Michael Williams Jr says he’s coming to “get rid of” Adrien Broner this month when the two meet in the headliner on February 25th in their 10-round bout on BLK Prime PPV at the Gateway Center Arena, in College Park, Georgia.
Broner looked obese when he started training camp, and although he’s taken the weight off, there’s a high possibility his stamina will be impacted for this fight if it goes into the second half.
When you lose the kind of pot belly Broner was sporting, you can’t expect to be at your best.
The 23-year-old Williams Jr (20-1, 13 KOs) is the underdog in this fight going up against the former four-division world champion Broner (34-4-1, 24 KOs), but you can’t count him.
Broner is arguably a 33-year-old fossilized version of the fighter he’d once been 12 years ago, and he’s aged terribly and made thing worse by staying active.
For example, Broner will be coming off a two-year layoff when he steps foot inside the ring against Williams Jr on February 25th. Before that, Broner had been out of the ring for two years when he fought Jovanie Santiago in 2021.
In total, Broner has fought just once in the last four years. Let that sink in for a second. One fight in four years. With that kind of inactivity, it’s difficult to know how Broner will look. He looked horrible in his last fight against Santiago, winning a controversial decision.
If Williams Jr had positive experience against quality opposition, he’d be the favorite, but the only notable guy he’s fought is John Bauza, who stopped him in four rounds in December 2021. Williams Jr was dropped four times by Bauza in that fight.
“I’m not here to just be a body in the ring,” said Williams Jr. “I’m here to show everyone what I’m capable of. I’m living a real-life Rocky moment, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m coming to get rid of Broner and become a household name with an impressive victory. I have nothing to lose, and I’m going shock the world.”
“I know the odds are against me, but I’m not afraid,” continued Williams Jr. “I have one of the best trainers in the world guiding my corner in Roy Jones Jr. I’m ready for the challenge. I’ll give it my all and leave everything in the ring.”
