By Vince Dwriter: BLK Prime struck gold on the free agent market when they were able to successfully work out a deal with WBO welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford.
On December 10, in front of a sold-out crowd at the CHI Health Center, in Omaha, Nebraska, Crawford knocked out the WBO sixth-ranked contender David Avanesyan in the sixth round.
Prior to the knockout, the bout between Crawford and Avanesyan was somewhat competitive as Crawford was comfortably ahead on the scorecards, but Avanesyan was able to produce a few good moments. BLK Prime’s first professional boxing event was a success, but the question is, will their other free agent signee be able to duplicate the initial achievement?
Back in October 2022, former four-division world champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner announced his three-fight, eight-figure deal with BLK Prime. He also revealed the location of the bout, which is Atlanta, Georgia, and his opponent for his comeback fight will be Ivan Redkach (23-6-1, 18 KOs).
A product of Cincinnati, Ohio, Adrien Broner had a successful amateur boxing career as he was the winner of 300 bouts. He made his pro debut in 2008, and three years later, in his first world championship match, Adrien Broner knocked out Vicente Martin Rodriguez in the third round to win the vacant WBO super featherweight title.
A year later, Broner made it two-for-two as he moved up to a second weight class and won a second world title. In November 2012, Broner scored an eighth round TKO victory over Antonio DeMarco to win the WBC lightweight strap.
Broner was on top of the world as he was winning titles, making money, and gaining an enormous amount of notoriety. His flashy style, erratic personality, and undefeated record enticed the boxing public to label him as the next Floyd “Money” Mayweather. Crowning Broner as the next appeared to be spot on, especially when he won his third world title in three different weight classes.
He collected his third world championship, the WBA welterweight strap, by way of a split decision victory over Pauli Malignaggi in June 2013. Adrien Broner was quickly traveling down the road to becoming the premier superstar in the sport of boxing, but unfortunately, his career hit a detour six months after his victory over Malignaggi.
When Adrien Broner faced Marcos Maidana, fans expected it to be a routine victory for Broner, but things didn’t go as planned. Maidana overwhelmed Broner with his aggressive style of fighting. Maidana knocked Broner down in the second and eighth rounds as he would go on to earn the unanimous decision victory.
After experiencing troubles outside of the ring and losing a 2015 bout against Shawn “Showtime” Porter, it appeared that Broner would turn things around when he beat Khabib Allakhverdiev and won the vacant WBA super lightweight title. Unfortunately, six months later, Broner defeated Ashley Theophane, but he was stripped of his title because he didn’t make the required weight.
Broner would face more legal issues as trouble continued to find him outside of the ring. Inside the ring, his fans were getting frustrated with his performances because they felt like he wasn’t letting his hands go. He went 2-2-1 in his next five fights and pulled out of his scheduled August 2022 bout against Omar Figueroa Jr due to his claim of experiencing mental health issues.
Now Adrien Broner (34-4-1, 24 KOs) is on the verge of getting another chance at vindication as BLK Prime has thrown him a lifeline in the form of a three-fight, eight-figure deal. Broner hasn’t been a legitimate contender for a significant amount of time, but now he’s been provided one last opportunity to turn back the hands of time and make an attempt at a triumphant return to glory.
During his guest appearance on “The Porter Way Podcast,” Broner spoke about his coach Kevin Cunningham securing the deal with BLK. He also spoke about the lucrative pay-per-view opportunity, and he talked about challenging for a world title at 140.
Adrien Broner has faced many ups and downs during his professional boxing career, both inside and outside of the ring, but the new boxing platform BLK Prime, has put him in a position to finish his career on a high note. His journey begins on February 25, 2023, when he faces Ivan Redkach at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Broner has made multiple attempts in regards to returning to the ring and trying to regain his championship form, but time and time again, he has disappointed his hardcore fans.
The boxing fans who are not interested in a Broner comeback are the ones who are tired of his theatrics and have serious doubts about his dedication to the sport.
In order to sway the skeptics, Broner doesn’t need to win, but he must dominate his upcoming opponent, who the boxing community views as a tune-up. If he’s able to dominate on February 25, then maybe there is a chance that the 33-year-old Broner will finish strong and possibly cement his legacy by challenging for a fifth world title.