By Chris Williams: After being called out earlier on Friday by Devin Haney, ‘The Problem’ Adrien Broner sent Matchroom Boxing USA promoter Eddie Hearn a DM telling him that he’s drop down to 135 to fight Devin for $20 million, and that he’ll beat him.
Hearn told Broner to forget about him getting $20M for a fight with Haney (24-0, 15 KOs), and he thinks ‘The Problem’ can’t make 135. Instead, Hearn asked Broner to contact him so that they can arrange a eight for him to fight Haney at. Hearn doesn’t say how much Broner, 31, could get for a fight with Haney.
Hearn needs to think twice about rejecting Broner’s request of $20 million for a Haney fight. It might be worth it in the end. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. got big bank to fight Daniel Jacobs on DAZN. Later this month, Mikey Garcia will be getting $7 million for a fight against inactive former welterweight champion Jessie Vargas. That’s a lackluster fight, but Mikey is still getting big money.
Knowing Hearn, he’ll talk to DAZN, and see if they can sign Broner to a one-fight for millions in order for the Haney fight to take place. It would be an investment by DAZN, because Haney’s popularity could increase after he takes the 31-year-old Broner’s scalp.
Eddie Hearn posts DM from Broner on his Instagram
“Listen man give me $20 million, and I will make 135, and knock Devin Haney the f— out.”
Hearn responds to Broner:
“eddiehearn: Forget the 20 [million] and you aren’t making 135 but if you want to talk @adrienbroner my man @realdevinhaney said name your weight he is ready to go! 🔥 @dazn_usa.”
If Broner wants the same kind of money he got for his last fight against Manny Pacquiao in January 2019, he’s dreaming. That’s not going to happen.
Haney said this in calling out Broner:
“realdevinhaney [to Broner] how many people would watch us fight at a catchweight? #BronerHaney #TheDream.”
Hearn NEEDS Broner to help increase Haney’s popularity
Whether Hearn wants to acknowledge it or not, he needs a name fighter like Broner to fight Haney in order to increase his popularity. Broner has what Haney needs, and Hearn is going to need to come up with the green stuff if he wants to set-up that fight.
Broner (33-4-1, 24 Kos) is obviously a faded star at this point in his career, living off his accomplishments from 3,000 yesterdays ago. But Adrien still has a name from the accomplishments that he had 8+ years ago, and that’s what Haney needs.
The young 22-year-old Devin has had zero luck in getting a fight against Vasiliy Lomachenko, and his prospects of getting fights against Ryan Garcia, Teofimo Lopez and Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis are nonexistent.
Those guys aren’t going to fight him. You can argue that Haney is more trouble than he’s worth right now due to his lack of popularity. Haney has the same issues that Hearn fighter Demetrius Andrade has at middleweight. He’s an excellent talent, but none of the big names want to fight him because he’s not popular yet.