Adrien Broner and Jovanie Santiago on Friday made the adjusted weight limit of 147 pounds for their fight Saturday on Showtime.
Adrien Broner didn’t have to make 140 pounds after all.
Broner and Jovanie Santiago, who will do battle Saturday at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. (Showtime), agreed in the 11th hour to adjust the weight limit for their fight to 147 pounds.
Both fighters made that weight Friday, Broner coming in at 146 and Santiago at 145.25.
Broner (33-4-1, 24) will be fighting for the first time since he lost a wide decision to Manny Pacquiao in January of 2019, meaning he will have been out of the ring for more than two years.
He has said he has renewed focus on his boxing career and reportedly lost 35 pounds.
Adrien Broner (left) and Jovanie Santiago on Friday made the adjusted limit of 147 pounds for their fight on Saturday. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
This will be his third consecutive fight at welterweight. He last made 140 when he lost a one-sided decision to Mikey Garcia in July 2017. He outpointed Adrian Granados at 147 fives months earlier, which was his last victory.
Broner, 2-3-1 as a welterweight, presumably will settle into the junior welterweight division going forward.
Santiago (14-0-1, 10 KOs) fought as a welterweight early in his career but the 31-year-old Puerto Rican has been a full-fledged 140-pounder since 2015.
In undercard fights, Dominic Breazeale (20-2, 18 KOs) and Otto Wallin (21-1, 14 KOs) weighed 261.25 and 240.5, respectively, for their scheduled 12-round heavyweight fight.
And, in a 12-round junior welterweight bout, Robert Easter (22-1-1, 14 KOs) and Ryan Martin (24-1, 14 KOs) weighed 139.75 and 139.5.
Adrien Broner and Jovanie Santiago on Friday made the adjusted weight limit of 147 pounds for their fight Saturday on Showtime.
Adrien Broner didn’t have to make 140 pounds after all.
Broner and Jovanie Santiago, who will do battle Saturday at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. (Showtime), agreed in the 11th hour to adjust the weight limit for their fight to 147 pounds.
Both fighters made that weight Friday, Broner coming in at 146 and Santiago at 145.25.
Broner (33-4-1, 24) will be fighting for the first time since he lost a wide decision to Manny Pacquiao in January of 2019, meaning he will have been out of the ring for more than two years.
He has said he has renewed focus on his boxing career and reportedly lost 35 pounds.
Adrien Broner (left) and Jovanie Santiago on Friday made the adjusted limit of 147 pounds for their fight on Saturday. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
This will be his third consecutive fight at welterweight. He last made 140 when he lost a one-sided decision to Mikey Garcia in July 2017. He outpointed Adrian Granados at 147 fives months earlier, which was his last victory.
Broner, 2-3-1 as a welterweight, presumably will settle into the junior welterweight division going forward.
Santiago (14-0-1, 10 KOs) fought as a welterweight early in his career but the 31-year-old Puerto Rican has been a full-fledged 140-pounder since 2015.
In undercard fights, Dominic Breazeale (20-2, 18 KOs) and Otto Wallin (21-1, 14 KOs) weighed 261.25 and 240.5, respectively, for their scheduled 12-round heavyweight fight.
And, in a 12-round junior welterweight bout, Robert Easter (22-1-1, 14 KOs) and Ryan Martin (24-1, 14 KOs) weighed 139.75 and 139.5.
Does Adrien Broner still have it? Here are five questions going into his fight on Saturday.
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.
Does Adrien Broner still have it? Here are five questions going into his fight on Saturday.
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.
Adrien Broner was Adrian Broner during a news conference for his fight against Jovanie Santiago on Saturday.
One word to describe Adrien Broner might be unconventional. If you ask him a typical question — whatever the subject — chances are you’ll receive an atypical answer.
Broner and unbeaten Jovanie Santiago of Puerto Rico on Thursday took part in a virtual news conference to promote their 140-pound fight Saturday night at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., which will be televised on Showtime.
A.B. fielded typical questions from host Brian Custer on stage and then reporters via Zoom. Some of his answers were classic A.B.
One journalist, referring to what seems to be Broner’s renewed focus on boxing after a two-year hiatus from the sport, asked him: “What did you learn?”
Broner responded: “I learned I could stop having sex. That’s one of my biggest problems. I like to party, I like f—ing. I had to cut it all out, the partying, the drinking, and just get serious with my career to become that elite fighter, to take back over the sport.”
Custer asked him what he wants to accomplish going forward.
“Right now I’m just trying to beat COVID. … I want everything to open up, I want people to come back to fights,” he said. “It’s started to feel like a game. This situation (people separated at the news conference) is some b—s—. This ain’t real, having to stay apart, staying out of your face.
“I like to put my hands on people at pressers. This don’t feel real. Once the bell rings everything will go away and we’ll get straight back to business.”
