By David Alexander: This is an especially ominous assignment for Adrien Broner (29-1, 22 KOs) in his fight tonight against John Molina Jr (27-5, 22 KOs) at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, given the nature of Broner’s 12 round decision loss to Marcos Maidana in 2013, who showed his hand speed and showboating little regard as he plowed forward, flinging a left hook, such was the force of that punch on the night.
If Broner can just make himself more difficult to hit, he will have an easy time of it but he loves to hold his feet and wrap himself up in that brittle defensive shell.
Broner prefers to pick off shots and block them to return swift counters and often it works well, like in his 12 round unanimous decision over Emmanuel Taylor in September last year. But he is still too easy to hit. Broner’s lack of hand speed and his defense isn’t good enough.
Even lightweight Gavin Rees, who looked like he was in against a middleweight when he faced Broner in 2013, was touching him up too often. If the Welshman’s power registered, more Broner would have been in trouble on the night too, but his size carried him through. Broner ended up stopping Rees in the 5th round.
The fact that he could out-muscle and pretty much absorb everything that was thrown at him in the lower divisions has led to him developing some bad habits that will cost him against bigger opponents. We can only wait and see if he has made any adjustments but so far there is no sign of it.
Adrien Broner is a character inside and outside the ring, but it will carry you so far if you don’t adjust your boxing skills and adjust properly in a fight. Like Andre Berto, he had hype, impressive wins against lesser opponents, the shoulder roll and trash talking. Like Andre Berto, he will be seen as an overrated, hyped B level fighter that, with the right focus and using his total potential he has, would have been even greater. Unfortunately a loss against John Molina would put Broner in the same league as Berto, a has-been, hyped fighter.
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