Tag Archives: broner

Posted on 01/10/2019

By: Sean Crose

“This is a challenge for me,” Manny Pacquiao said during media day at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles on Thursday, “because this is my first fight at the age of forty.” The 60-7-2 legend will be facing Cincinnati’s Adrien “The Problem” Broner (33-3-1) on January 19th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in a bout that will be aired live on Showtime pay per view. “I’m excited to be back in the United States to fight again,” said Pacquiao. “It’s been a while.” It’s also been a while since he had Freddie Roach in his corner. Pacquiao’s last fight, a destruction last year of Lucas Matthysse, was fought without the famed Wild Card Trainer playing his usual role of mastermind cornerman. This time, however, the two men are back together, along with Pacquiao’s right hand man, Buboy Fernandes. “We have no problems,” Pacquiao said of his relationship with Roach.

Pacquiao, who was long associated with promoter Bob Arum, is now aligned with rival Al Haymon’s Premiere Boxing Champions. “I’m not thinking of myself alone,” Pacquiao said Thursday, “but I’m thinking about my fighters.” Although he says he has no “problem with Bob Arum,” Pacquiao claims that “this is a big opportunity for me and for my boxers that I have in the Philippines.” The master of numerous weight divisions over the years had the good sportsmanship to add that: “ I don’t’ want to compare promoter to promoter.”

Pacquiao also didn’t want to talk much about a second go round with arch rival Floyd Mayweather. “Right now I’m thinking of my next fight,” he claimed. “Right now I’m thinking one at a time.” Pacquiao made it clear that Broner is not the kind of fighter he can just overlook. “Style-wise,” he said, “he’s fast. He can move – you cannot underestimate him.” Pacquiao’s plan, he said, is to be bold. “I have to be aggressive,” he claimed, adding later that Broner is “a former champion. He can punch.” In other words, he doesn’t feel the notorious Broner should be seen as an easy win. “I’m not thinking about Floyd Mayweather,” he claimed. “I’m focusing on Adrien Broner.”

Pacquiao did, however, indicate he’s be interested in facing the winner of March’s Mikey Garcia-Errol Spence fight (he thinks Spence will win). He also, somewhat surprisingly, indicated he was eager to have faced the likes of Terence Crawford and Vasyl Lomachenko, his former Top Rank Stablemates. As far as his reputation go, the fighter/Filipino senator came across as quite secure.

“My legacy is already there,” he said.

Posted on 01/03/2019

By: Sean Crose

“My goal is to knock out Broner” Manny Pacquiao says in the leadup to his January 19th Pay Per View throwdown with the notorious Adrien Broner. “I have to maximize the opportunity,” he adds. “I forgot how much fun winning a fight by knockout was until I stopped Lucas Matthyssee last summer to win the WBA welterweight title.” Pacquiao, 60-7-2, certainly looked impressive in his destruction of the aging Matthysse several months back. “It felt great to win that way,” he continues, “and the fans loved it too, so why not try for it again?”

Broner, 33-3-1, will be facing Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for Pacquiao’s WBA welterweight title belt. Noted as one of boxing’s true bad boys, Broner was off to a brilliant start until a loss to Marcos Maidana in 2013 began to derail his career. Although still popular, Broner is running out of chances to live up to his once stellar reputation. Legal problems, along with further losses to Shawn Porter and Mikey Garcia have only managed to diminish the Cincinnati native’s star. “I have nothing personal against Adrien Broner,” says Pacquiao. “This fight is strictly business. He is fun. He makes me laugh. He knows how to sell himself and to sell a fight.”

Broner also knows how to box and box well – something Pacquiao is sure to keep in mind. Having re-teamed with famed trainer Freddie Roach, his regimen for the Broner fight has perhaps been creating something of a buzz. “He runs like a deer,” strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune says. “No one can keep up with him. That’s the secret to his success — his work ethic and his stamina. He has the strongest foundation of any fighter with whom I’ve worked. His legs and calves still generate more power and speed than younger fighters.”

“I think experience has made Manny a better fighter,” Roach says. “He still trains harder than anyone. I like Broner as a fighter. I think he has excellent boxing skills. But Broner has never faced anyone like Manny. Broner will be mentally exhausted within four rounds and physically spent within six. It will be impossible for Broner to keep pace with the Manny Pacquiao of this training camp.”

Pacquiao’s regime is said to consist of five mile runs, 12 rounds of mitt work, 12 round of sparring, bag work and 1,000 sets of situps. Pacquiao-Broner will air live on Showtime Pay Per View.

Posted on 12/27/2018

By: Sean Crose

The chaos that seems to surround Adrien Broner’s life apparently rages away unabated both in and out of training camp. Broner, who is scheduled to fight none other than Manny Pacquiao on the 19th of January, has been arrested yet again. According to TMZ, Broner was busted in Florida on December 23rd for failure to appear in court after a driving infraction back in 2017. On the scale of things Broner has been arrested for, this latest incident appears to have been a minor one, as the man was released from jail in rapid fashion. The arrest also doesn’t look to impact his impending bout with Pacquiao.

Getting pinched isn’t the only stumbling block Broner has come across recently, however. It’s also been reported by TMZ that the multi-time titlist is being sued by a New York jeweler for owing an over one million dollar tab. Via TMZ: “Adrien told the jeweler he would pay for his bling after his April fight against Jessie Vargas, but the jeweler has only been able to collect $100k from Broner … leaving an unpaid balance of $1.152 million.” Broner has, in a sense, made a career of signing checks he can’t cash. Once known as one of the top fighters in all boxing, the man was hailed as possibly being heir to Floyd Mayweather’s spot atop the boxing world.

Broner’s reputation began to slide, however, after he was bested by Marcos Maidana in a 2013 showdown. Since that time, the Cincinnati native has yet to win a major fight, losing to Shawn Porter, and Mikey Garcia respectively. The man remains a major attraction, however, due to the fact that he doesn’t step away from challenges, and the fact that he has an exciting ring style…as well as the fact that his brash, sometimes antisocial personality makes him (for many, at least) must see viewing. Then, of course, there’s the hope of watching redemption unfold within the ring.

Broner has a huge chance to salvage his career next month when he faces Pacquiao for the WBA world welterweight title at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Although Pacquiao is past his prime, a victory over an all time great would most certainly be a feather in Broner’s cap. It would also likely lead to other major and lucrative fights in the future. With all this in mind, Broner is said to be taking the challenge of Pacquiao quite seriously and engaging in an effective training camp.

Posted on 11/20/2018

By Jake Donovan

The lure of a possible rematch with longtime rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. undoubtedly factored into Manny Pacquiao’s decision to join the Premier Boxing Champions circuit.

Yet even without such a sequel ever occurring, it will be the Filipino southpaw and not his unbeaten conqueror who serves as the bank in a universe whose deep welterweight stable will keep him active for the rest of his Hall of Fame career.

