The ever divisive Adrien Broner (30-1, 22ko) has spoken to FightHype.com after a trip to the Mayweather gym to visit his friend and mentor Floyd in sparring.
Broner, who at his worst is a bare-faced Floyd imitator, has said Mayweather is sharp and very focused ahead of Saturday’s fight;
“It’s tunnel vision now. You can tell there’s only one thing on his mind.”
When asked how things might play out from a fighter’s viewpoint, the Cincinnati native, who showed how Mayweather’s style can’t effectively be imitated when he was exposed by Marcos Maidana trying to copy it, said;
“It’s gonna be one-sided. I think he can stop him. I’m betting on a stoppage. I’ll probably put $2.5k/$3k on the fight but I’m gonna put at least $10,000 on the stoppage.”
“I see it happening about the 8th round”
In regards to Manny Pacquiao, Broner was asked the standard and oft repeated mantra about the Filipino’s “mistakes” and how he makes a “lot of them”. He said;
“I just see the same old Manny Pacquiao. They say they working on new things in the gym – this and that – but you know every time he fights he does the same thing and makes those same mistakes. I take nothing from him – I tip my hat to him coz if it wasn’t for him and Floyd Mayweather I wouldn’t be where I am today. They paved the way for me.”
Broner actually looked good last time out in a PBC broadcast, boxing a points shut out against a John Molina who that night looked like his own career was over. He is next scheduled to box in June and doesn’t yet have an opponent or an exact date confirmed.
Of all the potential names of opponents spouted on his twitter and various other social media accounts, Broner insisted “that’s me” referencing other fighters who perhaps don’t manage their own social media feeds, stating that all things posted on his are done personally.
Of the future, his desire to secure money-fights is clear and he shows a maturity and understanding that hasn’t always been there in the past. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that Broner is still just 25 years old and has in no doubt done some growing up. Maybe the Maidana defeat 18 months ago really has humbled him slightly too?
“I want to fight Amir Khan. Or Danny Garcia because it’s a business and at the end of the day you guys aren’t going to pay my bills for me. I gotta get as much as I can out of what I’m doing. I’ll fight anybody and I want to prove that I’m the best”
“It’s nothing personal with any of these guys. Not Amir Khan and definitely not Danny Garcia.”
After calling out Garcia after his gifted decision over Lamont Peterson recently, it seems obvious that’s the task Broner fancies the most. Of Garcia’s performance post Peterson and the decision itself, Broner remained respectful again;
“It wasn’t just a little controversial. It was more than that. I’m really not going to get into all of that though. Boxing is boxing. Danny Garcia and Lamont Peterson both know what happened in that fight.”
With Garcia having just boxed and Khan fighting in May before Ramadan, it’s far more likely we will see Broner v Garcia at some stage next after this June fight is out of the way.
Its certainly the more winnable fight for Broner given Garcia’s recent shakiness and Khan’s exceptional hand speed that was looking spot on against Devon Alexander. In my opinion Khan would take Broner apart in clinical and decisive fashion, possibly even stopping him late on, so that is a fight in my eyes that he should certainly avoid.
Either way, Broner is making the sensible decision to stay at 140 now, where he is without doubt more effective.
Of his upcoming fight, Broner had a few words to close on what the fans can expect;
“A shut out. Though if this fighter comes to fight, then there will be a stoppage.”
Prophetic words indeed.
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