By Steven Ocallaghan: After watching WBC lightweight champion Adrien Broner (26-0, 22 KO’s) stop a very game but ultimately over-matched Gavin Rees (37-2-1, 18 KO’s) in at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA last night, I don’t think there is any reason for WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns (35-2, 10 KO’s) to feel worried at all. I always thought Broner would win, but I thought Rees would take him a little further but it was a good performance. In watching Broner’s performance it took him a couple of rounds to warm up but the main thing I noticed is that he is a 1 minute a round fighter.
In the fourth round in particular, after Rees got back up, Broner was just throwing punches with no intent, lazy tired punches. Maybe he was conserving energy or maybe it is the strain of making 135. He walked in the ring about 150 and that can have an effect.
I’m not having a go at the performance because it was a good title defense but against Burns, who is 6″ taller than Rees with far longer reach and better defense, you cant fight for just 1 minute a round.
Burns is a much fitter fighter than Rees with a better jab, he is also much stronger in physique than Rees, but Burns main attribute is he fights for the full round. It will be a very close fight but one I can see Burns winning on points.
I don’t think Burns has the power to stop Broner as Broner can take a good shot, you could see the way Rees’ shots were just bouncing off him, but Burns will tie Broner’s long arms up and not let him potshot at him.
After Burns takes care of IBF lightweight champion Miguel Vasquez on March 16th in London, its the fight everybody wants to see, and after watching Broner in action, its one I can see Burns winning.
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