As much is not lost on Adrien Broner, who certainly recognizes—but rightfully refuses to accept—his role as intended stepping stone ahead of their January 19 clash at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The former four-division titlist did his best to both entertain the media and carry a chip on his shoulder during both legs of their two-city press tour to promote the upcoming Showtime Pay-Per-View headliner. A profanity-laced stand-up routine was offered by Broner both in New York City on Monday and Los Angeles on Tuesday, in stark contrast to Pacquiao’s straightforward commentary which didn’t offer very much of substance.

Regarless, their job is to perform in the ring, where both boxers have generally taken on all comers.

“As long as I’ve known (Broner), he’s never turned down a fight,” noted Stephen Espinoza, president of Showtime Sports in formally announcing the network’s first major event of the 2019 boxing season. “Not against Shawn Porter or bigger punchers like Marcos Maidana. For those who think this will be an easy fight or an easy bet because of the odds, think again. These are two of the most gifted athletes of this generation.”

The latter statement rings true in review of their entire respective careers, although it can be argued that both are currently in the twilight.

It seems like an odd statement to make on Broner, who won’t turn 30 until next July and is still no worse than competitive at the top level. Still, he boasts just one win in the past two years—barely edging out Adrian Granados in his Cincinnati hometown last February.

A loss to unbeaten Mikey Garcia last July and subsequent draw with former welterweight titlist Jessie Vargas this past April lend to the storyline that Broner has only lost to top level talent (Garcia, Porter, Maidana) and still remains competitive regardless of opposition.

Such a take fits in well with the suggestion that he’s being offered up to Pacquiao by the PBC brass as means to help rebrand the eight-division titlist as the sport’s leading attraction while cashing out Broner in the process.

That’s just not a mindset the brash boxer ever intends to embrace.

“I’m not just coming here for a check,” Broner (33-3-1, 24KOs) claims of his role in this event. “F*** the money. I know when I win this fight, it’s more money to come. And y’all gave a young – well, excuse my language, but this ain’t Nickelodeon. This is pay-per-view.”

It will mark the first time Broner will headline a PPV event, after having performed on the undercard of several but who has been better known as a reliable TV draw. The 29-year old has consistently brought in strong ratings for cable giant Showtime since joining the network in 2013 after producing the same type of magic for HBO.

His name power combined with that of Pacquiao is what has the Showtime and PBC brass salivating over how big of an event can come of January 19. Broner sees it—and the matchup itself—as a prime opportunity to score the type of career-defining win that even his harshest critics can’t take away.

“I just feel like he can’t beat me, Look at my resume. What do I do to southpaws? I stop them,” Broner pointed out during Tuesday’s press conference in Los Angeles. “Going into this fight, he’s another southpaw. I’ma do what I always do them, dismantle them.”

Most notable among his southpaw conquests are stoppage wins over Antonio DeMarco and Khabib Allakhverdiev, both of which secured Broner alphabet hardware. His dominant showing versus DeMarco resulted in his becoming the man to beat at lightweight, a performance that went a long way in removing some of the negativity that lingered from his losing his 130-pound title on the scale just four months prior.

The victory over Allakhverdiev was less celebrated, as it was four months removed from his 12-round loss to Porter and with the title at stake dismissed as a manufactured belt. Nevertheless, his 12th round stoppage victory goes in the books as making him a four-division titlist, though with that belt also being stripped due to failure to make weight, ahead of his eventual April ’16 stoppage win over Ashley Theophane.

Still, there exists the frame of mind that he—and not Pacquiao—is the man who stirs that drink at welterweight, boxing’s most talent-laden weight division.

It’s a concession his opponent will gladly make, if only for the press tour.

“I’m a person that doesn’t want to say trash talk, just to fight,” insists Pacquiao, who has never been as comfortable behind a microphone as he is in the ring—and for good reason.

The punching politician—who happens to be the only sitting Congressman and current Senator (both in his native Philippines) to ever win a major title in boxing, along with the sport’s only-ever eight division titlist—finally returned to the knockout column in his last fight, a one-sided 7th round drubbing of Lucas Matthysse this past July in Malaysia.

The bout netted Pacquiao yet another welterweight title, marking his fourth reign in that weight class alone. It pales in comparison to his having captured World (lineal) championships in four weight divisions, but is enough for his first fight back in the United States since Nov. ’16 to serve as a very big deal.

A win that night over Vargas—amazingly, the only common opponent between these two—was Pacquiao’s first since capturing an open Senate seat in the Philippines election that prior June. He’d previously insisted he was done with the game following a rubber match win over Tim Bradley in April ’16, going 2-1 in his three fight series with his friendly rival and hoping to have ended his incredible career on a win, nearly a year after losing to Mayweather in the most lucrative boxing event in history.

Somehow, his duties as a Philippines senator don’t conflict with his boxing career as much as his team thought would be the case, hence the decision to return.

Still, many were calling for him to return to retirement after a controversial points loss to Jeff Horn last July. The general consensus was that Pacquiao—who had Horn badly hurt and nearly out in round nine—was robbed on the scorecards, but sluggish enough in the ring to where he needn’t fight any longer.

Pacquiao’s lone piece of ring action since that day in Australia has been his aforementioned win over Matthysse. That particular fight served its purpose, scoring his first stoppage win since halting Miguel Cotto in the 12th round of their Nov. ’09 superfight to begin his first welterweight title ring.

As good as he looked, the reality is that time is not only longer on Pacquiao’s side but hasn’t been in years. He will turn 40 one month ahead of fight night, but still feels like he has far too much left to offer the sport.

“All I know how to do is fight in the ring, that’s my job,” Pacquiao insists. “Floyd will come out of his retirement after this fight, you’ll see. But we can’t look past this fight.

“I think that I will have a victorious fight on January 19 – a victorious and convincing win, like my last fight with Matthysse. I just want to prove to fans that Manny Pacquiao is still on top. The journey will still continue.”

Posted on 11/19/2018

By: William Holmes

Much has been written about in the past several months about the arrival of streaming as a viable platform for boxing promoters. Top Rank has aligned themselves with ESPN+, which is available to subscribers for $5 dollars a month. Golden Boy Promotions and Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing have aligned themselves with DAZN, which is available to subscribers for $10 dollars a month.

Both platforms seem intent on convincing promoters to abandon the traditional Pay Per View(PPV) model in favor of the newer streaming model.

Photo Credit: Stephen Espinoza Twitter Account (@StephenEspinoza)

However, there’s still one major player in the sport of boxing that isn’t aligned with any streaming service, and they appear to be focused on their relationship with Fox Sports and Showtime with an eye towards PPV for their bigger fights.

That player is Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions (PBC).

