Tag: ADRIEN BRONER
Broner: ‘I’m in a great space in my life’
The third time is the charm. Adrien Broner’s return to the ring has been postponed after his latest opponent, Michael Williams Jr., suffered an injury while sparring, BLK Prime officially announced on Friday.
According to BLK Prime, a new date and opponent will be announced at a later date.
Broner, 33, was scheduled to fight Williams on February 25 at The Gateway Center at College Park, GA.
Before Williams took the fight, two other opponents were forced to withdraw. Broner’s original opponent, Ivan Redkach, had to withdraw due to a dispute with his promoter. After Redkach withdrew, Broner was scheduled to fight Hank Lundy; however, Lundy could not take the fight because the California Athletic Commission suspended him.
“I worked my a** off, and I see what the bottom really looked like for the first time,” Broner said in a press release. “I looked in the mirror, and I told myself I am not that person, and I got off my ass and went to work! These last four months, I got in amazing shape, and I’m in a great space in my life. I know this ain’t the WWF, but right now, I feel like Triple H cause I’m back healthy, happy, and HUNGRY!!! Sorry to all my fans, but I will continue this journey. SUPPORT ME, AND I FIGHT FOR YOU”
Tough blow for Broner(34-4-1), who has been out of the ring almost a year, but hopefully, BLK Prime can get him a fight soon enough.
Williams: ‘I’m coming to get rid of (Adrien)Broner and become a household name’
In the world of boxing, there are few stories more exciting than that of an underdog, and Michael Williams Jr. (20-1, 13 KOs), a young hungry fighter from Fayetteville, North Carolina, is living that story in the lead up to his showdown with former 4-division world champion, Adrien Broner (34-4-1, 24 KOs).
On February 25th, fans worldwide will witness an epic fight between these two warriors as they battle at The Gateway Center @ College Park, GA, in a 10-round welterweight clash that will be broadcast live on BLK Prime PPV.
Williams Jr., trained by his father, Michael Williams Sr., and international Hall of Famer Roy Jones Jr., is determined to make a name for himself and prove the doubters wrong with an impressive victory. With unwavering confidence and a tremendous heart, he is ready to take on the challenge and shock the world.
Despite being considered a massive underdog, Williams Jr. is not backing down. With limitless confidence and a strong belief in himself, Williams Jr. is approaching this fight with the mindset of a true champion. He knows this is his chance to prove the doubters wrong and make a name for himself in the boxing world.
“I’m not here to just be a body in the ring,” said Williams Jr. “I’m here to show everyone what I’m capable of. I’m living a real-life Rocky moment, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m coming to get rid of Broner and become a household name with an impressive victory. I have nothing to lose, and I’m going shock the world.”
Michael’s unrelenting spirit and unstoppable willpower have inspired many, and his story is a testament to the fact that anything is possible with hard work and dedication. In a sport where anything can happen, Williams Jr. is a hungry young lion with everything to gain.
“I know the odds are against me, but I’m not afraid,” continued Williams Jr. “Along with my father, who is an excellent coach, I have one of the best trainers in the world guiding my corner in Roy Jones Jr. I’ve been training for this moment my entire life. I’m ready for the challenge. I’ll give it my all and leave everything in the ring.”
Michael has a hunger for victory that cannot be quenched. He is fully focused on leaving his mark on boxing and showing the world that he is a force to be reckoned with. Order your BLK Prime Pay-Per-View to see Michael Williams Jr. make history and prove he is a true fighter.
Broner: ‘I’m going to make the most of this second chance’
Adrien Broner, former four-weight world champion and one of the most talented fighters of his generation, has announced his intention to overcome the mental health issues that have plagued him in recent years and return to the ring with a renewed focus and determination.
The 33-year-old will make his highly anticipated return against Michael Williams Jr. on February 25, live on BLK Prime PPV. The two warriors will go head-to-head at The Gateway Center @ College Park, GA, in what promises to be a fierce battle that fans won’t want to miss.
Broner has been open about the challenges he has faced, including anxiety and depression, and how they have affected his personal and professional life. Despite these struggles, he remains determined to get back to the top of the sport and prove to the world that he is still one of the best fighters in the world.
“I’ve been through a lot, but I’m not one to give up easily,” Broner states. “I know I’ve got what it takes to be a champion again, and I’m going to do everything in my power to get there. My mental health is a priority, and I’m taking the necessary steps to get back to my best both inside and outside of the ring.”
