Mikey Garcia, Adrien Broner make weight for Saturday’s bout in Brooklyn

Mikey Garcia holds up his lightweight championship belt after taking it from Dejan Zlaticanin via third-round knockout in January at MGM Grand in Las Vegas/Getty Images photo by Steve Marcus

 

Mikey Garcia and Adrien Broner on Friday successfully made weight for their junior welterweight bout Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn (on Showtime).

Broner, who in April 2016 lost his junior welterweight title when he came in overweight for a defense against Ashley Theophane, weighed 138 3/4 pounds, easily making the 140-pound limit. Garcia weighed 139 1/2.

Broner, 28, of Cincinnati, is 33-2 with 24 knockouts. He has won world titles in four weight classes. Garcia, 29, of Moreno Valley via Oxnard, is 36-0 with 30 knockouts and has won titles in three weight classes.

This is a non-title fight.

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Mikey Garcia, Adrien Broner discuss their reasons for fighting one another

Mike Garcia poses with referee Tony Weeks after Garcia knocked out Dejan Zlaticanin in the third round in January to win the lightweight world title at MGM Grand in Las Vegas/Getty Images photo by Steve Marcus

 

Hate on Adrien Broner all you want, but the man has won titles in four weight classes, so his accomplishments speak for themselves. That’s why a fight between Broner and three-division world champion Mikey Garcia is a good thing.

That fight was announced this week for July 29 at a site to be determined (on Showtime). They will fight at the 140-pound junior welterweight limit. The interested parties on Thursday spoke on a conference call about what should be a terrific fight.

“I mean, I’ve done a lot,” said Broner, 27, of Cincinnati. “I’ve done a lot in the sport already at a young age. I’ve watched Mikey Garcia come up before and at the same time I came up. I’ve always wanted to fight the best. The best fight the best and that’s what’s going on today.

“This fight is going to be a tremendous fight and I’m bringing my ‘A’ game. I know a lot of people are probably counting me out.”

Garcia is not among them. He’s too smart for that. He took this fight because he knows Broner is dangerous. That, in turn, sparks plenty of interest.

“It is the biggest fight available for me right now,” said Garcia, 29, of Moreno Valley via Oxnard. “Originally, my plan was to unify at 135 (lightweight). If that was not available, I would look at a big  name to defend my title at lightweight. But that wasn’t quite available.

“Adrien Broner is a much bigger name and a much bigger star who has accomplished a lot in the sport. So it just made more sense to go and pursue the Adrien Broner fight than a regular title defense.”

Garcia, 29, is 36-0 with 30 knockouts. Broner is 33-2 with 24 knockouts.

 

 

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Wait, former champion Adrien Broner is no longer going to talk trash?

Shawn Porter, left, knocks Adrien Broner off-balance during a welterweight fight on Saturday, June 20, 2015, in Las Vegas. Porter won by unanimous decision after a 12-round bout. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Adrien Broner, right, is knocked off-balance by Shawn Porter during their fight in June 2015 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Porter won a unanimous decision/Associated Press photo by David Becker

 

Adrien Broner has been a big-mouth during his career. But he swears those days are now behind him. No kidding. He said as much Thursday at the final news conference for his welterweight fight Saturday against Adrian Granados at Cintas Center in Cincinnati (on Showtime).

“I know everyone is used to me coming up here and being boastful,” said Broner, of Cincinnati. “That’s not me anymore. I have a lot of respect for Adrian Granados and he’s a great fighter.

“A businessman that can fight. That’s what I am nowadays. I’m not a (expletive)-talker anymore.”

That’s a heck of a turn-around, assuming Broner keeps to that credo. One thing’s for sure, he can fight. Broner (32-2, 24 KOs) has won titles in four weight classes, but Granados (18-4-2, 12 KOs) is confident he can hand Broner his third loss.

“People that think I’m an underdog, don’t know me,” said Granados, of Cicero, Ill. “They don’t know the tricks I have up my sleeve.”