HBO’s retreat from the Pay Per View Boxing business left a hole that the PBC appears to be more than ready to fill. On Saturday December 1st they’ll put on Heavyweight Title Fight on PPV between undefeated Tyson Fury and undefeated champion Deontay Wilder.

The Heavyweight division was considered to be boxing’s golden division in the Pay-Per-View business before Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. came along, and it is still the division that attracts casuals to the sport with its propensity for knockouts.

But the undercard for December’s heavyweight pay per view attraction shows the PBC’s serious commitment to PPV.

There appears to be at least nine different fights which showcase a boxer who has previously headlined a big event, holds a world title, or is line for a future title shot.

Jarrett Hurd will be defending his junior middleweight title in the co-main event with a possible shot against one of the Charlo brothers hanging in the balance. Luis Ortiz is looking for another title shot and will be facing Travis Kauffman in the heavyweight division. Anthony Yarde and Joe Joyce are two boxers who have been making a name for themselves in the United Kingdom and will be fighting stateside on December 1st in separate bouts. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is still a big name that carries a lot of attention, and he’ll be facing the always tough and former title challenger Alfredo Angulo.

Wait, there’s more…

Mark Barriga and Carlos Licona are also fighting on the undercard for the vacant IBF Strawweight Title. Chris Arreola is still a big name in the heavyweight division, and he’s facing Maurenzo Smith. Former world titlist Robert Guerrero is coming out of retirement to make his return in the welterweight division.

There’s a lot of fights and fighters on this card that are capable of headlining their own card on Showtime or Fox Sports that will be featured on this PPV. A card stacked with this much talent shows PBC’s commitment to the PPV model.

But, their PPV commitment doesn’t stop at the heavyweight division.

The PBC is expected to announce an upcoming PPV fight with Manny Pacquiao and Adrien Broner. Pacquiao, a long time client of Top Rank Promotions, is still a big pay per view draw if he is matched up with the right opponent. The only viable pay per view opponent Pacquiao had with Top Rank was Terence Crawford. Even though Crawford’s skills as a boxer and undeniable and he would probably be considered a favorite if he fought Pacquiao, he hasn’t shown that he has the name recognition to sell pay per view.

Broner is just one of many fascinating matchups that the PBC has for Pacquiao. Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Errol Spence Jr., Shawn Porter, and even Mikey Garcia are all possible opponents for Pacquiao that could eventually wind up on pay per view.

Most importantly, a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a more realistic possibility now that Pacquiao has signed with the PBC.

The PBC has also announced a PPV fight between Errol Spence Jr. and Mikey Garcia. Garcia brings the loyalty of the Mexican boxing fan base into play when it comes to pay per view buys and Spence is considered by many to be one of the top pound for pound talents in the sport today. It’s a good fight worthy of pay per view, but probably won’t sell as well as most Pacquiao or Mayweather PPVs.

What about the Charlo brothers? They’re highly entertaining and have engaging personalities. They’re two other highly talented boxers on the PBC roster with PPV potential, provided they can find quality opponents.

The co-main event of December 1st features one such opponent, IBF/WBA Junior Middleweight Champion Jarret Hurd.

The talent that the PBC has on their roster is undeniable. Can they turn that talent into PPV success? Wilder vs. Fury and the signing of Manny Pacquiao shows they’re certainly going to try.

Posted on 10/20/2018

By Jake Donovan

While the bout itself has yet to be formally announced, it’s entirely possible that by as early as Tuesday the heavily rumored showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Adrien Broner could very well have a fight date, location and televised platform.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission will meet on Tuesday, October 23 for its monthly agenda hearing, which covers reviews of past events and approvals for requested future business conducted in the state. Among the budget items is a list of three requested fight dates for TGB Promotions, with plans to stage events on January 19, February 16 and March 9 all at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Photo Credit: Manny Pacquiao Twitter Account

A Pacquiao-Broner showdown has been targeted for January 19, according to several sources who’ve declined to speak any further on the matter—even off the record—and with Las Vegas as the most likely location.

All three dates are currently slated for the rebranded version of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Fox, a development first reported by RingTV.com senior writer Mike Coppinger. PBC renewed long-term deals with Fox and Showtime, both of whom remain very interested in airing this event although BoxingInsider.com has learned through three credible sources that no decision has yet been made and likely won’t until the fight is formally announced.

The first Fox prime telecast under the renewed PBC on Fox series is currently slated for December 22, with plans to run shows once per month. There also exists the possibility of one or more of those dates moving to a Fox-distributed Pay-Per-View event, according to details revealed in the initial announcement this past September.

Speculation has already begun about Pacquiao-Broner likely going that route, as the price tag that would come with such a fight would figure to heavily eat into the allotted annual budget provided by either Fox or Showtime.

Talks of the matchup surfaced almost immediately after it was revealed that Pacquiao—the only eight-division titlist in boxing history and currently a secondary beltholder at welterweight—inked a deal with adviser Al Haymon, who founded PBC in 2015.

The move came as a surprise only from a historical perspective. Pacquiao managed to miss out on several key fights at welterweight due to his fighting for years under the Top Rank promotional banner, whose founder Bob Arum has been embroiled in a years-long feud with Haymon. The heart of that standoff stems from Haymon’s relationship with Floyd Mayweather, who left Top Rank for good in 2006 and has since emerged as the biggest box office attraction in boxing history.

Arum and Haymon were literally locked in a room and forced to do business together at the demand of Les Moonves, then head of CBS Corporation (parent company of Showtime) to make Mayweather-Pacquiao a reality in 2015 after more than five years of their careers managing to run parallel.

The bout itself was a stinker—with Mayweather winning a wide but dull unanimous decision—as was the half-assed promotion offered by Mayweather Promotions which demanded lead status. Still, the most anticipated boxing event of the 21st Century secured box office benchmarks which will likely never be surpassed, including more than $72 million at the live gate and more than $400 million in U.S. PPV revenue.

At the time, it was believed to be a one-and-done event, with the 12 rounds of non-action and the nauseating building not providing any reason to do it all again. However, the two were recently at the same event in Japan this past September and took to social media together in teasing the possibility off a rematch in 2019.

The postings came on the morning of the rematch between Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Genandy Golovkin, leading many to believe it was just another tactic employed by Mayweather to upstage any event involving Golden Boy Promotions. He did as much in announcing his one-fight return to the sport in 2017, staging his August ’17 bout with UFC superstar and boxing debutante Conor McGregor in Las Vegas just three weeks prior to Alvarez-Golovkin I and drawing four times as many PPV buys.

Few paid this recent round of trolling any mind, until it was revealed that Pacquiao—no longer under contract with Top Rank—had joined forces with Haymon and the PBC family.

There still doesn’t exist any real possibility of Mayweather-Pacquiao II, with Mayweather having not fought since the aforementioned highly lucrative McGregor sideshow and more interested in boxing vs. UFC pairings (rematch with McGregor, or a first fight with his most recent conqueror and UFC pound-for-pound king Khabib Nurmagomedov). By his own admission, a Pacquiao rematch requires more public massaging.

