Adrien Broner, right, interacting with a fan during a recent visit to the Fantasy Springs Resort in Indio, Calif. (Photo: Chris Robinson – www.HustleBoss.com)
By Chris Robinson
Although nothing is official as of this moment, the wheels appear to be in motion for an interesting welterweight title clash between newly-crowned WBA champion Adrien Broner and former junior welterweight titlist Marcos Maidana.
Each man is coming off of a victory this past June, as Maidana stopped Josesito Lopez in a thriller on June 8 in Carson, Calif. while Broner edged out former champion Paulie Malignaggi two weeks later in Brooklyn.
Catching up with Broner recently, the brash 24-year old seemed to dismiss Maidana right off the bat.
“Anybody who grabs that rope to hang themselves,” said Broner of a possible duel with the Argentinean.
“Numbers speak for themselves,” Broner continued. “Check my views and check his views.”
Despite moving up two divisions from the lightweight class for his match with Malignaggi, Broner was a heavy favorite heading into the contest. As the fight unfolded, however, Malignaggi had pockets of success with his sheer activity and seemed to have Broner a bit confused as to how to attack him.
Broner would settle down over the second half of the fight and ended up landing some crisp, telling shots as he picked up some momentum. Still, after twelve rounds, there were plenty of critics who were quick to harp on Broner for not looking spectacular.
Reflecting back on his performance, Broner pointed out that he did what was most important by winning the fight.
“I did what I had to do to get the victory,” said Broner. “A lot people feel like I could have done this or I could have done that, but at the end of the night and the end of the day, they’re not inside that ring.”
In a month’s time, Broner will likely find himself sitting ringside inside of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, as Floyd Mayweather and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez will lock horns in the main event of the biggest pay per view attraction of the year.
Some look at Alvarez, the sport’s reigning WBA/WBC champion at 154 pounds, as the stiffest test Mayweather will have faced in quite some time.
Broner, however, doesn’t see any need for Mayweather to be concerned.
“Easy money man,” Broner stated. “That’s my big brother. Canelo’s a hell of a fighter. I take nothing from Canelo. But, Floyd is going to make the fight look easier than what the papers say.”
That same evening, WBA/WBC champion Danny Garcia will face off with power-punching Lucas Matthysse to bring to fruition a fight that fans and insiders had been clamoring for.
Garcia has improved leaps and bounds over the past few years but Matthysse is regarded as one of the purest of punchers in all of boxing and he left the sport buzzing with his 3rd round TKO drilling of Lamont Peterson this past May.
Broner sees the fight as a toss-up, but only if Garcia neglects his true abilities.
“50/50,” Broner said. “They’re both punchers. They’re both fighters. Neither one of them box. I’ve been in the amateurs with Danny. I know he has the ability to box, but as of right now, he don’t box. If he goes out there and takes what he’s learned in the past and box, he’ll make the fight very easy.”
PLEASE CHECK OUT the full interview with Adrien Broner below as well as other exclusives from Chris Robinson
Adrien Broner on the Maidana rumors, Garcia-Matthysse, loving the spotlight, critics, his kids, more
Sugar Ray Leonard talks Floyd Mayweather vs. Canelo Alvarez, Adrien Broner, and Pacquiao vs. Rios
Zab Judah on Floyd’s training, the Canelo fight, Adrien Broner, Danny Garcia vs. Lucas Matthysse
Abner Mares deep into training for August 24th Showtime clash with Jhonny Gonzalez
Floyd Mayweather wins the award for Nevada’s ‘Fighter of the Year’ at the inagural NVBHOF
Chris Robinson can be reached at Trimond@aol.com