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Adrien Broner, Adrian Granados make weight for their bout in Cincinnati

CINCINNATI, OHIO - OCTOBER 03: Adrien Broner leaves the ring after beating Khabib Allakhverdiev at U.S. Bank Arena on October 4, 2015 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

Adrien Broner/Photo by Dylan Buell, Getty Images

 

Former four-division world champion Adrien Broner (32-2, 24 KOs) and Adrian Granados (18-4-2, 12 KOs) on Friday successfully made weight for their welterweight bout Saturday at Cintas Center in Broner’s native Cincinnati (on Showtime).

Both fighters weighed in at 146 1/2 pounds, a half-pound under the limit.

Granados hails from Cicero, Ill.

Also on the card, Lamont Peterson (34-3-1, 17 KOs) of Washington D.C. will challenge David Avanesyan (21-1-1, 11 KOs) of Russia for his welterweight title. Peterson tipped the scales at 146 1/2 pounds with Avanesyan coming in at 147.

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Adrien Broner promises ‘exciting’ fight against Adrian Granados in February

Adrien Broner

Adrien Broner/Photo courtesy of Premier Boxing Champions

 

Adrien Broner of Cincinnati has held world titles in four weight classes. He is currently without a title, however, and he wants to change that.

The first step in that direction will be a bout against former sparring partner Adrian Granados on Feb. 18 at Cintas Center in Cincinnati (on Showtime).

The interested parties hosted a news conference there Tuesday, and the fighters spoke about their knowledge of one another.

“We’ve brought Granados into camp for sparring before, but I’m a much different fighter now,” said Broner, 27. “I know he is, too, and I think it’s going to make an exciting, explosive fight.”

Granados’ credentials pale in comparison to Broner’s. Granados (18-4-2, 12 KOs) has never even fought for a major title, and as recently as September 2015 he boxed on a small club card at the Quiet Cannon in Montebello. Yet, Broner believes he can’t afford to overlook him.

“Granados is no pushover,” Broner said. “He’s not an opponent that anybody can just pick up a win (against). I know Adrian Granados will bring out the best in Adrien Broner.”

Promoter Floyd Mayweather Jr. is of a similar mind.

“These are going to be two hungry lions in the ring, and that’s what it’s all about,” Mayweather said.

Granados, 27, intimated he may have a surprise or two in store for Broner (32-2, 24 KOs).

“I’m confident that I’m more determined than any other fighter I’ll face,” said Granados, of Cicero, Ill. “I’ll also have a few tricks up my sleeve on fight night. I haven’t shown everything in my arsenal.

“I was in camp with Adrien Broner when he fought Marcos Maidana, so I know him pretty well. I’ve been compared to Maidana, but everyone has their own style. I’m going to get this win my own way.”

 

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Adrien Broner indicted on charges of robbery and assault

Adrien Broner/Photo courtesy of BoxRec

 

Former four-division world champion Adrien Broner was indicted Thursday on charges of robbery and assault. The indictment is the result of a man claiming Broner pointed a gun at him and then knocked him cold during an argument over gambling in January, according to the Associated Press.

Broner, 26, is from Cincinnati. He has won titles in the junior lightweight, lightweight, junior welterweight and welterweight divisions. He fought as recently as April 1 and stopped Ashley Theophane in the ninth round in Washington D.C. Broner (32-2, 24 KOs) was to defend his junior welterweight title that night, but he failed to make weight the day before and was stripped of the belt.

 

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Covina’s John Molina Jr. loses wide unanimous decision to Adrien Broner

5. Adrien Broner vs. John Molina

Adrien Broner, left, won a wide decision over John Molina Jr. of Covina on Saturday night in Las Vegas/Photo by Seth Wenig, Associated Press

 

John Molina Jr. of Covina on Saturday night lost a wide unanimous decision to former three-division world champion Adrien Broner of Cincinnati in the semi-main event at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Broner won by scores of 120-108, 120-108 and 118-110.

