Merchant: Broner won’t last long at lightweight; he’ll outgrow the division in a year

By Boxing News - 07/22/2012 - Comments

Image: Merchant: Broner won't last long at lightweight; he'll outgrow the division in a yearBy Jason Kim: HBO analyst Larry Merchant doesn’t see former WBO super featherweight champion Adrien Broner lasting long at lightweight. Merchant sees this a stop off for the 22-year-old Broner that will likely last only one year before he gets too big for the division with increasing weight and has to move up to light welterweight.

Merchant told Examiner.com writer Chris Robinson “I think it’s pretty obvious that the lightweight division is something he will outgrow in another year or so. Ultimately, he’ll fight in the welterweight division and then we’ll find out how good he is.”

Indeed, at welterweight Broner will have to get by more based on his skills rather than simply size and power like he’s been doing at super featherweight. Broner will have to hope some of his power carries up with him when he ultimately makes it to the 147 pound division. Broner weighed 147 pounds against Vincente Escobedo last Saturday night, and took him out in the 5th round.

However, in fighting in the welterweight division, Broner will likely be facing guys that enter the ring weighing close to 160 pounds or more when he faces them. Broner likely will no longer be the bigger guy or the stronger puncher, and that could make it necessary for him to come up with some adjustments in order to succeed like he’s been doing at the super featherweight level.

Merchant went on to say that he doesn’t see Broner as being as “Well schooled” a fighter as Floyd Mayweather Jr., who Broner clearly copies with his fighting style. Merchant does think that Broner has a lot of power. Broner clearly doesn’t have the same hand speed that Mayweather had when he was fighting in the super featherweight division many years ago. Mayweather was lightning quick when he fought in that division, but Broner makes up for it by having better power.



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