In that vain came the idea to pair Pacquiao with Broner, a former four-division titlist who has long ago maxed out his boxing celebrity credit card and could stand a notable win or two in the twilight of a frustrating career.

Broner has not fought since a 12-round draw with Jessie Vargas this past April. The 29-year old from Cincinnati has not won a fight since a narrow victory over Adrian Granados in his hometown last February.

Pacquiao is 3-1 in his life after Mayweather, managing to win some version of a welterweight title in each victory. He entered as the challenger in a pair of 2016 unanimous decisions in Las Vegas over Tim Bradley (in their third fight) and Vargas bookending his successful turn at securing one of 12 open Senate seats in his native Philippines during the general election, following a two-term tour as a Congressman in the Sarangani province.

His title reign following the Vargas win lasted just under eight months, ending in highly controversial fashion in losing an unpopular split decision to Jeff Horn last August in his opponent’s native Australia homeland. Efforts to secure a rematch proved exhausting, also signaling the end of a nearly two-decade long stint with Top Rank.

Their last bit of business together came in July, when the Las Vegas-based company secured the U.S. TV distribution rights for his stoppage win over Lucas Matthysse. The bout took place in Malaysia, with Top Rank managing to distribute via ESPN+ through its ESPN deal. A subsequent dispute came when Pacquiao claimed to have not been properly paid the rights fee by Top Rank, with the two sides settling before moving about their separate ways.

Now under the PBC banner, Pacquiao’s debut on the other side of the street is not without its snags. The Filipino southpaw has yet to resolve a multi-million dollar tax debt with the U.S. IRS, the principle cause for his having not fought stateside since the Vargas bout.

That financial matter will need to be resolved before Pacquiao can ever again fight in the U.S. However, it won’t have any bearing on whether the Nevada commission approves TGB Promotions’ fight date requests, since none come with solidified main events including the planned January 19 show in Las Vegas.

Still, Pacquiao didn’t head to PBC just to sit on the sidelines or for the outfit—which has yet to stage a branded event outside of the U.S.—to take its act overseas on his behalf. Chances are, his tax status will soon be resolved—whether fully settled or through a long-term installment agreement—as will full details of his forthcoming showdown with Broner.

Posted on 04/21/2018

By: Ken Hissner

Mayweather Promotions, TGB Promotians and DiBella Entertainment on USA Showtime, at the Barclay Center, Brooklyn, NY, put on a triple header Saturday night.

In the Main Event welterweights with former WBA World Super Lightweight champion Welterweight Adrien “The Problem” Broner, 33-3-1 (24), of Cinn., OH, ended in a majority draw with former WBO World Welterweight champion Jesse “Pride of Las Vegas” Vargas, 28-2-1 (10), of Las Vegas, NV, over 12 rounds.

Photo Credit: Showtime Boxing Twitter Account

In the first round after exchanging jabs Broner landed a left hook to the chin of Vargas. After over a minute of the round Broner landed a combination to the head of Vargas. It wasn’t until under a minute left in the round that Vargas landed a stiff jab to the chin of Broner. In the second round Vargas landed his first right of the fight to the chin of Broner. Broner with hands high is only using a jab in the round up to this point. Vargas landed half a dozen punches without return. Broner just shook his head as if to say “nothing on it!” Vargas landed a 3-punch combination in taking a good round.

In the third round Vargas used a jab to the mid-section of Broner. He followed upt with a good combination before Broner landed a good combination in return. Both exchanged body shots. The pace really picked up in the round. Both were throwing punches at the bell. In the fourth round Broner counters with solid rights to the chin of Vargas. Both boxers landed well. Vargas landed a pair of rights to the head and Broner back with a right uppercut to the chin. Broner landed a good combination with Vargas countering with a right to the head at the bell.

In the fifth round Vargas continues to out work Broner until Broner rocked Vargas with a right to the chin. There was a mouse under the left eye of Vargas. Vargas landed half a dozen of unanswered punches as Broner came back just prior to the bell with a right of his own. In the sixth round Broner came out firing unlike previous rounds. Vargas landed an array of punches in what is a very good fight. Broner landed a 3-punch combination. Vargas landed a straight right to the chin of Broner who shook his head. With half a minute left Broner landed a low blow giving Vargas a half minute rest from referee Charlie Fitch.

In the seventh round Vargas comes out with a solid jab. Vargas landed a right to the chin of Broner who countered with a right of his own to the chin. Broner warned for using his elbow by referee Fitch. Broner ended the right with a right uppercut to the chin of Vargas. In the eighth round both boxers landed left hooks to the chin at same time. Broner landed Bof one another. Vargas continued landing good body shots. Vargas landed a right at the bell but was warned by referee Fitch for a late hit.

In the ninth round Broner came out dominating Vargas through the first minute. Vargas came back landing a big right to the head of Broner. Broner landed a good left hook with Vargas came back with a solid right to the chin of Broner. With half a minute left Broner turned up the heat getting the fans cheering with Broner rocking Vargas who almost looked like he was out on his feet at the bell. In the tenth round Broner went on the attack pushing Vargas back. Broner with hands to his side was trying to bait Vargas in. With half a minute left in the round Vargas landed a solid right to the head of Broner. Just prior to the bell Broner ended it landing a flurry of punches.

In the eleventh round Vargas is throwing rights to the head of Broner who is the aggressor. Broner landed a good right to the head of Vargas whose left eye is almost closed. It was a good close round. In the twelfth and final round Broner landed a good chopping right to the head of Vargas who is continuing backing up. Vargas started raising his hands at the halfway mark showboating. Vargas with less than half a minute to go landed a 3-punch combination to head and body of Broner. Broner’s new trainer Kevin Cunningham urged Broner throughout to do more. While Vargas trainer Mike “Body Snatcher” McCallum urged body work. It was an excellent fight.

Judge Lederman had it 115-113 Broner. Morgan and Marlinski had it 114-114. This writer had it 117-111 for Vargas.

Former World Super Featherweight champion southpaw Champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis, 20-0 (19), of Baltimore, MD, regained a world title when he stopped former WBA World Featherweight champion southpaw Jesus Marcelo Andres “El Jinete” Cuellar, 28-3 (21), of Bueno Aires, ARG, at 2:45 of round 3 for the WBA Super World Super Featherweight title, scheduled for 12 rounds.

In the first round Cuellar used a good jab while Davis was a little slower using his jab and a nice right uppercut to the body which may have hurt Cuellar with about a minute left in the round. Half a minute to go and Davis landed a right uppercut to the chin of Cuellar. Davis landed a good combination to the head of Cuellar right before the bell. In the second round Davis landed a lead left into the mid-section of Cuellar dropping him for the 8 count from referee Benjy Esteves, Jr. Cuellar was up and going after Davis for the remainder of the round until Davis landed a straight left to the chin of Cuellar.