Broner has already taken significant steps towards his recovery, including seeking help from mental health professionals and making lifestyle changes that support his wellbeing. He has also been working tirelessly in the gym with new head coach Kevin Cunningham, training with a renewed sense of purpose and dedication.
“I can’t wait to get back out there and show everyone what I’m made of,” Broner said. “Coach Cunningham is a no-nonsense type of trainer who keeps me accountable for everything I do inside and outside the ring. He’s been a big blessing and understands what I’ve been going through. I’ve got a lot to prove, and I’m going to do it with my fists. I’m back and better than ever, and I’m going to make the most of this second chance.”
Broner to now battle Michael Williams Jr. on February 25
Adrien Broner will have his third different opponent for his return on February 25.
BLK Prime announced on Friday that the four-division world champion will now face Michael Williams Jr in a 10-round welterweight showdown at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia GA(BLK PRIME PPV).
Broner(34-4-1, 24 KOs) was initially scheduled to fight Ivan Redkach; however, due to promotional issues, Redkach was dropped from the fight. Then, he was scheduled to face veteran Hank Lundy, but Lundy was suspended by the California Athletic Commission and could not fight.
Enter Williams(20-1, 13 KOs), who will get the opportunity of a lifetime against Broner. The 23-year-old won his last bout by stoppage and suffered the first loss of his career in 2021 against John Bauza, where he was dropped five times, but versus Broner, he’ll have an opportunity to change the narrative.
“I’ve been preparing for a moment like this for a long time, and I’m ready to take on Broner,” Williams said. “I’m going to take full advantage of this opportunity and show everyone watching on BLK Prime that they didn’t make a mistake by choosing me to challenge Broner. I have nothing to lose, and I’m going all out on fight night 150%.”
No matter the opponent, the 33-year-old Broner said he would put on a great show for the people in Georgia
“I’m excited to get back in the ring and show the world that I’m still one of the best fighters in the sport,” Broner said. “Williams Jr. is a tough opponent, but I’m ready for the challenge, and I’m going to put on a show for the fans in Atlanta. It’s the AB show on BLK Prime.”
The PPV telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. A live PPV preshow starts at 7 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT. Broner vs. Williams Jr. will broadcast worldwide via digital Pay-Per-View on BLKPrime.com and PPV.com for $39.99.
Broner to now face Hank Lundy on February 25
Adrien Broner will have a new opponent in his debut on BLK Prime.
Due to a dispute with his promoter, Ivan Redkach won’t be able to fight Broner, and veteran Hank Lundy will replace him.
Broner-Lundy is a 10-round welterweight fight and is the main event on a card that will take place February 25 at Gateway Center in Atlanta, Georgia(BLK Prime PPV).
Broner(34-4-1, 24 KOs), who has captured world titles in four weight classes, is returning to the ring after a two-year absence, and the 33-year-old expects to put on a show.
“I’m glad they found a worthy replacement in Hank Lundy,” Broner said via a press release. “Unfortunately, Redkach had to pull out, but I’m ready for whoever they put in front of me. This is the AB show, and I’m on a mission to bust up everyone in my way. Hank Lundy is in trouble. I’m going to put a beating on him.”
Lundy(31-12-1, 14 KOs) has been in with many top guys, including Terence Crawford, Jose Zepeda, and Viktor Postol, and will definitely come to fight.
According to the 39-year-old Lundy, he has been hoping to fight Broner for a long time.
“Fighting Broner is something I’ve envisioned for a long time, and now this opportunity has presented itself to me,” Lundy said. “Broner has established himself as one of the best fighters in the world, but he hasn’t been active, so I’m going to take full advantage of his inactivity. Everyone knows that I will fight anyone, and the big names run from me. So I’m telling everyone right now, I’m going to beat the sh** out of this can, man.”
Lundy is an easier fight for Broner, but he’s been active, so he has a fighting chance but expect Broner to get the job done.
Figueroa will battle Lipinets after Broner withdraws from fight
Former world champions Omar “Panterita” Figueroa Jr. and Sergey Lipinets will battle in a 12-round WBC Super Lightweight title eliminator headlining live on SHOWTIME this Saturday, August 20 from Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. in a Premier Boxing Champions Event.
Four-division world champion Adrien Broner pulled out of the previously scheduled match against Figueroa, citing personal issues in advance of the fight.
