Adrien Broner returns to the ring in a 140-pound fight against Jovanie Santiago on Saturday at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Calif. (Showtime).
“The Problem” will have been away for more than two years, having needed a break from boxing and time to get his life together. He says he’s now ready to get back to dominating opponents.
“I’m looking for another great performance on Saturday night,” he said.
We’ll see how that works out. Broner (33-4-1, 24 KOs) hasn’t won a fight since 2017 and is 0-2-1 in his last three outings, a loss against Mikey Garcia, a draw with Jessie Vargas and another loss against Manny Pacquiao.
Broner is only 31 but it’s reasonable to ask: Does he still have it? Can he turn back the clock to the days when he overwhelmed fighters at 130 and 135 pounds?
We try to answer that question and four more in this special feature.
No. 1 Does Broner still have it?
We’ll have a better idea on Saturday. Broner was a dominating fighter. He won his first 27 fights (23 by knockout) and captured titles in three divisions to climb onto some pound-for-pound lists, all before he turned 24. Then everything changed. He has gone 6-4-1 in his subsequent 11 fights, losing a great deal of respect in the process. Plus, the Pacquaio fight took place in January 2019, meaning he will have been out of the ring for an extended period of time. How will that affect him? The good news for Broner is that he’s still relatively young. He moved down in weight from 147 to 140 pounds, which is wise. And he seems to be more focused on his career than he has been in years. So there’s hope he can again enjoy some of the success he had early in his career.
No. 2 What led to Broner’s decline?
Weight could be one explanation. Three of his four losses came at 147 pounds, which is an unnatural weight for him. He was untouchable between 130 and 135 but less effective at 140 and above. His setback against Garcia came at 140 and he’s 2-3-1 as a full-fledged welterweight, although he has won titles at both weights. Also, his losses came only against top-tier fighters: Marcos Maidana, Shawn Porter, Garcia and Pacquiao, a murderer’s row. No shame in that. He should be applauded for challenging himself against the best in the business. One also must wonder whether out-of-the-ring distractions — most notably legal and self-control issues – have played a role in his decline. Such problems have led to the downfall of many a fighter.
No. 3 Has Broner really regained his focus on boxing?
Hard to tell. He seemed to be sincere when he said he missed boxing. Good sign. And he reportedly has shed around 35 pounds of excess weight, which means he’s putting in the work. The guess here is that he realizes that time is finite, that he must take advantage of his youth while he still has it. In other words, he won’t bring in elite money when he’s no longer an elite fighter. And he needs money. Plus, he probably doesn’t want to go out with a mediocre record in the final stretch of his career. He has pride. The pitfall for him is that old, bad habits are generally hard to break long term. Only time will tell whether he can remain on a productive path.
No. 4 Was Broner ever a great fighter?
Yes and no. He won major titles in four divisions, which you’d think would be a ticket to the Hall of Fame regardless of what lies ahead. However, in Broner’s case, it might not be enough. Consider who he beat to win his titles: 130, Vicente Rodriguez; 135, Antonio DeMarco; 140, Khabib Allakhverdiev; and 147, Paulie Malignaggi. All four are quality opponents but none provide Broner with the defining victory normally required to enter the Hall. And remember: He lost to his toughest opponents: Marcos Maidana, Shawn Porter, Garcia and Pacquiao. He might have to beat one or two big-name opponents to earn his ticket to Canastota, N.Y.
No. 5 Who is Jovanie Santiago?
Santiago (14-0-1, 10 KOs) appears to be a capable boxer-puncher but it’s difficult to gauge his ability. He has never faced anyone near Broner’s ability, has taken part in only four scheduled 10-rounders and has never fought outside his native Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic. Yes, this is a big step for the 31-year-old from Dorado. One thing seems certain: Broner won’t have to go looking for Santiago. He’s a stalker, constantly in attack mode. And he puts a lot of emphasis on body work. In his last bout, in December, he stopped previously unbeaten Juan Zeggara with a brutal left hook to the gut only 2:56 into their fight. Is he in Broner’s class? Probably not. Is he a complete stiff? No.
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