Antonio Brown, who for now has run out of routes in the NFL, is throwing punches and catching a few too in an apparent attempt to box, at least in the celebrity division.
Promoter Eddie Hearn says there are ongoing talks with Brown to fight YouTube creation Logan Paul.
Hearn made the comments, first to ESPN and then other media, this week while promoting a card Thursday featuring middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade’s ninth-round stoppage of Luke Keeler in Miami, coincidentally – or maybe not – the site of Sunday’s Super Bowl.
“We’ve made two offers now to Antonio Brown, and we’re negotiating a fight at the moment,” Hearn told ESPN. “I don’t know if it’s going to happen, but we’re working on it.
“Obviously, it’s a fight that DAZN is very serious about, very excited about.”
Antonio Brown getting some work in on the pads 👀🥊
(🎥 // @AB84) pic.twitter.com/jxN7zswB0F
— DAZN USA (@DAZN_USA) January 15, 2020
Hearn said Paul has already agreed to terms.
“Really, we’re just trying to tie up Antonio Brown’s end,” said Hearn, who said Brown has been offered a seven-figure deal for an April 25 bout.
No telling what Brown might do next. That was evident throughout last year. After eight seasons and seven Pro Bowl appearances with Pittsburgh, the wide receiver forced the Steelers to trade him to the Raiders in March. But the Raiders released him before the 2019 season opener.
Then New England signed him. But he was in a Patriots uniform for only one game. The Pats released him after two women within 10 days accused him of sexual misconduct.
Brown is now facing a burglary-with-battery charge for an alleged incident involving a truck driver on Jan. 21 in Hollywood, Florida.
Meanwhile, he has reportedly been in a south Florida gym, hitting mitts while exchanging trash-talking tweets with Paul.
On Jan. 7, Brown tweeted Paul, saying: “square up.’’ Paul countered: “I’d drop you faster than the patriots.’’
Paul, who lost to fellow YouTube personality KSI in Los Angeles in November, has repeatedly talked about some kind of bout with Brown.
No word yet on whether the winner gets Conor McGregor or Floyd Mayweather.