Molina (27-6) afterward bemoaned the idea that Broner (30-1) didn’t keep his word and exchange more with him.

This was the return of prime time boxing to NBC after a 30-year absence.

 

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Covina’s John Molina, always confident, preparing for another big fight

5. Adrien Broner vs. John Molina

Adrien Broner, left, and John Molina of Covina will tangle March 7 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas/Photo by Seth Wenig, Associated Press

 

John Molina of Covina has lost his past two fights, but they were to former interim world champion Lucas Matthysse and former world champion Humberto Soto and Molina gave both of them a hard time, so there is no shame there.

Molina decked Matthysse twice in their fight in April 2014 at StubHub Center before Matthysse knocked out Molina in an absolute thriller. It was so thrilling that Wednesday the Boxing Writers Association of America named it Fight of the Year for 2014.

Molina (27-5, 22 KOs) was defeated via unanimous decision by Soto, losing by three, three and five points on the scorecards this past September at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Molina’s competitiveness against those fighters as well as his courage and heavy punch are probably why he’s getting another big fight. That will be March 7 against another former champion – Adrien Broner – at MGM Grand in Las Vegas (on NBC).

Molina on Wednesday played host to a media workout at Justin Fortune’s gym in Hollywood. As usual, he was confident.

“The Soto fight was a learning experience,” Molina said. “But going in as the underdog is about going in and doing your job. I’ve had a lot of success as an underdog. I just took the positives from my last fight and tried to make the best of it and now I’m here today with the golden ticket in my hand.

“To see where I’m at today after all I’ve gone through in my career, I’m in awe sometimes. But we’re just barely getting started.”

 

 

 

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Adrien Broner to take on Emmanuel Taylor on Sept. 6 on Showtime

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Adrien Broner/Photo courtesy of Golden Boy Promotions

Former world champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner of Cincinnati will fight at home for the first time in over two years when he takes on Emmanuel Taylor in the super lightweight main event on Sept. 6 at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati (on Showtime).

Broner last fought at that same venue in July 2012 when he defended his junior lightweight title against Vicente Escobedo via 5th-round TKO.

“It’s always good to fight at home,” Broner said. It’s overdue. I will not disappoint my Cincinnati fans. I’ll make sure to put up a good show for them. Taylor is a young, talented fighter, but he’s not ready to solve this ‘Problem.’ ”

Broner, 25, is 28-1 with 22 knockouts. He has won titles at junior lightweight, lightweight and welterweight.

Taylor, of Edgewood Arsenal, Md., is 23. He has a record of 18-2 with 12 knockouts. He has victories over Victor Manuel Cayo and Karim Mayfield.

“This is the biggest fight of my career and I won’t let it get away from me,” Taylor said.  “All of those hours in the gym were for a moment like this, and I can’t wait to show the world what I can do in the ring.”

 

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There’s a chance fans could see Adrien Broner-Keith Thurman in 2014

Keith “One Time” Thurman on Saturday will defend his interim welterweight title against Jesus Soto Karass (28-8-3, 18 KOs) of Mexico on the undercard of the welterweight title fight between champion Adrien Broner and Marcos Maidana at the Alamodome in San Antonio (on Showtime).

Thurman (21-0, 19 KOs), of Clearwater, Fla. was recently asked about previously calling out Paulie Malignaggi while Malignaggi was still champion, or before he lost his title to the aforementioned Broner this past June in Brooklyn.

“Paulie was on my mind due to that title, but when Adrien Broner took it, then that makes me look forward to stepping into that ring with ‘AB’ in 2014,” Thurman said. “A lot of fans want that fight and I want what the fans want.”

Indeed, a fight between Broner and Thurman would be highly anticipated. Broner is well established and about as cocky as they come. Thurman is a legitimate world-class fighter who would give just about any welterweight in the world a run for his money on a given night.

 

 

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