Five “Dark Horse” match-ups for 2013

01/02/201301/01/2013 ESB

mayweather46 By Joseph Herron: Although several intriguing and potentially crowd pleasing match-ups have already been slated throughout the New Year, there remain many superb pairings that have gone unnoticed by major promoters in boxing.

Because of various promotional, monetary, or network conflicts, many fan friendly unions have very little chance of materializing in 2013. Here are just a few terrific fights that should be made in the upcoming boxing year but probably won’t.

Nonito Donaire versus Abner Mares at Super Bantamweight

Although the fight fans of the world overwhelmingly prefer this superb pairing over any other in the packed 122 pound weight division, there is little to no chance this fight will become a reality in 2013. Abner Mares, the undefeated WBC Super Bantamweight Champion, currently fights under the Golden Boy Promotional banner, while Nonito Donaire, the Ring recognized 122 pound champ, exclusively competes on Top Rank, Inc promotional fight cards.

Mayweather: Broner will be on my undercard on 5/4 and my HBO 24/7 series

01/03/201312/31/2012 ESB

By Michael Collins: Floyd Mayweather Jr. is not only giving WBC lightweight champion Adrien Broner (25-0, 21 KO’s) a spot on his next pay per view fight undercard on May 4th from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, but Mayweather Jr. is also putting Broner on his HBO 24/7 series for whoever he fights next.

If Burns doesn’t face Adrien Broner in 2013 then A.B should forget about him

09/14/201612/31/2012 ESB

burns4545 By Michael Collins: WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns (35-2, 10 KO’s) has had two opportunities to face unbeaten Adrien Broner (25-0, 21 KO’s) and on both occasions he chose not to face him. The first time was last year when Burns held the WBO super featherweight title and Broner was in line to face him as his mandatory challenger.

Burns then complained about having difficulties making weight and then moved up to 140 and was given the WBO lightweight title. Next, Burns, after beating Kevin Mitchell and Paulus Moses, he was given another chance to fight Broner on February 16th. Burns instead decided not to take the fight and instead he’ll likely be defending his WBO 135 lb strap in late January.

In the meantime, Broner will be facing British contender Gavin Rees on February 16th in what pretty much amounts to being a sick mismatch at the Boardwalk Hall, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA. If Broner comes through that fight without a scratch, he could be fighting on the Floyd Mayweather Jr. undercard on May 4th. Right now, he’s still penciled in due to his February 16th fight being so close to that date. Unless he massacres Rees like many boxing fans think he will, it’ll be kind of risky to have him fighting only three months later.

Adrien Broner fighting on Mayweather undercard on 5/4 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada

12/30/201212/29/2012 ESB

By Bill Phanco: WBC lightweight champion Adrien Broner (25-0, 21 KO’s) will be on the undercard of Floyd Mayweather Jr’s fight on May 4th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Broner has a fight scheduled on February 16th next year against Gavin Rees, and he’s going to have to get through that fight without getting cut if he wants to fight three months later on the Mayweather Jr. card.

Gavin Rees Will Challenge Adrien Broner In Feb: Can “The Rock” Stop “The Problem?”

09/15/201612/28/2012 ESB

broner34 By James Slater – Welsh warrior Gavin Rees was understandably disappointed when his scheduled December rumble with John Murray fell apart due to the Manchester man failing a pre-fight medical, and the only thing that kept his spirits up was his promoter Eddie Hearn’s vow to get him a major title fight in early 2013. Well, Hearn (for my money 2012’s boxing promoter of the year) has delivered: getting “The Rock” a February 16th shot at reigning WBC lightweight king and current hotshot Adrien Broner.

Rees, the former WBA light-welterweight champ, wrote on Twitter: “Time for me to become a two-weight world champ.”

Hearn told BBC Sport that “terms have been agreed with the American’s camp, Golden Boy Promotions.”

As fans know, there was a chance undefeated Broner would face Scottish hero and current WBO lightweight boss Ricky Burns next, but that particularly intriguing match-up must go on the backburner, for now at least. Broner Vs. Rees is almost as exciting-looking a match-up though.

Broner faces Rees in mismatch on February 16th

12/29/201212/28/2012 ESB

By Michael Collins: WBC lightweight champion Adrien Broner (25-0, 21 KO’s) has an easy fight for his first defense of his WBC belt against Britain’s Gavin Rees (37-1-1, 18 KO’s) on February 16th at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. There’s really nothing interesting about this fight unless you like watching a guy that doesn’t belong in the same ring with Broner getting beaten up and knocked out.

50 Cent asking for Broner-Gamboa

12/11/201212/10/2012 ESB

By Jeff Sorby: Promoter 50 Cent hasn’t given up the idea of wanting to match his fighter interim WBA World super featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa (22-0, 16 KO’s) with WBC lightweight champion Adrien Broner (25-0, 21 KO’s) next year, as he plans on moving Gamboa up to lightweight to see if he can get him the bigger names like Broner and other top fighters.

Speaking at Gamboa’s press conference last Saturday night following his grueling 12 round decision win over Michael Farenas, 50 Cent said “We’re looking forward to moving up and fighting some more exciting fighters in the 135 pound weight class like Adrien Broner. We’re all a big fan of the new talent that’s emerging, so I won’t be shy to say that I’m a fan of Adrien Broner.”

This would be a great fight for Broner because there really isn’t much to choose from at lightweight to be honest. The only guys left at that weight class are Ricky Burns and Miguel Vazquez, and neither of them is well known among the casual boxing fans in the United States. Those aren’t big fights for Broner, and he’s much better off passing on those fights and looking to face Gamboa if 50 Cent is serious.

Is Adrien Broner vs. Tim Bradley on the Menu?

09/15/201612/03/2012 ESB

Is Adrien Broner vs. Tim Bradley on the Menu? by Robert Jackson: 8 rounds of destruction highlighted Adrien ‘The Problem’ Broner’s decisive victory over former champion Antonio DeMarco a few weeks back. Broner fought with power, and Broner fought with skill. The underskilled but game DeMarco didn’t have an answer for what ‘The Problem’ brought to the ring that night. Finally DeMarco’s corner made the right decision to throw in the towel because the warrior in DeMarco would’ve never quit and as it was he was taking heavy shots. Shots that a lot of fighters never come back from.

During the post-fight interview Broner went verbal as his alter ego the ‘Can Man’ suggesting that everyone ‘Can’ get some, but never specifically called anyone out. This writer was wondering whether Timothy ‘Desert Storm’ Bradley was watching the HBO telecast. As we all know Bradley who fights under the Top Rank banner has nothing lined up currently and no future bouts involving him have been mentioned. It’s also possible for Bradley to drop down to 140lbs to make a fight against Broner.