Adrien Broner (left) was typically colorful during a news conference to promote his fight against Jovanie Santiago (right) on Saturday. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
Custer also asked him about a comment made by Santiago that seemed to imply that Broner is nothing special.
“Hey man, at the end of the day, he’s here because of me, you’re here because of me, the whole cast is here because of me. That’s special,” he said. “So Saturday night the only thing that’s going to be special is the ass whooping I’m going to give out. He’ll know then. … He ain’t going to be talking like that after Saturday.”
Broner (33-4-1, 24 KOs) also was open about his life and goals in a more serious sense.
Custer asked him what made him decide to come back after his extended layoff. And a journalist later asked him why he “retired,” a word he used when he stepped away after his one-sided loss to Manny Pacquiao in January 2019.
“I went through a lot of things, honestly,” he said. “The way I live my life, I went through a lot. One day I just woke up and said, ‘I’m done. I gotta get my s— together in order to change, I have to make a change or I’m going to get caught up in doing the same thing.’ … It’s been a long road to get where I am today and I’m here.”
He then added: “I don’t know how long you’ve worked without taking a break. For me it was from 6 years old to, what, 30? I never took a break from boxing. I thought, ‘You know what? I need a break.’ That’s what I did. Then I was missing boxing and got back into it. And I’ll be back to it Saturday night.”
Broner also said repeatedly that Santiago, an unbeaten Puerto Rican, is no pusher and that his focus is squarely on Saturday night. He also made it clear how determine he is to succeed, revealing fire we haven’t seen in some time.
“I’m ready to put it all on the line,” he said. “I don’t know how he feels [but] I’m willing to die in there, I’m willing to put my life on the line, I’m willing to give it all until I ain’t got s—left.
“I don’t know how far he’s willing to go. I’m willing to say, ‘F— everything. I’m ready to put everything on line.”
Santiago responded through a translator: “I’m ready to die on the line, like they say in Puerto Rico.”
And, while Broner didn’t want to look past Santiago, the 31-year-old former four-division titleholder left no doubt that he’s thinking big in terms of his immediate future. He wants to regain the status he lost long ago.
“I just feel like I’m going to be a world champion again … and again and again and again … until I’m really don with boxing. Yes, I took two years off. I retired to let my body heal and rest. I feel I have what it takes to win more championships in different weight classes so that’s what I’m going to do.”
Then, evidently speaking directly at and near his weight: “Listen, if y’all got a belt, just hold onto it. … That s— is going to be mine. I’m coming to sweep it all up.”
Adrien Broner was Adrian Broner during a news conference for his fight against Jovanie Santiago on Saturday.
One word to describe Adrien Broner might be unconventional. If you ask him a typical question — whatever the subject — chances are you’ll receive an atypical answer.
Broner and unbeaten Jovanie Santiago of Puerto Rico on Thursday took part in a virtual news conference to promote their 140-pound fight Saturday night at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., which will be televised on Showtime.
A.B. fielded typical questions from host Brian Custer on stage and then reporters via Zoom. Some of his answers were classic A.B.
One journalist, referring to what seems to be Broner’s renewed focus on boxing after a two-year hiatus from the sport, asked him: “What did you learn?”
Broner responded: “I learned I could stop having sex. That’s one of my biggest problems. I like to party, I like f—ing. I had to cut it all out, the partying, the drinking, and just get serious with my career to become that elite fighter, to take back over the sport.”
Custer asked him what he wants to accomplish going forward.
“Right now I’m just trying to beat COVID. … I want everything to open up, I want people to come back to fights,” he said. “It’s started to feel like a game. This situation (people separated at the news conference) is some b—s—. This ain’t real, having to stay apart, staying out of your face.
“I like to put my hands on people at pressers. This don’t feel real. Once the bell rings everything will go away and we’ll get straight back to business.”
Adrien Broner (left) was typically colorful during a news conference to promote his fight against Jovanie Santiago (right) on Saturday. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
Custer also asked him about a comment made by Santiago that seemed to imply that Broner is nothing special.
“Hey man, at the end of the day, he’s here because of me, you’re here because of me, the whole cast is here because of me. That’s special,” he said. “So Saturday night the only thing that’s going to be special is the ass whooping I’m going to give out. He’ll know then. … He ain’t going to be talking like that after Saturday.”
Broner (33-4-1, 24 KOs) also was open about his life and goals in a more serious sense.
Custer asked him what made him decide to come back after his extended layoff. And a journalist later asked him why he “retired,” a word he used when he stepped away after his one-sided loss to Manny Pacquiao in January 2019.
“I went through a lot of things, honestly,” he said. “The way I live my life, I went through a lot. One day I just woke up and said, ‘I’m done. I gotta get my s— together in order to change, I have to make a change or I’m going to get caught up in doing the same thing.’ … It’s been a long road to get where I am today and I’m here.”
