Is there still time for Adrien Broner to fulfil at least a little more of the quite enormous level of potential “The Problem” once had? Do you still care about Broner? The former four-weight titlist has endured more than his share of bad press over recent months, and for a time, “AB” said he was “retired,” that he was now a full-time rapper. Well, like him or loathe him, 31-year-old Broner will be back in the ring in February.
Broner, 33-4-1(24) will face Mexico’s Pedro Campa on February 13th, the fight to headline a Showtime card. Boxing scribe Mike Coppinger broke the news. Campa, who has never fought outside of Mexico, has a good-looking record at 31-1-1(21) and the 28-year-old is, being a Mexican fighter, tough; it’s simply in all Mexican fighter’s DNA. Still, the Broner fight will be a big step up for Campa, who was stopped by journeyman Carlos Jimenez in his sold defeat and was held to a draw by Abner Lopez.
Like Broner (who was last seen in a ring being dazzled by all-time great Manny Pacquiao, this in January of 2019), Campa will be returning from a layoff. Campa last fought in October of 2019, when he picked up a TKO win over Kenin Betancourt. The February fight may well come down to how much Broner has left and how serious he is going into this, very possibly his last run at anything significant. Broner put out a proud message on social media a few days back, telling us all how he had kicked the booze and was dropping weight. Broner still believes, apparently, that he can become one of the GOAT.
If he’s as focused as he claims he is and if he’s not turned into a shot fighter overnight (or over the last 12 months), Broner should win with something to spare. But if Broner is a busted flush, Campa might just fight hard enough and long enough to get the biggest win of his career.
Chief support will come in the form of an interesting heavyweight match-up between Otto Wallin and Dominic Breazeale.