By Allan Fox: Adrien Broner is a possible option for Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Manny Pacquiao as tune-up opponent before they face each other in a rematch. Broner (33-3-1, 24 KOs) says he wants $100 million to fight either of those guys, which will means it’s highly unlikely that the past his best Cincinnati native will get a fight against them.
Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs) is interested in coming out of his one-year retirement to scoop up against $100 million+ payday before going back into retirement again. There are rumors that Mayweather has already burned through the money that he made in his big money fights against Pacquiao and Conor McGregor, and is in need of another big payday to ensure that he can continue to live the lavish lifestyle that he’s been accustomed to in the last three years.
Here’s what Broner said on his Instagram:
adrienbronerI heard these the two fights y’all wanna see 100,000,000 or y’all can…if me and @mannypacquiao fight I’m walking out with @eminem and if me and “Big Bro” @floydmayweather fight I’m walking out with @50cent #Facts #GetTheStrap…….. @showtimeboxing @foxtv Have my money right and we can have a hell of a night🆎………………………………………………#MyNextMoveWillBeMyBestMove.”
Broner isn’t in the best position in terms of his career to be dictating to Mayweather and Pacquiao. Broner was lucky to get a 12 round draw in his last fight against Jessie Vargas, and before that, he lost to Mikey Garcia last year in July. Broner got a 10 round decision he didn’t deserve over Adrian Granados in February. In total, Broner probably should have lost his last three fights. Being a popular fighter might have saved Broner from losing those fights, as he looked lost against Granados and Vargas.
Mayweather and Pacquiao could use a safe opponent like Broner to help them get a guaranteed win while doing the heavy lifting in drumming up interest in the fights. But there’s little chance that a fight between one of them and Broner would be a huge PPV draw for the boxing public. The fans already know that Broner is a shot fighter from having watched him struggle against Mikey Garcia, Jessie Vargas, Adrian Granados, Marcos Maidana, Emmanuel Taylor, Shawn Porter and Paulie Malignaggi. Broner looked horrible in all of those fights. The only thing that Broner can still do well is trash talk to sell his fights. in that respect, Broner will help Mayweather or Pacquiao sell a fight against him. However, there isn’t going to be a ton of boxing fans getting excited at seeing Mayweather or Pacquiao fight a limited over-the-hill fighter like Broner, and they’re definitely not going to give him $100 million. The MMA fans are the ones that made the Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor novelty fight such a big deal. The boxing fans knew it was a mismatch, and they weren’t interested. But with Mayweather or Pacquiao facing Broner, there won’t be a gullible public for them to exploit because the boxing fans know Adrien is shot.