Ranking the Best Opponents for Adrien Broner's Next Fight
Adrien Broner's career is back from the brink.
But it was by no means free of peril.
The Cincinnati-reared Problem returned from a stripped title and a jail stint to eke out a split 10-round decision over former sparring mate Adrian Granados, thanks to a last-minute Saturday night surge that iced the verdict on the scorecard of the decisive judge.
"I knew that Adrian Granados was going to come tough as a steak that was cooked too long," Broner told Showtime’s Jim Gray. "But this was like four minus one. This was an easy one for me."
Judges Steve Weisfeld and Phil Rogers gave dueling 97-93 viewpoints for each man from ringside, forging a tie broken by Robert Pope's 96-94 call for Broner—clinched by his lean toward Broner in the final round. Had Pope given the 10th to Granados, the decision would have been a draw.
Bleacher Report agreed with Weisfeld's 97-93 nod to Broner, who landed 20 more punches—166 to 146—than Granados over 10 rounds, though the Illinois native threw 280 more shots, 683 to 403.
"It was a close fight," said Showtime's Paulie Malignaggi, a split-decision loser to Broner in 2013. "Kind of par for the course. Another close fight, he got a close decision."
Granados, the taller and longer man, kept Broner off balance early by mixing pressure with boxing from the outside and not allowing his foe to effectively land counter shots. Broner began scoring with sharp shots in the third, however, and slowly took the initiative in the middle rounds.
Still, the action continued back and forth until Broner's best moment, a combination in the final 15 seconds that left Granados reeling.
"What we saw in there tonight was a great performance by both men," Showtime's Al Bernstein said. "Both displayed not only skill but grit as well."
The win put Broner back on the map for big fights, which he's free to pursue on his former championship turfs at 140 and 147 pounds. Toward that end, we put together a list of opponents who'd help him advance his cause, or, in one case, help him silence the doubters who still linger after Saturday.
5. Adrian Granados
1 of 5
It was the same old song and dance for Adrian Granados.
The 27-year-old has lost five fights in a career that began in 2008 but never by a margin that prompted all three judges at ringside to suggest the opponent was the better man.
Saturday night's split-decision loss in Broner's hometown was no different, and not surprisingly, it left the Chicago native pining away for a second go-round on his own turf.
"I know it wasn’t a pretty fight," Granados told Gray on Showtime as Broner stood nearby. "Give me another one. Let’s do it again. Beat me again. Let's do it at my house."
Broner quickly dismissed the idea, saying: "I ain't going back to Chicago. I've seen D(errick) Rose leave."
But Malignaggi suggested another duel between the two men would be worthwhile no matter where it was staged. It's not highly likely because of Broner's plethora of high-profile options, but there's little doubt it'd be entertaining.
"I wouldn’t mind seeing a rematch," Malignaggi said. "I think he’s very deserving of a rematch. I wouldn’t mind seeing this again."
4. Terence Crawford
2 of 5
Terence Crawford might be what we thought Broner was.
The 29-year-old Nebraska native climbed the ladder with far less fanfare than his Cincinnati counterpart, but both looked primed for stardom by the time they picked up belts at 135 pounds.
Broner, though, decided to quickly abandon his new kingdom for higher-profile environs and saw the aura damaged with two losses. Crawford, meanwhile, defended his crown twice and became a feelgood hometown story before finally cracking the 140-pound ranks.
He was named 2014 Fighter of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America, was in the running for such acknowledgement in the two subsequent years and is tentatively scheduled to get his 2017 started with a return trip to Omaha in May.
Broner's speed and one-punch power would make an interesting challenge for Crawford's sublime technical skill, and the fight seemed possible a while back when Bob Arum, Crawford's promoter, told boxing scribe Steve Kim (via Boxing News 24) that he wanted to do a "winner-take-all" bout matching the two young stars.
3. Ricky Burns
3 of 5
This time last year, Broner was the WBA's top man at 140 pounds.
But 12 months later—this time thanks primarily to out-of-the-ring issues—he's embarked on yet another career-rebuilding project.
Scotsman Ricky Burns has filled the sanctioning body vacuum in the meantime, having won the belt Broner lost on the scales last spring and since defended it with a 12-round defeat of Kiryl Relikh last fall.
He'll aim to crowd the trophy case against IBF/IBO champ Julius Indongo on home turf in Glasgow in April, and, should he emerge as a three-belted king, it's a safe assumption that a clash with Broner in the United States will be high on his call-out priority list.
"I've always said throughout my career if the money's right I'll fight absolutely anybody," Burns told Sky Sports. He continued:
"I know we're talking about the Broner fight happening, and if the money is right, then I would love that. I'm more than happy to go to America and fight and everybody knows that it is a genuinely hard fight. Adrien Broner, when he's on his game, is a very good fighter. But that's the kind of fight I'm in the game for.
"
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
2. Danny Garcia
4 of 5
Admittedly, Danny Garcia has got some significant work in front of him.
The Philadelphia-born slugger will put his WBC welterweight belt up against Keith Thurman's WBA strap on March 4 in Brooklyn, New York, and he's been installed as an underdog (per Odds Shark)—albeit not a prohibitive one—to emerge from that fight with his unbeaten status intact.
If he pulls off the upset, though, yet another big night could present itself.
The prospect of a match with Broner has simmered on the 140- and 147-pound burners for several years, and Garcia told Fox Deportes (via Miguel Rivera of BoxingScene.com) that he saw the meeting as a pay-per-view-worthy enterprise.
"We can make the Adrien Broner fight happen," Garcia said. "That's something that the fans always wanted because me and Broner, out of the pack, we made the longest stretch as being the most relevant boxers. The Broner fight would be a good pay-per-view fight."
Both men have been champions at both junior welterweight and welterweight.
1. Manny Pacquiao
5 of 5
Jeff Horn is a nice guy. He's unbeaten. He's probably nice to his mother.
At the end of the day, though, he's still Jeff Horn.
And unless he produces a career-changing effort against Manny Pacquiao if and when they get together in April, the Filipino star will emerge from their fight with both a victory and a problem.
He'll have wasted the first half of what may be his final professional year with a ho-hum beating of an anonymous foe, meaning it'll take a new high-profile name to help Pac-Man even approach the sorts of fight-night relevance he's long been accustomed to.
And though there will never be a shortage of guys willing to risk career trajectory for a spot in Manny's aura, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more interesting matchup for the 38-year-old than his high-profile conqueror's most prominent wannabe.
Broner has talked up the idea of a Pacquiao fight in the past, suggesting to ESNews (via Marisse Panaligan of GMA News Online) that he'd "kick his ass" if it ever came together.
It nearly did in 2016, but according to Top Rank guru Arum at least, Broner’s asking price was too high.
"I'm a businessman," Broner said, per BoxingScene.com's Keith Idec. He continued:
"I've offered what I've offered, and then they walk away. And once you come back, you have to meet my requirements now. OK? So let's say mines a little higher now, because I know you need me.
Or we could just stay where mine was, and make the fight happen. But Arum knows he's gotta eat his words and come back around and make this fight happen. Or just keep having duds and keep losing money.
"
Coming off what's almost certain to be a revenue flop against Horn, it'll be incumbent on Team Pacquiao to rediscover their winning pay-per-view formula.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
