By James Slater: Known as “The Problem,” unbeaten, wannabe megastar of the future Adrien Broner has dazzled fans with his awesome skills; already being compared to those of the one and only Floyd Mayweather Junior. The unbeaten 130-pounder is next set to fight in Las Vegas, on the under-card of the Lamont Peterson-Amir Khan rematch on May 19th.
So far, we have no confirmation as to who Broner will face, but according to an news article in The Dewsbury Reporter, British super-featherweight Gary Sykes will get the big opportunity.
According to the article, Broner’s WBO belt will not be at stake, as the fight will be scheduled for only ten rounds. Yet Sykes, the former British champion, is hugely motivated for the fight anyway.
“I have never gone into the ring thinking I’m going to lose and I never will, even against the world number one,” Sykes said.”
It will be interesting to see if the staff at The Dewsbury Reporter have bagged themselves a scoop, as nowhere else have I read that Sykes will face Broner. The website of the publication promises more news this coming Friday
28-year-old Sykes will certainly enter the ring as a whopping underdog if he gets the chance to face Broner. The 22-year-old from Cincinnati is 23-0(19) and coming off that ultra-impressive stoppage of the unbeaten Eloy Perez. If Sykes, 20-2(5) can score the upset, he will have pulled off one of the best British “away wins” in some time. Perhaps best known for his shocking “Prizefighter” loss to Gary Buckland, when he was stunned inside the opening round and stopped, Sykes rebounded and retained his British belt with a good win over Carl Johnneson. Then, in a return clash with Buckland, Sykes lost a 12-round UD; and his British title.
Having won a six-rounder since (over Dean Mills this past March) Sykes may be on the verge of getting the chance to become bigger and more well known than any other British 130-pounder you care to name.
It’s actually likely Broner will know nothing at all about Sykes. Imagine how great it would be for British boxing, and for Sykes and his home town of Dewsbury in particular, if the man known as “Five Star” were able to shock Broner!