Adrien Broner vs. Khabib Allakhverdiev: Fight Time, Date, TV Info and Preview
Adrien "The Problem" Broner (30-2, 22 KO) will attempt to win his fourth world title in as many divisions on Saturday night when he squares off against Khabib "The Hawk" Allakhverdiev (19-1, 9 KO) for the vacant WBA world super lightweight title.
When: Saturday, October 3, at 10 p.m. ET
Where: U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
TV: Showtime
Broner
Last Time Out
The Problem was solved for the second time in his career back in June when he was outworked by Shawn Porter. Broner came on at the end of the bout, as he floored Porter with a nasty sweeping left hook, but the latter had already built a sizable lead on the scorecards, and he earned a unanimous-decision win.
The Problem No Longer Self-Destructive?
No one who really knows the sport of boxing has ever doubted Broner's physical talent, but his work ethic and maturity have been his undoing in the ring and in the court of public opinion.
In a recent interview with Showtime, Broner talked about turning the corner mentally in his career.
A fully focused Broner could be a major player at 140 or 147 pounds, but it'll be interesting to see if he shows the maturity necessary to maximize his extraordinary potential. He looks to be in top form as he fires off 250 punches in 45 seconds in the video below from FightHype.com on YouTube:
Allakhverdiev
Last Time Out
It's been over a year since Allakhverdiev was in the ring. He last fought in April 2014, when he lost the same WBA title he'll be trying to regain on Saturday and his IBO strap via unanimous decision to Jessie Vargas.
The fight was close, but the judges saw it in favor of Vargas. The long layoff shouldn't be undersold. Allakhverdiev will be trying to shake off almost 18 months of ring rust when he steps into the ring against The Problem.
Looking to Be the Solution
Allakhverdiev isn't a thrilling fighter with a crowd-pleasing style. He doesn't have much power, but he's technically sound, long at 5'8" and rugged. Like many Russian fighters, Allakhverdiev's chin has proven to be one of his best attributes.
He's never been stopped or even hurt in a bout. Something tells me that beard is going to get tested on Saturday night.
Prediction
Broner will be fighting in his hometown of Cincinnati, but he won't need any home cooking from the judges. Broner is a more effective puncher at 140 pounds, and call me crazy, but I think he's being genuine when he talks about taking his craft more seriously.
From a speed standpoint, Allakhverdiev cannot compete with Broner, and the Russian doesn't employ a smothering style like Marcos Rene Maidana or Porter that will allow him to steal rounds with activity. Allakhverdiev also lacks the power to make Broner respect him.
In light of those things, we should expect one of the best Broner performances we've seen as The Problem takes a sixth-round TKO victory.
Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
