said.

Abril was a highly successful amateur boxer in Cuba, posting a 213-5 record. He still lives there, owning a farm, and because of a visa issued by the government, he can return anytime he likes.

"My brother and sister still live there," Abril said. "I got very lucky. I won a lottery that allows me to speed up the (visa) process. I left with the proper approval, and I am always welcomed back home."

That explains why Abril deftly avoided answering questions about the uproar in Miami this week involving Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen and his remarks about admiring Fidel Castro. Abril said on Tuesday he does not engage in politics and said Guillen can say whatever he wants.

"If that’s what (Guillen) thinks, I don’t care," he said. "I love Cuba."

Abril also loves getting a chance to bask in the spotlight. But if he hopes to stay there beyond Saturday, he knows he has to take the fight to Rios (29-0-1, 22 KOs) and take advantage of his chances should Rios get sloppy.

"Punching with precision will be very important," Abril said. "Without it, you have nothing."

Abril has won five straight bouts. He last lost on Jan. 22, 2010, when Henry Lundy scored a 10-round split decision in Boston. His other loss was also a 10-round split decision to Breidis Prescott in 2008 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

He knows Rios is strong and powerful, but Abril said he also possesses strength and will not let Rios push him around.

"I am not afraid of Brandon Rios," he said. "I am the one who looked for this fight, and I am confident I will beat him. It ends for him Saturday."

■ NOTES — Today’s 3 p.m. weigh-in at Mandalay Bay’s Mizuya Lounge is open to the public. … First bell Saturday is at 4 p.m., with the televised portion of the card beginning at 6. … Cost of the pay-per-view broadcast is $44.95, but tickets for the card start at $25, and that includes the Juan Manuel Marquez-Sergey Fedchenko fight, which will be shown from Mexico City after the Rios-Abril fight.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.