He then added: “I don’t know how long you’ve worked without taking a break. For me it was from 6 years old to, what, 30? I never took a break from boxing. I thought, ‘You know what? I need a break.’ That’s what I did. Then I was missing boxing and got back into it. And I’ll be back to it Saturday night.”
Broner also said repeatedly that Santiago, an unbeaten Puerto Rican, is no pusher and that his focus is squarely on Saturday night. He also made it clear how determine he is to succeed, revealing fire we haven’t seen in some time.
“I’m ready to put it all on the line,” he said. “I don’t know how he feels [but] I’m willing to die in there, I’m willing to put my life on the line, I’m willing to give it all until I ain’t got s—left.
“I don’t know how far he’s willing to go. I’m willing to say, ‘F— everything. I’m ready to put everything on line.”
Santiago responded through a translator: “I’m ready to die on the line, like they say in Puerto Rico.”
And, while Broner didn’t want to look past Santiago, the 31-year-old former four-division titleholder left no doubt that he’s thinking big in terms of his immediate future. He wants to regain the status he lost long ago.
“I just feel like I’m going to be a world champion again … and again and again and again … until I’m really don with boxing. Yes, I took two years off. I retired to let my body heal and rest. I feel I have what it takes to win more championships in different weight classes so that’s what I’m going to do.”
Then, evidently speaking directly at and near his weight: “Listen, if y’all got a belt, just hold onto it. … That s— is going to be mine. I’m coming to sweep it all up.”
Adrien Broner vs. Jovanie Santiago: Time, how to watch, background.
Adrien Broner returns from a two-year hiatus to face Puerto Rican Jovanie Santiago on Saturday in Uncasville, Conn., on Showtime.
ADRIEN BRONER (33-4-1, 24 KOs)
VS. JOVANIE SANTIAGO (14-0-1, 10 KOs)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM9zTdzI98k
Date: Saturday, Feb. 20
Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in the show)
Where: Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, Conn.
TV/Stream: Showtime
Division: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)
At stake: No titles
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: Broner 6-1 favorite
Also on the card: Robert Easter vs. Ryan Martin, junior welterweights; Otto Wallin vs. Dominic Breazeale, heavyweights
Prediction: Broner KO 7
Background: Broner garners the attention of a elite athlete but the truth is he hasn’t had success for years. The four-division titleholder hasn’t won a fight since he narrowly outpointed Adrian Granados in February 2017, four years ago. He is 0-2-1 since then, although the losses came against Mikey Garcia (140 pounds) in July 2017 and Manny Pacquiao (147) in January of 2019. He drew with Jessie Vargas between those setbacks. The good news for Broner is that he’s only 31. And he will be fighting Santiago at 140 pounds, at which he won’t be giving away size and strength advantages. Broner will have been out of the ring since the Pacquiao fight, which was more than two years ago. Santiago is a 31-year-old unknown from Puerto Rico. He has a gaudy record but has faced no one of note. His highest-profile victory might’ve been a decision over a faded DeMarcus Corley in 2017. He has won 12 consecutive fights since a draw in his third outing. On the undercard, heavyweights Otto Wallin and Dominic Breazeale hope to position themselves for a title shot. Wallin (21-1, 14 KOs) bounced back from his loss to titleholder Tyson Fury by stopping Travis Kauffman in August. Breazeale (20-2, 18 KOs) is coming off a first-round knockout loss against then-champion Deontay Wilder in May 2019. The Los Angeles-area fighter has failed in two attempts to win a major title.
Adrien Broner vs. Jovanie Santiago: Time, how to watch, background.
Adrien Broner returns from a two-year hiatus to face Puerto Rican Jovanie Santiago on Saturday in Uncasville, Conn., on Showtime.
ADRIEN BRONER (33-4-1, 24 KOs)
VS. JOVANIE SANTIAGO (14-0-1, 10 KOs)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM9zTdzI98k
Date: Saturday, Feb. 20
Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in the show)
Where: Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, Conn.
