OBSERVATIONS OF HBO’S NEW CIRCUS SHOW, ADRIEN “THE CLOWN” BRONER
Los Angeles, CA– First of all I have to say I kind of like Adrien Broner (24-0, 20 KOs). He’s got talent, charisma, and is somewhat entertaining to watch. However, what bothers me about the 22 year old former 130lb champion is his lack of professionalism.
WHEN WILL BRONER STEP UP THE COMPETITION?
Another problem I have with “The Problem” is the enablers at HBO. When you anoint a kid as being great and feed his ego, when in reality HE HASN’T FOUGHT ANYONE OF NOTE, that herein lies the problem. With no apparent ramifications in his mind, Broner who obviously doesn’t understand that making weight is actually part of what makes the sport “fair” competition, and lets not forget this is a sport, the Cincinnati, OH native didn’t even try in my opinion to make the 130 lb. limit Saturday against Vicente Escobedo (26-4, 15 KOs), for their WBO junior lightweight championship affair. When you consider that he has Al Haymon as his advisor, a boxing power broker, and Golden Boy Promotions, who can just pave a fighters golden road to success, with carefully selected opposition and questionable tactics, I get the feeling that the sport’s integrity was in question Saturday. Escobedo was in essence paid a substantial fee by Broner’s handlers for the fight to go on with Broner having an unfair advantage. When you consider that “The Court Jester” in my opinion didn’t even try to make 130, when his opponent did, as was his professional duty, what we had here was an exhibition.
SIDESHOW KIETH THURMAN GAINS HBO SLOT AGAINST FOE WHO HAD DRAW IN LAST BOUT
HBO pulls another homer, with Keith Thurman (18-0,17 KOs) in the co feature against underserving last minute shoe-in Orlando Lora(29-3-2, 19 KOs), a fighter who had a draw with a 7-2-2 fighter in his last outing. Predictably, Thurman stopped Lora in round six after a counter left hook dropped him and Lora quit after rising from the canvas.
MORE SHOWCASE BOUTS FOR HBO. WHEN WILL THEY STOP?
When will HBO stop enabling promoters and or managers with agendas? It was obvious that this fight didn’t belong on premium cable. I have no problem with managers wanting to protect fighters and match them soft, but leave those showcases for ESPN level programs. I don’t think it’s fair for HBO subscribers to watch a bout between two fighters where one is there to clearly pad a guys record and make him look good on television. This isn’t to say Thurman isn’t a solid prospect. He clearly has some skills and talent, but without facing a quality opponent, and when I say quality I mean with more than just the ability to take a punch, there is no drama. The object is to be entertained, but when the result is almost preordained, it just doesn’t create excitement for the viewer. When fighters are earning the type of money they dish out at HBO, I expect the competitors to be somewhat comparable in ability.
-Kevin Perry