“Man, I’m going [through] a lot at this moment in my life, but I ain’t gonna give up. I set some more goals and I finish what I started but sorry to say this, but I’m not fighting August 20,” Broner said in an Instagram post. “Sorry to all my fans but Mental Health is real and I’m not about to play inside the ring … So, I have to step back and overcome this obstacle before I go put my life on the line inside the square circle again. I know I’m far from being finished with the sport SEE Y’ALL SOON.’’
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will also feature top 140-pounders Alberto Puello and Batyr Akhmedov squaring off for the vacant WBA Super Lightweight World Championship in the co-main event and WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Roger Gutierrez defending his title against unbeaten Hector Garcia. In the telecast opener, Brandun Lee, one of the sport’s most exciting prospects and biggest punchers, will take on Will Madera in a 10-round super lightweight bout opening a loaded four-fight telecast that begins live at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
The 32-year-old Figueroa (28-2-1, 19 KOs) is from a fighting family along with his younger brother Brandon, a former super bantamweight world champion. Figueroa won the WBC Lightweight World Championship with a unanimous decision victory over Nihito Arakawa in a 2013 “Fight of the Year” and successfully defended the title two times before moving up to super lightweight in 2015. Figueroa has also fought at welterweight, earning action-packed victories over Robert Guerrero, John Molina Jr., and Antonio DeMarco. He’ll move back down to super lightweight on August 20 after back-to-back defeats against Yordenis Ugas and Abel Ramos. His match against Lipinets is a classic crossroads fight.
“This is going to be a great fight against Lipinets and I hope he’s ready for what I’m bringing,” said Figueroa. “I’ve made changes in my life and I’m excited to see the kind of fighter that I am now. I’m going to show what I can do now that I have a clear head and a clear path ahead of me. With the opponent change I’m even more ready to take all the frustrations and anger that have built up in camp and bring it into the ring on Saturday and come out victorious.”
Lipinets (16-2-1, 12 KOs) has been in training and was already scheduled to appear on the August 20 card before being elevated as a replacement for Broner in the main event. Born in Martuk, Kazakhstan and now living in Woodland Hills, Calif., Lipinets is no stranger to the main stage, having tangled with champions including Lamont Peterson and Mikey Garcia. The 33-year-old defeated Akhiro Kondo for the IBF super lightweight title in 2017 and lost the title to Garcia by unanimous decision in 2018. He is coming off a loss to Jaron Ennis in a welterweight title in April 2021.
“We’ve actually been in camp for almost three months getting ready for whoever they put in front of me,” said Lipinets. “We’ve been training with no particular opponent in mind. There have been a few different guys that have said they wanted to fight me. So, we’ve been sparring with and preparing for all types of styles. And now we get this great news that I get to fight Figueroa this Saturday. I can’t wait to show everyone that I’m still a force to be reckoned with at 140 pounds.”
Additionally, SHOWTIME SPORTS will offer live streaming coverage of unbeaten Cuban heavyweight standout Lenier Peró battling Joel Caudle in an eight-round bout and undefeated middleweight Fiodor Czerkaszyn taking on Gilbert Venegas Jr. in an eight-round duel via the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page prior to the start of the televised quadrupleheader. The streaming show begins at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and will be called by SHOBOX® analyst and MORNING KOMBAT host Brian Campbell alongside former unified welterweight world champion Keith “One Time” Thurman joining as guest analyst.
Figueroa: ‘Honestly, there was a time when I was a little bit jealous of (Adrien)Broner’
Former World Champion Omar Figueroa Jr. held a San Antonio media workout on Tuesday as he nears his super lightweight battle against four-division world champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner Saturday, August 20 live on SHOWTIME from Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., in a Premier Boxing Champions event.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast will feature top 140-pounders Alberto Puello and Batyr Akhmedov squaring off for the vacant WBA Super Lightweight World Championship in the co-main event and WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Roger Gutierrez defends his title against unbeaten Hector Garcia in the telecast opener.
Figueroa Jr. was joined on Tuesday by his brother, former super bantamweight world champion and current featherweight contender Brandon Figueroa and his father and trainer Omar Figueroa Sr. at the media workout.
Here is what Figueroa had to say:
OMAR FIGUEROA JR.
“We grew up kind of poor coming from the Valley. San Antonio was the biggest city that we could get to and enjoy. For us, this was like the maximum. So being able to camp here being so close to home has been a game changer. Obviously, I have my family here as well. I won’t say everything in this camp has gone perfect, because perfection is so hard to acquire, but everything has gone pretty close to perfect. We’re excited.
