Schaefer: Broner showed he’s the best young fighter in boxing today

By Boxing News - 06/23/2013 - Comments

broner#5By Dan Ambrose: Last night, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer didn’t want to hear the complaints that members of the media were making about Adrien Broner’s 12 round split decision win over WBA welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi (32-5, 7 KO’s) last Saturday night being a controversial win.

Schaefer saw it as a clear victory for Broner and he agreed with the 117-111 score that one of the judges gave for the fight last night. Broner won the fight by the scores 115-113, 117-111 scored for him, and 115-113 for Malignaggi.

With the media grumbling about Broner’s controversial win, Schaefer came to Broner’s defense at the post fight press conference, saying “Adrien’s punches were much more effective punches. He was able to control the fight and persuade the judges to score it his way. Most experts at ringside…had it scored exactly like [the judge that scored it] 117-111 in favor of Adrien Broner. So I think you really shouldn’t cry that Paulie didn’t get this or he didn’t get that, it was an injustice and things like that. Adrien came in tonight and moved up two weight classes and showed why he’s the best young fighter today, end of story.”

Schaefer may need to keep his eyes open about Broner’s performance against Malignaggi because it wasn’t a good one. Malignaggi fought well enough to deserve a draw, if not a win. Giving Broner the victory was okay, but it very close and not like the judge that scored it 117-111 for Broner.

Schaefer is going to need to think very carefully about the kinds of opponents that he puts Broner in with from now because if he makes the wrong move by matching him against a puncher like Lucas Matthysse, Keith Thurman or Marcos Maidana, he could have problems.

Is Broner the best young fighter today? I don’t know if you can make that argument after watching his performance against Malignaggi. Broner struggled against a fighter that was easily beaten by Amir Khan three years ago in May 2010. Malignaggi was younger and faster than, but Khan easily beat him and stopped him the 11th. If Broner is really the best young fighter in boxing today then what does that make Amir Khan?



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