By Allan Fox: Adrien Broner (26-0, 22 KO’s) showed last night why he’s one of the hardest punchers in the 135 lb. division last night in destroying his challenger Gavin Rees (37-2-1, 18 KO’s) in five rounds in successfully defending his WBC lightweight crown in front of a packed Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Broner used straight right hands, uppercuts and left hooks to pacify an energetic and motivated Rees. In doing so, Broner knocked Rees down twice, putting him down in the 4th and 5th with power shots. Rees got up both times, but he probably should have stayed down because Broner was simply too strong in that fight.
Broner said on his twitter “Nobody can beat me.”
At this point there may not be anyone in the lightweight division that can beat Broner. The best fighters at 135 are Ricky Burns, Richard Abril, Sharif Bogere, Antonio DeMarco and Miguel Vazquez. Broner has already beaten DeMarco, but he still hasn’t faced Burns, Abril, Bogere and Vazquez. Burns and Vazquez may be the best of that bunch, but it’s still going to be hard for any of them to compete with Broner due to his power and size.
Rees had a lot of respect for Broner’s immense talent getting stopped, saying on his twitter “Well done last night m8 u hit hard as nails, all the best in the future I hope u do well #champ.”
Broner has a KO percentage of 84.62, which puts him behind WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin at 88% and WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko at 87.2% for the highest knockout percentage among world champions. Broner’s 22 knockouts on his resume aren’t on accident. He has the Knockouts because he has very real power at 135, and it’s incredibly hard for his opponents to stay in there with him right now.
Whether Broner will carry that weight up with him when he eventually moves up in weight five mounts to 140 is the question. It’s not just five pounds Broner will be moving up. He’ll be facing guys at light welterweight that routinely rehydrate up to 160 for their fights. Broner rehydrates to close to 150 when he fights.
As such, he’ll be facing guys that will have a 10 pound weight advantage over him each time he fights. Broner’s power may not be nearly as good fighting someone weighing in the 160s compared to the way it is now fighting guys that are in the upper 140s.
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