Watch out. Adrien Broner may spoil the party Pacquiao and Mayweather are looking to stage for their second encounter that may be sold as a “dream match.”
With no pun intended, Adrien Broner, the American challenger to the WBA welterweight crown held by Manny Pacquiao, carries the monicker “The Problem.” How he got this label, I don’t know and I don’t care to bother myself.
The fact is that out of a handsome gallery of potential PacMan beaters, the likes of which include WBC titleholder Keith Thurman, IBF king Errol Spence, Jr., and WBO champ Shawn Porter, Broner has the least arsenal to inflict a loss on the soon-to-become a 40-year old gentle boxer from Sarangani and GenSan.
I won’t dismiss Broner as a non-threat because he is, like Manny who rose from light fly to his current welter weight class, a butterfly who flew from being a featherweight to take one of the four belts in the 144-pound division.
Yes, Broner may be underestimated at this time of his boxing career because of his previous losses. Marcos Maidana, who lost twice to Floyd Mayweather, decked Broner twice en route to a unanimous decision win at a time when the latter’s star was rising. Although the American managed to survive – and how – my thoughts on this particular encounter told me just how careless Broner was with his defense.
With 24 KOs in his 33-3-1 (win, loss, draw record), Broner is considered a strong puncher, a KO artist in the same fashion that Pacquiao is held in the boxing world.
However, in Broner’s defeat to Porter and Mikey Garcia, the twin losses exposed his raw credentials that put a question mark on his formidable capability to square off with the 8-division world champion (who totes a 60-7 with39KOs slate).
Even if Las Vegas oddsmakers have not produced the betting scales for the January 19, 2019 title tiff, I will not jeopardize my hard-earned peso to place a bet on Broner in exchange for a house and lot.
I’m serious.
Broner is not a patsy, this I have to admit.
But I have watched some four or five of his outings against the best in his weight class (which tragically ended in three setbacks) and I did not see how his ring savvy – if he had any – would equip him to turn back the ageing defending WBA Filipino champion.
This might be a discouraging assessment for the Pinoy boxing fans who desire to see and watch a gladiatorial combat worthy of their time, but I would rather be frank than weave a story too favorable for comfort for the readers.
Broner is a long shot, literally. If he has not learned a hard lesson from his defeats, he could end up just like Lucas Matthysee, a KO victim of Pacquiao that triggered the Argentinian’s eventual retirement.
As the challenger, Broner’s BIG problem is how to develop a mindset that is astoundingly positive, ranged against someone who is looking ahead for another rich payday with a second encounter against Mayweather that is explosively serving as an attractive motivation and inspiration.
There. Doesn’t the fight date with Broner look like more of a tune up fight for Manny as developments look straight forward to a Mayweather-Pacquiao Part 2 before he hangs up his gloves – as rumors swirl – late next year?
And, believe me, Manny will impress the boxing world – particularly promoters of note – with a “sure kill” of “The Problem.” (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
