Four-weight world champion Adrien Broner has admitted for the first time that his boxing career is heading on a downward trajectory.
“The Problem,” who once fought Manny Pacquiao and was considered a Pound for Pound star, has fought just once in almost four years.
Despite still being on the books at Showtime, Broner has seen recent attempts to fight delayed or canceled as he struggles to reignite his tenure in the sport.
Will Adrien Broner fight again? Broner last fought against Jovanie Santiago at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville. He took a controversial unanimous decision that many thought should have gone the other way.
The Cincinnati native was due to battle Omar Figueroa in Hollywood, Florida, last August but scrapped the fight with days to go due to mental health issues.
Spending months in the gym getting ready ended up being for nothing. The troubled boxer needed to compete again to feel like he was still a fighter.
It never happened, and Sergey Lipinets took his place and defeated Figueroa on the night.
Since then, Broner has kept his head down for the most part. However, his latest social media post points to a new focus out of the professional boxing ring. Broner called out UFC star Nate Diaz for what would amount to little more than an exhibition.
The move pushes Broner into the circus side of boxing that competitors turn to when their prizefighting careers have died.
Career nosedive It’s a far cry from fighting Mikey Garcia, Paulie Malignaggi, Shawn Porter, and Marcos Maidana in his prime.
Broner seems to have been around for an age. However, he’s only 33 and still could compete at the top level if he could sort out his private affairs.
He remains signed to Al Haymon at PBC [Premier Boxing Champions] but may be on thin ice with his promoters after his recent antics.
Being asked to conduct interviews on Zoom didn’t go down well with Broner. He pulled out, reportedly notifying Haymon when his Instagram revealed the details.
For now, he still has a name in the sport due to his exploits in several weight divisions. But Haymon’s patience won’t last forever.
Stop calling out UFC fighters He needs bouts, KOs, and to be active in front of the fans to keep his name out there and in line for potential Pay Per Views. Broner doesn’t need to face faded UFC stars who don’t box.
If he makes another comeback, he has to battle a live opponent with something at stake. That way, he can work towards a meaningful belt or a big main event fight in Las Vegas, Nevada.
If he doesn’t, Adrien Broner is staring at the possibility his career in pro boxing is gone for good.
No more excuses.