In the third round after about a minute Cuellar landed a right hook to the left eye of Davis he shook his head from being hurt. Less than a minute to go in the round and Davis dropped Cuellar with his body landing three punches, body, head, body dropping him for a second time. Upon rising Cuellar had Davis all over him landing half a dozen punches with the final one a left hook to the chin dropping him for a third time in the fight causing referee Esteves, Jr. to wisely wave it off.

“I want to thank God,” said Davis. Upon being asked who he would like to fight next he answered “I would like to unify!”

Former IBF World Super Welterweight champion Jermall Charlo, 27-0 (22), of Houston, TX, knocked out Hugo “The Boss” Centeno, 26-2 (14), of Oxnard, CA, at 0:55 of the second round for interim WBC World Middleweight title, 12 rounds.

In the first round Charlo came forward with a lot of feinting while Centeno was using his jab. It was into the final minute of the feeling out round before Charlo landed a double jab. The referee Steve Willis was slow breaking up the numerous clinches. In the second round Charlo landed a chopping right followed by another right and a left hook that had Centeno hurt, clash of heads and a left having Centeno going down and another right putting him on his back. Referee Willis didn’t have to count but did.

“I first want to thank God for who I wouldn’t be here without. Also, thank my manager, Al Haymon. I want Triple GGG, lets get it on,” said Charlo.

Posted on 04/20/2018

By: Kirk Jackson

Adrien ‘The Problem’ Broner aims to secure victory this weekend against fellow former champion Jessie Vargas, in what may be considered a crossroads fight for each fighter.

The fight between Broner and Vargas headlines a spectacular ShowTime event, action-packed featuring other boxing stars such as Gervonta Davis, Jermall Charlo, Hugo Centeno and Jesus Cuellar respectively.

Stream #BronerVargas fight week!

?12:30P ET: https://t.co/j7CpA4MP5z
⚖️ TOMORROW: https://t.co/JhUD8Z11lQ pic.twitter.com/qL156NyDBn

— SHOWTIME SPORTS (@SHOsports) April 19, 2018

Oddly enough, the fight between Vargas vs. Broner is an underrated match-up and can potentially be one of the best fights of the year due to styles, skill -sets and stakes at hand for each fighter.

Often times Broner’s name is in the news whether he has a fight scheduled or during his off time. Controversy and headline news have no problems finding Broner.

Suggesting Broner has a colorful personality is an understatement; he exemplifies eccentricity and brashness. But to quote Broner, “AB is must-see t.v.”

Go check out me & @Gervontaa 25/8 EPISODE ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL NOW pic.twitter.com/yaFQTl17p7

— Adrien Broner (@AdrienBroner) March 26, 2018

Broner is an enigma; supremely talented from a physical, athletic stance and gifted artistically – (rapper and exceptional in the art of trash talk).

But at times, Broner displays senseless and idiotic behavior. He is the intelligent, gifted kid in class, choosing other routes aside from honing on his natural talent.

The major flaw or critique of Broner plaguing his professional career as a boxer is his lack of consistency. We can break down technical flaws, but most of his issues in the ring pertain to lack of focus and accountability.

That is the message Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe is attempting to convey towards the younger generation of fighters.

It’s fair to suggest, amidst the trash-talk and drama, who truly knows what goes on behind the scenes between Broner and the Mayweather Promotions camp. There may lie legitimate issues – and who’s to say who is at fault?

Or this could be publicity to promote the fight. Which may also be the case with Broner and Hip-hop artist Tekashi69?

Referencing back to the drama inside the ring, how many times will you hear in discussion about Broner and poor performances how he wasn’t focused, did not train properly or was dealing with outside distractions?

Viewing clips from Broner’s 25/8 documentary series on YouTube, Broner appears to be in great shape and up until fight week, was off social media and appeared extremely tuned in and focused in training.

This recent series of outbursts and conflict with fellow boxers, rappers and promotional executives alike perhaps is just that – PROMOTION.

Broner realizes the severity of this fight. If he loses, in spite of his personal and strong presence, he will not garner too many more opportunities in the fight.

Broner’s last fight against Mikey Garcia in the summer of 2017, Broner appeared in great shape as well. The issues with Broner are not physical.

He will be focused from a physical standpoint, his shortcomings inside the ring lie with mental issues. More specifically, the inability to let his hands go. This is boxing jargon for punching in combination.

One observing Broner’s career may suggest ever since his defeat against Marcos Maidana, Broner is less reluctant to throw punches in bunches.

But that’s not entirely true. Broner has never been a high-volume puncher. Broner picks opponents apart with accurate, fast, powerful pot-shot punches.

Broner was able to take his time and masterfully destroy opponents in the lower weight classes of super featherweight and lightweight due to the combination of his skills and size for each weight class.

Now Broner is in the higher weight classes at welterweight, he has to rely more on skill, technique and strategy; as opposed to physical strength and athletic advantages – which requires greater focus.

Oddly enough, the key to defeating both fighters may be through applying constant pressure. Based on interviews leading up to the fight, applying pressure is what Vargas will do.

As mentioned earlier, Broner is a natural counter-puncher and prefers to fight at slower pace, steadily dissecting opponents with blazing hand-speed, precise punches and maintaining a comfortable distance to operate.

Vargas aims to suffocate Broner with punches and break him and attack him mentally with pressure.

Will the addition of new head trainer Kevin Cunningham help Broner focus or is Vargas the problem solver?

This boils down to if Adrien Broner can focus at the task of winning, manage his problems, flush out outside distractions and implement the proper strategy to secure victory.

Posted on 04/19/2018

By: Bryant Romero

Adrien “The Problem” Broner enters this Saturday arguably heading into the most important bout of his 10 year pro boxing career when he takes on Jessie Vargas (28-2, 10 KOs) at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn. Broner (33-3, 24 KOs) will be putting it all on the line including a 300k side bet with a colorful rapper he’s been beefing with on social media during fight week. Another devastating loss could spell the end of Broner as a main event headliner. There is no doubt Broner has to be feeling some type of pressure heading into this fight, knowing that the future of his career hangs in the balance if he doesn’t defeat Jessie Vargas this Saturday. However, Broner has kept a relatively low profile during his preparations in training camp, which could mean he’s putting a lot of his focus on his upcoming fight.

Photo Credit: Jose Pineiro/SHOWTIME

““I’m very happy with this camp. It’s just what I needed. I’m catching up with sleep, eating well. The isolated training is really good. I love everything about this camp.

“Training in isolation is really good for me. I told everybody that they were not coming to Florida with me, that I will see them all after the fight and that if they really love me they will understand the situation and they will be cool with it.

