After all the wheeling and dealing, Manny Pacquiao has finally found an adversary in Cincinnati, Ohio native and former four-division world boxing champion Adrien ?The Problem? Broner. The two are booked to trade haymakers on January 19 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for Pacquiao?s secondary World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight (147 lbs.) championship.
There is a reason why Pacquiao chose Broner for his next opponent. Some two months ago, Floyd Mayweather Jr. announced that he was willing to meet Pacquiao in a rematch. It will be recalled that in May 2015, Mayweather defeated Pacquiao in a fight that shattered pay-per-view records. Mayweather?s announcement, however, was taken with a grain of salt, and not a few even mused that there is really nothing to be excited about the rematch because the first fight was a disappointing snore-fest.
Given the lukewarm response to Mayweather?s pronouncement, there is a need to take the kettle out and heat things up. Here is where Broner comes in: the former champ offers a fighting style (and the brashness, too) similar to Mayweather and the early prognosis is that if Pacquiao comes up with an impressive win, fight fans might just start talking about the rematch with Floyd.
Pacquiao-Broner is like a mini-preview of Pacquiao-Mayweather II. If Pacquiao dismantles the ?Mini-Me? version of Mayweather, he will definitely raise the fans? interest on the Mayweather rematch. On the flip side, if Pacquiao struggles big time against Broner, there is a better chance of snow falling in hell than the rematch with Mayweather taking place. The argument is simple: If Pacquiao cannot beat the poor man?s version, the real deal (Mayweather) will just pick him apart.
Make no mistake, Broner (33-3, 1 draw 24 knockouts) is a live underdog against Pacquiao. When he is in sync physically and mentally, ?The Problem? offers fast hands, great timing and befuddling defense. The 29-year-old Broner won world titles in the junior lightweight (130 lbs.), lightweight (135 lbs.), junior welterweight (140 lbs.) and welterweight divisions and has never been knocked out. Compared to Pacquiao?s last opponent, the washed up Lucas Matthysse, Broner definitely offers more on the table.
Broner?s biggest problem is the excess baggage he carries in and out of the ring. Broner?s professionalism leaves plenty to be desired and there are observers who actually question his mental toughness against elite opponents.
In October 2016, Broner uploaded images and narratives on his social media accounts that hinted at suicide. In April 2017, Broner was arrested on a 2014 warrant for public intoxication and disorderly conduct. When Broner was arrested, he was driving a vehicle riddled with bullet holes. As it turned, Broner had just left a bar when somebody fired at his car.
Just this February, Broner was arrested again on a misdemeanor sexual battery charge. A woman claimed that a male (later identified as Broner) had inappropriately groped her.
Four months later, Broner announced his ?retirement? from boxing though his Instagram account. Broner posted yet another troublesome image with the words ?I don?t want to live no more.? Broner claimed several people just took advantage of him.
Broner seemed on the verge of going over the edge when he was picked as Pacquiao?s next foe. In the press conference officially announcing the fight, Broner has never looked more excited about fighting again. He was in his element, trying to irk Pacquiao with his trash talking. Broner even expressed his dissatisfaction with the way he is being peddled as a mere tune-up foe for Pacquiao. Broner vowed to register nothing less than a knockout victory against Pacquiao.
For the record, Broner has lost only to Marcos Maidana (2013), Shawn Porter (2015) and Mikey Garcia (2017) on points. Relentless slugger Maidana bamboozled Broner while Garcia and Porter tactically outworked him. Broner was given a chance to show his mettle in these high-profile fights but failed to deliver. In his last fight in April, Broner was even held to a draw by Jessie Vargas, the same guy Pacquiao handily beat in November 2016.
The Pacquiao fight may be Broner?s last chance to show that he belongs in the elite level. All previous disappointments will be forgotten if Broner delivers the huge upset. Broner has the tools, it?s the confidence to make full use of them that continues to elude him.