“I’m just worried about this fight. I’m not looking at anything else. I don’t know how I’m going to feel, physically and mentally. So much has changed in the past year. I’ve gone through so much since I was diagnosed regarding my mental health. It’s been tough. I’ve been doing this for 27 years now. So, I’m really looking forward to this fight.
“The biggest thing for me the past few years has been my mental health diagnosis. After my last fight, I knew there was something wrong. We did everything we needed to do in camp, we prepared right to make sure we were 100%. Everything went wrong in that fight. I started questioning myself and wondering why the heck everything went so badly. I spoke to my doctor and then I was diagnosed with all these mental health issues and that’s when I realized maybe the problem was me all along. I’ve been working on myself so much. I’m just grateful to SHOWTIME and my team and we’re excited to show how far we’ve come.
“Growing up in the Mexican culture, it’s a lot of ‘It’s all in your head. It doesn’t really exist.’ So, I had to look into it alone. I didn’t have the support of my family when it came to that. Even now, they still kind of struggle to see that. I feel it’s very taboo to a lot of people. Thankfully, I’m in a position where, having the platform I have, I’m able to shed some light on it and show that we’re all just human. Us boxers may look like we’re invincible, getting punched and cut and fighting through it, but we’re human at the end of the day. I finally took a break and looked inward and started taking care of myself, accepting the fact that I’m human, that I hurt, that I can get anxiety and that I can get depressed.
“This camp has shed some light on being vulnerable and how much it helps to allow myself to be human. Now, I talk to my family differently. If I’m having a tough day before I get here to the gym, I’ll talk to my mom or my sister. Or when I’m feeling low, we’ll just embrace. I tell them how much I love them, how much I appreciate them for being here for me. Honestly, being human is one of the best things I decided to do.
“Honestly, there was a time when I was a little bit jealous of Broner. He had such an amazing career and, like me, things got to us. As we all know, things haven’t gone the smoothest for us. So, I’m getting the word out about mental health, doing more to bring it to the mainstream and I’m glad my opponent is Adrien Broner because he’s a great advocate for that too. I feel he can make a huge difference if he sheds a little bit of light on it. Other than that, this is a great opportunity and I know it’s going to be a hell of a fight.
“I don’t watch his stuff online and see what he’s doing. Even if he does start trash talking, it’s all part of the show. He’s been through his share of struggles and I can say I honestly respect Adrien Broner.
“I’m not sure what kind of dance partner I’ll see. This is going to be a great fight for the fans of the sport.”
Photo: Francisco Perez/Premier Boxing Champions
Broner: ‘I’m a four-division world champion, so the expectations for myself are always high’
On Tuesday, four-division world champion Adrien Broner(34-4-1, 24 KOs) was scheduled to do a virtual press conference to preview his upcoming fight against Omar Figueroa Jr.(28-2-1, 19 KOs), but Broner was not happy about doing the press conference virtually and stormed off.
Figueroa and his father/trainer, Omar Figueroa Sr., and Broner’s trainer Mike Stafford stayed on and discussed the fight.
Broner would eventually apologize for his actions via social media and a new date for the virtual press conference was scheduled.
On Thursday, Broner previewed his super lightweight showdown with Figueroa on August 20 at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., in a Premier Boxing Champions event.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will feature top 140-pounders Alberto Puello and Batyr Akhmedov squaring off for the vacant WBA Super Lightweight World Championship in the co-main event and WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Roger Gutierrez defending his title against unbeaten Hector Garcia in the telecast opener.
This is Broner’s first fight since February 2021 when he defeated Jovanie Santiago by a controversial unanimous decision.
At this point, Broner is just excited to get back in the ring.
“I’m real excited to be back in the ring,” Broner said. “It’s been a long camp, and I’m ready to fight. It feels great to be back. I’ve been training so hard, and somebody’s got to pay for it.
“The goal right now is to beat Omar Figueroa Jr. Then I’m going to the drawing board from there. There are a lot of big fights that I can make. First, I have to be successful on August 20.”
Over the years, Broner has had his issues outside of the ring and is 1-2-1 in his last four fights, but according to him, the expectations are still high.
“Nothing in boxing is easy,” he said. “Mentally, it’s always tough, but I’m getting through it every day and working my ass off.
“I’m a four-division world champion, so the expectations for myself are always high. I know that when I go into the ring, people expect great things out of me. I’m used to it and just focused on getting the victory.”
At 32, the clock is ticking on Broner’s career; this is a must-win situation for him. If Broner can’t beat Figueroa, he’s just an opponent going forward. It’s that simple.