“I actually did a camp with Coach Kevin before when Devon Alexander fought Timothy Bradley. And I’ve seen the way he is. We had our arguments and he cussed me out almost every day, but I was just missing the structure and that’s what I need,” Broner said.

After getting soundly defeated by Mikey Garcia last summer, Broner felt a major change was needed in the corner and he felt he needed a more authoritative voice. A voice that could keep him on his toes and keep him pushing a harder while in training camp, which is the major influence into why Broner decided to train with Coach Cunningham.

“I’ve known Coach Cunningham since my amateur days. We used to go up to St. Louis all the time and fight in his tournaments, on his shows. I have even fought for St. Louis in the Ringside Tournament. It was a great experience.

“I’ve known Coach Cunningham for a long time. He is the real deal He is not going to B.S. me. He’s going to keep me on my toes. I need that.

“There are coaches that change when their fighters get to certain levels. They still coach, but they don’t provide the structure the fighter needs. When I was fighting at 130, 135, Coach Mike [Stafford] will be at my door yelling ‘Get your butt up. We have to run. We have to train. Get up! Get up!’ But time went by and things changed.

“Coach Mike stopped being a coach and started being more of a friend. I needed him to keep being my coach. I need someone to keep me in line. Don’t get me wrong, he’ll always be like a father figure but when it comes to training and my career. I needed a change,” Broner said.

Broner has made the necessary adjustments in training camp that could help put on a better performance come fight night. Whether these changes could produce a great performance from Broner remains to be seen. The question is will Broner let his hands go? Against an experienced, confident and hungry fighter in Jessie Vargas who’s never shown a lack of discipline in his career.

The Vegas oddsmakers see Broner as a slight underdog in this fight, so expect a competitive battle this Saturday and perhaps a very controversial decision. Broner may never reach the heights where he was touted as being the next big boxing superstar, but a big win over Jessie Vargas will produce bigger opportunities in the future and help add to his accomplishments while remaining one of the sport’s most popular fighters.

Despite his multiple setbacks in the ring, Broner still feels he has plenty to give to boxing.

“I started my career young. I won titles in four weight classes. I’ve accomplished a lot and there’s still more to come. I got a lot of fighting left to do,” Broner said.

Posted on 04/19/2018

By: William Holmes

On Saturday night Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) will be putting on a stacked card on Showtime live from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Three fights are planned to be televised with a main event featuring the always entertaining Adrien Broner and former World Title Challenger Jessie Vargas. Jermall Charlo will also be fighting on the card for the vacant WBC Interim Middleweight Title. Gervonta Davis will also be taking on Jesus Cuellar for the WBA Junior Lightweight Title.

Photo Credit: Jose Pineiro/SHOWTIME

The undercard will feature boxers such as former Olympian Rau’shee Warren, two sport star Heather Hardy, as well as Dylan Price.

The following is a preview of the three televised bouts.

Gervonta Davis (19-0) vs. Jesus Cuellar(28-2); WBA Regular Junior Lightweight Title

The opening bout of the night will be between Gervonta Davis, one of The Money Team’s best fighters in their stable, and Jesus Cuellar, a top contender in the featherweight division moving up to the junior lightweight division.

Davis is known for his knockout power, only of his opponents was able to make it to the final bell and he’s currently riding a ten fight win streak. However, Cuellar also has some power in his hands and has twenty one stoppage victories, though most of them came at a lighter weight.

Davis has been fairly active and fought three times in 2017 and twice in 2016. He is also eight years younger than Cuellar and will only be giving up a half an inch in reach and height. Cuellar has been very in active and did not fight in 2017 and only fought once in 2016.

Cuellar competed for Argentina at the Pan American Games several times as an amateur and Davis was able to win a National Golden Gloves Title.

Davis has defeated the likes of Francisco Fonseca, Liam Walsh, Jose Pedraza, and Cristobal Cruz. Cuellar has beaten the likes of Jonathan Oquendo, Vic Darchinyan, Ruben Tamayo, Juan Manuel Lopez, and Rico Ramos. His losses were to Oscar Escandon and Abner Mares.

This will be a good test for Davis, as Cuellar is a solid fighter with good technique who has been in the ring with several high level boxers. Both boxers are southpaws so it will be interesting to see if Davis can adjust to facing a southpaw. But Davis is simply too young and too powerful for Cuellar and he should be able to overwhelm Cuellar by the middle rounds.

Jermall Charlo (26-0) vs. Hugo Centeno (26-1); WBC Interim Middleweight Title

Jermall Charlo and Huge Centeno looks like it could be the most competitive bout of the night. Both boxers are twenty sveen years old and both only fought once in 2017 and twice in 2016.

Charlo is the bigger puncher of the two, as he has twenty stoppage victories, including four of his past five fights. Centeno only has fourteen stoppage victories. His lone loss was also by stoppage.

Charlo will be giving up two inches in reach and about an inch and a half in height to Centeno.

Both boxers had relatively successful amateur careers, but Centeno has a slight edge in terms of success. Charlo has a reported record of 65-6 as an amateur, while Centeno was very successful in the Junior Olympics, National PAL Tournament, and other National Tournaments in the United States.

Charlo has the better resume of the two. He has defeated Jorge Sebastian Heilan, Julian Williams, Austin Trout, Wilky Campfort, and Cornelius Bundrage. Centeno has defeated the likes of James De La Rosa and Immanuwel Aleem. His lone loss was to Maciej Sulecki.

The longer this fight goes the better the chances are of Centeno pulling off an upset. However, the Charlo brothers have been very impressive in the ring recently and should be considered to be the favorite.

Adrien Broner (33-3) vs. Jessie Vargas (28-2); Welterweight Division

The main event of the evening will be between the always controversial Adrien Broner and the very sound Jessie Vargas.

Both boxers are 28 years old, but Vargas will have a large four inch height advantage and a two inch reach advantage. They both also only fought three times in the past two years, Broner fought twice in 2017 and once in 2016, while Vargas fought once in 2017 and twice in 2016.

Broner has the clear edge in power of the two. He has twenty four stoppage wins to his credit while Vargas only has ten. They both had successful amateur careers. Broner was a National Silver Gloves Champion and had an amateur record of 300-19. Vargas was a two time Mexican National Champion and a two time US Junior National Champion and had an amateur record of 120-20.

Broner resume looks much better at the lighter weights in comparison to the heavier weight classes. His wins were over the likes of Adrian Granados, Ashley Theophane, Khabib Allakhverdiev, John Molina Jr., Carlos Molina, Paul Malignaggi, Antonio DeMarco, and Daniel Ponce De Leon. He has losses to Mikey Garcia, Shawn Porter, and Marcos Maidana.

Vargas has defeated the likes of Sadam Ali, Antonio DeMarco, Khabib Allakhverdiev, Wale Omotoso, and Josesito Lopez. His losses were to Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley Jr.

