Adrien Broner- Good or Bad for Boxing?

By walshie1984 - 07/19/2013 - Comments

broner74By Paul Walsh: Now the dust has settled from the split decision win for the now three time world champion Adrien Broner over Paulie Malinaggi, I couldn’t help but be annoyed. What should have been a shift in power in boxing actually left me with a bitter taste in my mouth.

Now I know controversy sells but the antics of both fighters (mainly Broner) only put boxing in a bad light. After the fight I expected both men to put their differences aside and show some mutual respect for one another by hugging and making up but Broner had other ideas. He continued to disrespect Malinaggi in the post-fight interview.

Asked if he regretted any of his actions in the build-up he replied “negative, I left with his belt and his girl”, a comment which left Malinaggi incensed. Indeed it didn’t end there as the trash talking continued in the official press conference. Malinaggi has been extremely quiet since the fight which unusual and in itself is a loss for the sport. You could see in the post-fight interview how much this meant and to have it taken away from him in the manner it did, you cannot help but feel sorry for him and feel as though you have been let down by the sport.

Broner on the other hand is on the rise and for him it is another rung on the ladder towards securing his legacy in the sport. Broner may not be to everyone’s liking but one thing you cannot argue is that he is an excellent boxer. However, the question still remains- “Is he good for boxing?” This used to be an easy question for me to answer but now I am not too sure.

As his career progresses and his bank balance improves I can only see his behavior becoming more distasteful and disrespectful. I for one do not want Boxing to be seen in that light. Yes, he does generate interest in the sport but for all the wrong reasons.

Broner is not at the same level as his idol Floyd Mayweather so he cannot get away with behaving this way. He has to do a lot more in the sport before he can have this mentality otherwise he will never truly be respected by fight fans. Mayweather has commanded a certain level of respect due him delivering on his promises and following his life motto “hard work, dedication”.

Now is a good a time as any for Broner to listen to his “big brother” and follow suit otherwise he could easily fall by the wayside because this is the one business you cannot take shortcuts.
One thing for sure Broner is here to stay for now and love him or hate him you better get used to him.



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