TV/Stream: Showtime
Division: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)
At stake: No titles
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: Broner 6-1 favorite
Also on the card: Robert Easter vs. Ryan Martin, junior welterweights; Otto Wallin vs. Dominic Breazeale, heavyweights
Prediction: Broner KO 7
Background: Broner garners the attention of a elite athlete but the truth is he hasn’t had success for years. The four-division titleholder hasn’t won a fight since he narrowly outpointed Adrian Granados in February 2017, four years ago. He is 0-2-1 since then, although the losses came against Mikey Garcia (140 pounds) in July 2017 and Manny Pacquiao (147) in January of 2019. He drew with Jessie Vargas between those setbacks. The good news for Broner is that he’s only 31. And he will be fighting Santiago at 140 pounds, at which he won’t be giving away size and strength advantages. Broner will have been out of the ring since the Pacquiao fight, which was more than two years ago. Santiago is a 31-year-old unknown from Puerto Rico. He has a gaudy record but has faced no one of note. His highest-profile victory might’ve been a decision over a faded DeMarcus Corley in 2017. He has won 12 consecutive fights since a draw in his third outing. On the undercard, heavyweights Otto Wallin and Dominic Breazeale hope to position themselves for a title shot. Wallin (21-1, 14 KOs) bounced back from his loss to titleholder Tyson Fury by stopping Travis Kauffman in August. Breazeale (20-2, 18 KOs) is coming off a first-round knockout loss against then-champion Deontay Wilder in May 2019. The Los Angeles-area fighter has failed in two attempts to win a major title.
Adrien Broner, who returns to the ring against Jovanie Santiago on Feb. 20, said he has a lot more to accomplish in boxing.
Adrien Broner was asked why he resonates with a lot of people and came up with an answer that makes sense. “I’m not boring,” he told Boxing Junkie.
Indeed, his antics and out-of-the ring tribulations seem to be at least part of the reason many remain interested in him. He has 1.1 million followers on Instagram and a quarter million on Twitter even though he hasn’t fought in more than two years and hasn’t won a fight since 2017.
Perhaps people forget there’s a fighter under there, one who has won major titles in four divisions by the age of 26. And, because he’s been for a long time, they might not realize that remains a young man. He’s only 31.
Broner is now focused on that, his youth, the fact he has more to give in the sport. His return starts on Feb. 20, when he takes on Jovanie Santiago at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. (Showtime), but, he says, that’s only the start.
He has big goals. And he doesn’t care whether you believe he’ll achieve them.
“I don’t care about people who doubt me,” he said. “I’ve been doubted my whole career. If I listened to them, I never would’ve won a world title let alone four in four weight classes. I don’t pay them no mind.”
Adrien Broner (left) had his moments against Manny Pacquiao but ended up on the wrong end of a wide decision. Joe Camporeale / USA TODAY Sports
Broner’s accomplishments can’t be ignored. His combination of ability and punching power allowed him to dominate opponents in the first half of his career, in which he won major titles at junior lightweight, lightweight, welterweight and then junior welterweight.
A.B. went from an abbreviation of name to About Billions, as he tried to emulate his role model – Floyd Mayweather – in terms of both earnings and accomplishments.
Then it all fell apart.
Broner (33-4-1, 24 KOs) is only 6-4-1 (2 KOs) in his last 11 fights, with one-sided losses against Marcos Maidana, Shawn Porter, Mikey Garcia and, most recently, Manny Pacquiao. A.B. heard the final bell in each of those fights but was outclassed, which has taken a toll on his legacy.
What happened? Had he moved too high in weight? Three of the losses came at 147. Had he lost focus? Legal, financial and other issues can be distractions. Or was he just never as good as we thought.
Broner didn’t have much to say about that past, preferring to look ahead.
“Who knows?” he said when asked what went wrong. “It’s just how the cookie crumbles. I don’t stay stuck in the past, I move forward. I’m pushing to win another world title. That’s what I want.”
Broner seems to have renewed focus on his career.
Broner’s last victory came against Adrian Granados (right) almost exactly four years ago. Alex Vehr / Enquirer via Imagn Content Services
Where did that come from? He has a number of motivations. He has a family for which to provide, which is provide. He believes his resume already is worthy of International Boxing Hall of Fame induction but, as he said, he wants more. And there’s a more basic motivation that’s easy to understand.
“I’ve had time to miss it,” said Broner, who fought Pacquiao in January 2019.
He seems to be doing the work as the fight with the novice Santiago (14-0-1, 10 KOs) — a late replacement — approaches. They will do battle at 140 pounds, which Broner acknowledged is his natural weight.
He has shed a reported 35 pounds by controlling what goes into his body, whether that’s food or anything else that isn’t ideal for an athlete. As he put it, “I stay away from all the B.S. I’m doing it right this time.”
And he isn’t getting ahead of himself. Yes, he wants – plans — to win a fifth world championship. However, he’s a veteran of the sport. He knows he can’t look beyond Santiago at what might lied ahead, which in a perfect world would include a date with the winner of the Josh Taylor-Jose Ramirez fight for the undisputed junior welterweight title.
He only asks that you pay attention because you might be surprised at what you see.
“I’m still young,” he said. “I’ve got a lot more to do. I’m going to win more titles. And I’m putting in the work to get it done. I’m just back and focused on boxing, dedicating myself to the sport. Everyone will see on Feb. 20.
“And then I’ll just stay ready, stay in the gym until my time comes.”