Broner has been facing a lot of out of the ring issues recently and it may affect him on Saturday night. Vargas isn’t known for his power or an aggressive style that has been known to give Broner problems, but technically he’s sound and this writer has to give him a slight edge on Saturday night.

Posted on 02/14/2018

By: Bryant Romero

Former 4 division world champion Adrien Broner was arrested on Monday night and booked at the Atlanta Fulton County Jail on a misdemeanor charge of sexual battery according to many reports and later confirmed by jail records. The troubled 28-year-old is scheduled to appear before a Judge at 9am Tuesday, TMZ reports. Broner is alleged to have inappropriately groped a woman at the Lenox Square shopping center as BSO is reporting the incident took place in front of the Louis Vuitton store. Broner has denied the allegation.

Broner has had many incidents with the law outside of the ring with a criminal history that includes charges of robbery (2007 and 2010), aggravated robbery (2007), felonious assault (2007, gun charges (2007 and 2008) and battery (2013). Just last April, Broner was arrested in Covington, Kentucky on an open warrant for a 2014 public intoxication charge after police had pulled him over in a SUV filled with bullet holes. Later that year, a video surfaced of Broner sucker punching a man and knocking him out cold at the Las Vegas strip in which a summons for battery was issued for the incident.

Broner (33-3, 24 KOs) is scheduled to fight Omar Figueroa in a Showtime televised main event on April 21 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. There is still no word if the recent arrest of Broner will affect the upcoming bout with Figueroa.

Prior to the incident, Broner had pleaded with his followers that major changes were coming to his boxing career. He promised to get back to the top and even made changes to his corner by working with veteran trainer Kevin Cunningham. However, disturbing posts to his social media accounts would surface not long before the incident in Atlanta.

The 28-year-old is now considered one of the big busts in boxing after being groomed by the PBC as being their next PPV star. The promotion had hoped to break him through that barrier by lining him up with significant fights that could propel his career to the next level. Broner would failed miserably with each opportunity however, losing a clear unanimous decision to Marcos Maidana in December of 2013, followed a by terrible performance to Shawn Porter once again losing by unanimous decision, and a one-sided lost last July to Mikey Garcia.

Another bad loss could spell the end of the Broner’s career as a main event headliner.

Posted on 09/10/2017

By: Sean Crose

Adrien Broner was recorded pushing a woman and punching a man in Las Vegas. In video footage provided by TMZ, the woman appears to be a companion of the multi-title winning fighter while the man Broner punches is seen being sent to the pavement. It’s unclear what started Broner’s violent behavior, but what looks to have begun as a rather innocuous moment clearly took a violent turn. Broner is initially viewed in the video taking pictures with fans. He then appears to storm off as his companion tries to stop him. Broner pushes the woman away, then is seen punching the unknown male.

As of this writing, Broner has not been arrested, though this is far from his first incident of questionable – to put it mildly – behavior. Over the years the Cincinnati native has earned a reputation that has gone from bad to worse. After first being seen as an accomplished loudmouth, the man now stands on the verge of being viewed as a public menace. Arrests and convictions are now accepted as par for the course, as is violent behavior outside the ring. This latest situation involving Broner is one of a growing line, which includes driving a vehicle with bullet holes in it and a now infamous incident outside a bowling alley.

Broner was last seen in the ring several months ago, in a fight he lost to undefeated Mikey Garcia.

Posted on 07/31/2017

By: Sean Crose

He seemed on top of the world once, not so long ago, a terrible representative or the sport who was on his way to stardom, nonetheless.

And now this.

After being dominated this past weekend in New York by Mikey Garcia, many are left asking what happened to Adrien Broner. This was the future celebrity, the Mayweather with a bad/worse attitude, the soon to be face of boxing. Now, though, it’s clear the man can’t beat an above average opponent. All that talk, all that hype, and for what? For three losses in a row to big names? For smack talk after defeat? For endless acts of stupidity outside the ring with little to show in the way of real merit inside of it? This isn’t what the public was led to expect.

Oh, the public was led to expect bad behavior when it came to Broner, of course. In fact, the public was expected to celebrate it. For Broner was supposed to be the big mouth who couldn’t be shut up, the man who appealed to people’s inner mean streaks, the guy who acted like many amoral types wished they could have, but were afraid to. Yet the public was also led to expect Broner to back it all up with big win after big win. Thing is, with the possible exception of Paulie Malignaggi, who some feel actually won their fight, Broner has no big wins to his name.

What he has is a record of having attained lots of belts without placing lots of big names under them. It’s now being said the man was a hype job from the word go. Perhaps that assertion is the correct one. Perhaps Broner was never as good as advertised. Perhaps he was simply never going to become as good as advertised, even if he took his profession seriously, which – until recently – he didn’t seem to on any sort of regular basis.

The question, of course, is where to from here for the Cincinnati native. Many, if not most, hope he will fade away. Don’t expect him do, though. Broner’s colorful image is still marketable, even on a smaller scale than it used to be. There’s still titles and lots of money available for the man in the future. Keep in mind that he’s fun to watch fight – and that people also like renegades (and Broner is most certainly that).

The truth is that Broner took a tough loss and if he’s not the total hype job some are saying he always was, he’s going to want to grow as a fighter – as in actually pick up new things. That might take a bit of learning, but he’s still a young man with a considerable amount of God given talent at his disposal. The story of Adrien Broner might still have some more chapters to go. He’s going to have to play is smart, though, if he hopes to eventually go out on top…if it’s even possible for him to go out on top at this point.

Posted on 07/30/2017

By: Ken Hissner

At the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, NY, Mayweather Promotions, PBC and DiBella Entertainment promoted before 12,000 fans over Showtime Saturday night.

The 3 division champion and current WBC lightweight champion Mikey Garcia, 37-0 (30), of Moreno Valley, out of Oxnard, CA, easily defeated former 3 division champion of the world and No. 2 WBA welterweight Adrien “The Problem” Broner, 33-3 (24), of Cinn., OH, over 12 rounds.

In the opening round it took the aggressor Garcia close to a minute to land his first punch, a jab. Up until then it was Broner’s jab controlling. A Garcia lead right had Broner nailed on the chin. Later a left hook body shot by Garcia had Broner against the ropes. In the second round it was all Garcia. When Broner tried to tie him up Garcia pushed him back. Garcia got in several right hands to the body of Broner. In the third round like the first it was Broner’s jab for almost a minute before Garcia landed a counter left hook punch. At the halfway mark of the round Garcia landed a solid left hook to the body. With half a minute left in the round Garcia opened up with a flurry of punches ending with a right uppercut to the chin of Broner. In the fourth round Broner stayed in the pocket for the first time halfway through the round but did little as Garcia landed a flurry of punches twice in the second half of the round with the right uppercut to the chin of Broner at the end of the flurries.

