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Alvarado tries to get back on track vs. Marquez

By WTOP Staff

DENVER (AP) — The punches kept landing long after Mike Alvarado lost his world junior welterweight title in his last fight.

Only, these were mental jabs being delivered as he berated himself for weeks over not taking his bout with Russian bruiser Ruslan Provodnikov more seriously last October.

When he returned to training, Alvarado placed an enormous promotional banner from the fight on a wall in the gym — to constantly refresh his memory as to what can happen when he stops being Mike Alvarado the boxer and tries to be Mike Alvarado the brawler.

He has a chance to get his career back on track when he faces 40-year-old Juan Manuel Marquez at the Forum in Inglewood, California, on Saturday. The winner will be the mandatory challenger to World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao in the fall.

“This gives me more of a focus, knowing I have an opportunity for a bigger opportunity,” said Alvarado, who’s moving up a weight class to take on Marquez in a 12-round bout televised live on HBO. “Just do my thing.”

He’s actually surprised a bout of this magnitude happened so quickly, especially after losing to Provodnikov just seven months ago when he couldn’t answer the bell late in the fight. And especially when he hardly resembled the boxer who had risen to the top.

That Provodnikov fight still haunts Alvarado. In the ring, he did everything he wasn’t supposed to do as he tried to brawl with the powerful boxer instead of move around and look for an opening.

Then again, Alvarado’s training leading up to the fight wasn’t exactly stellar. The Denver boxer was distracted by his celebrity status around the Mile High City and didn’t treat the bout with proper respect, which he and his training team readily acknowledge.

“Told him, ‘See what happens when you don’t take things as seriously as you should,'” said Henry Delgado, who serves as Alvarado’s manager and recently moved the team to Los Angeles to train without distractions. “That wasn’t Mike Alvarado (that night). We had a long talk and said, ‘Look, you got there and you let it go. But now you know when you get there, how to stay there.'”

Alvarado (34-2) insists his focus is squarely on Marquez, not down the line for a possible chance at Pacquiao.

Marquez (55-7-1) is formidable enough. He knocked out Pacquiao in the sixth round of their fourth fight in late 2012. That’s the power of the veteran Mexican champion.

What’s more, Marquez shines under the bright lights of the Forum, where he’s undefeated in a dozen fights.

But Marquez is coming off a loss, too, dropping a split decision to Timothy Bradley Jr. last October.

“I’ve been watching Marquez for a long time,” the 33-year-old Alvarado said. “He’s a legend in the sport and made his mark. I’m going to exploit every weakness and see how much he has left in him.”

Be forewarned: Marquez isn’t ready for retirement anytime soon.

“In my mind, all I think about is winning and continuing my career,” he said. “As long as I feel well in my training, I will feel well in the fight.”

Marquez just may borrow a page from Provodnikov’s playbook — try to lure Alvarado out of his style and counter punch. Marquez knows quite a few tricks to throw a fighter off his game.

“I need to use all my experience in the ring,” he said.

Asked if he’s thinking about possibly another rematch with Pacquiao, Marquez quickly deflected the question.

“I’m concentrating on this fight,” he said. “The most important fight for my career is right now, because (Alvarado) is a strong fighter.”

Determined, too.

“I’m here to redeem myself and put on a better show,” Alvarado said.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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