By Craig Daly: Regis Prograis has doubts about the ability of the overweight Adrien ‘The Problem’ Broner being able to make the 147-lb weigh-in limit for his next fight against Ivan Redkach in February on BLK Prime pay-per-view.
WBC light welterweight champion Prograis thinks the former four-division world champion Broner (34-4-1, 24 KOs) may need to move the weight up to 154 lbs or possibly 154 for the fight with the 36-year-old Redkach (23-6-1, 18 KOs).
Like many boxing fans, Prograis says the 33-year-old Broner has a big “stomach” on him that he’s going to need to trim off for him to make the 147-lb limit. While Prograis believes Broner can eventually take the weight off, how much time will it take?
Broner only has two months before his fight with Redkach, and he looks like he’s well over 200+ lbs.
If Broner is thinking of trimming down to 165, that’s still a ton of water weight he’ll need to dehydrate the week of the fight.
Knowing Broner can probably lose 20 lbs of water weight to get down to 147, he will be frail during the fight. A weakened Broner could lose to Redkach. If that happens, AB can forget about fighting Prograis or other world champions.
BLK Prime is paying Broner $10 million+ for his three-fight, twelve-month deal with their company. It will be a wrong signal if Broner starts off his three-fight deal with a loss to Redkach.
Broner arguably lost his last fight against Jovanie Santiago a year and a half ago in February 2021 on Showtime but was given a controversial 12 round decision victory.
“I don’t know what kind of fight that’s going to be. Of course, I favor Broner,” said Regis Prograis to Fighthype about Adrien Broner’s February headliner on BLK Prime PPV against 36-year-old inactive 140-pounder Ivan Redkach.
“I don’t know what weight they’re going to fight at. That’s the thing,” Prograis said about the Broner vs. Redkach bout. Ivan looks like he’s in shape. Broner, I don’t know what weight they’re going to fight at.
“They can’t fight at 140, and I don’t think at 147. I don’t think Broner can make 147. 154 or 152, maybe something like that. Listen, I saw him. I was with Broner; I was just with him,” said Prograis when asked if he really believes Broner would have to go as high as 154 to make weight for the Redkach bout.
“Broner has got a stomach on him. I know he can get it off, but how long you been training? I might need to give Broner my nutritionist’s number. I’ll help him out myself.
“Me and him could do big numbers. If me and him fight, we could do huge, huge numbers. If me and Broner fight in New Orleans in the Super Dome, we could do crazy numbers. I want Broner to get as small as he could. I want him to be in shape.
“I want him to be in his best. After he fights me, he could go ahead and hang the gloves up, and he can retire, walk away into the sunset and get a big a** paycheck and just go home.
“Hell no, not at all,” said Prograis when asked if Broner can give him some problems. “I don’t think Broner can f**k with me at all, but it’s just too big of a fight. It’s still a big a** fight. I want the big fights, the big names, and the big money.
“It would be a big fight that me and him can’t turn down. It would be crazy money. That’s what I want,” Prograis said when told that Broner said that he’s coming for him next after his fight with Redkach.