In the fifth round Broner with hands held up right trying to stop the jab and lead right of Garcia but with little success to stop them. With 30 seconds to go in the round Garcia landed a solid left hook to the landed a combination. In the sixth round Garcia continued to pound Broner until a little than a minute left in he round before Broner landed a 3-punch combination to the head of Garcia. The round ended with a lead right from Garcia to the body of Broner. Broner’s corner is Around Broner came out strong for half a minute before dancing around throwing a weak jab as Garcia is all over him. With a minute left in the round Garcia lands punch after punch keeping Broner at bay. Just prior to the bell Garcia landed five unanswered punches with a right to the jaw among them rocked Broner. In the eighth round after a minute Garcia drops his hands challenging Broner to fight back. Garcia landed a dozen punches without return from Broner who landed a chopping right to the head. Broner came forward at the bell trying to steal the round but was stopped in his tracks by a Garcia hard jab. It was a big round once again by Garcia.

In the ninth round a right cross from Garcia grazed the jaw of Broner after the first minute of the round. Garcia keeps pressing Broner easily out landed Broner. Inside of a minute left in the round Broner landed several beltline or lower punched keeping Garcia on the defense. This may have been Broner’s best round since the first round. In the tenth round with Broner coming forward Garcia countered well. At the minute mark to go in the round Broner landed the best punch of the fight for him a left hook to the head of Garcia putting him back a step or two. Garcia finished strong with a combination at the bell. In the eleventh round Broner well behind in the fight was looking for a big punch but was taking a two-handed attack from Garcia. It was another big round for Garcia as both Garcia counters well as Broner keeps coming forward but landing little. A Broner body shot got Garcia’s attention as he came right back landing punch after punch. Garcia finished up as strong as he was in the first round. The referee was Harvey Dock.

Judges Weisfeld and Don Akerman had it 116-112 while Eric Marlinski had it 117-111 and this writer had it 119-109.

“I will stay at 140 but may move up to 147 in the future,” said Garcia. Broner was very bitter though omitting Garcia beat him. Using a couple of foul words as the crowd boo’d him Broner did little to convince anyone he will be back at the championship level as he was boasting. It was a superb performance by Garcia who is trained by his brother Robert Garcia.

In a WBC middleweight elimination bout IBF Super welterweight champion Jermall Charlo, 26-0 (20), of Houston, TX, stopped No. 1 WBC contender, southpaw middleweight Jorge Sebastian “El Gaucho de Pigue” Heiland, 29-5-2 (16), of Bueno Aires, ARG, at 2:13 of the fourth round.

Prior to the start of the fight the Boxing Commissioner made Heiland take off a wrapping around his left leg. In the opening round Charlo kept his jab in the face of Heiland throughout the round. It took Heiland half a round to land a punch though he was the aggressor. How he ever got to be the No. 1 contender must have been “paid for” as he plug’s along. In the second round with Charlo now the aggressor dropped Heiland at the halfway mark of the round with a right uppercut. Referee Benjy Estaves, Jr. administered the 8 count and upon rising made him walk to the left and right. He lasted out the round though a lead right from Charlo rocked him prior to the round ending. The bell sounded to start the round and referee Esteves brought the ring physician in to check the left leg of Heiland. Charlo continued landing the jab followed by lead right hands easily winning the round. Before the third round started the ring physician was brought in again to check Heiland. With one minute left in the round a left hand to the ear dropped Heiland. He got up and looked like a drunken soldier falling back into the ropes forcing the stoppage. This was a mismatch when Heiland signed the contract. He could have had three “good legs” and he was going to be stopped early.

“First I want to thank God for this opportunity along with Showtime and feel I am ready for the best in the middleweight division,” said Charlo.

Heavyweight Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller, 19-0-1 (17), Brooklyn, NY, stopped Gerald “El Gallo Negro” Washington, 18-2-1 (12), of Vallejo, CA, at the end of the eighth round of a scheduled 10.

Miller landed four right hands and had Washington out on his feet forcing referee Gary Rosato to call a halt.

“I want to thank God for the victory. I’m surprised they took this fight. I lost 40 pounds (came in at 298) for this fight. I want to be another American world heavyweight champion,” said Miller. He is No. 7 in the WBO, WBA and IBF while Washington was No. 15 in the WBC.

For Olympian southpaw Rau’sheen Warren, 15-2 (4), of Cinn., OH, bounced back after losing his WBA Super World bantamweight title earlier this year with a win in a super bantamweight bout over McJoe Arroyo, 17-2 (8), of Fajardo, PR, who lost his IBF Super World Flyweight title last year losing over 12 rounds by scores of 118-110 and 117-111 twice.

Posted on 07/29/2017

By: Sean Crose

The first fight that aired on Showtime Saturday night from Brooklyn’s Barclay’s Center featured rising star Jemall Charlo, a 25-0 first time middleweight, facing off against Jorge Sebastian Heiland a 29-4-2 Argentine who had previously defeated the likes of Austin Trout and Cornelius Bundridge. It was all Charlo, right from the beginning. He dominated the first, dropped Heiland in the second and then cruised through the third. Heiland, who had clearly hurt his leg, was taken out his misery by the referee in round four. Charlo is clearly looking for bigger things and made it obvious he’s ready to take on Gennady Golovkin, should the Kazakh terror best Mexican star Canelo Alvarez when the two meet in a September superfight.

Photo Credit: Showtime Boxing

It was time for the main event. Adrien Broner was looking at what may well have been his last chance at superstardom by stepping into the ring with lightweight titlist Mikey Garcia, who was making his junior welterweight debut. As for Garcia – this was his time to truly step into the stoplight. Garcia entered the ring looking supremely confident. Broner came in looking relaxed and healthy. It remained to be seen how good the fight would be – but on paper it was some kind of matchup.

And indeed, it was a decent enough fight. It was one sided, though. In fact, it was clear at the end of twelve rounds that Garcia had clearly beaten his man up. Broner had his moments, of course, but there just weren’t enough. Indeed, the one-two combinations Garcia pierced Broner’s guard with told the tale of the night. Those and the thudding body shots Garcia regularly landed to Broner’s body. The judges didn’t even manage to screw up this time…Garcia won by an easy unanimous decision. Sure enough, Broner clapped in approval of Garcia’s performance after the decision was announced.

“When you get inside the ring with me, you find out my timing’s just a step in front of them,” said Garcia after the bout. The man certainly looked impressive. Strength. Confidence. Relentlessness. Such assets told the tale. As for Broner, the man didn’t look bad. Honestly. This author believes Broner can still be a major force – provided the guy gets a new trainer. Broner is loyal to his team. That’s impressive. But he must move on in order to move on.

“If I fight tomorrow, everyone in this motherfucker will still come to see me,” Broner said after the loss. Maybe that’s true. If the man wants a successful career, however, people are going to have to see him win some major fights.