By Geno McGahee
Adrien “The Problem” Broner, 33-3-1, 24 KO’s, has confirmed that the fight with Manny Pacquiao, 60-7-2, 39 KO’s, is set for January 19th and it is a do or die for both men. Broner noted that he was “ready for war” which is something that Broner has said in the past, but didn’t really show up for the fight in the end.
Broner was the next Floyd Mayweather, JR., in the mind of many boxing fans but then Marcos Maidana happened along with personal problems and legal issues. Broner failed in other high profile matches against Shawn Porter and Mikey Garcia. When the chips are down and it’s all on the line, Broner is not a safe bet and that is why this Pacquiao fight is favoring the PacMan to be victorious, despite his advance age.
The blueprint to beat Broner is simple: activity and Manny is a volume puncher. When Pacquiao opens up, the reaction of Broner will dictate the outcome of this fight. If Broner clams up as he did against Garcia, we will see a sweep of every round by PacMan, but if Broner elects to counter-punch, which he can, and is able to let his hands go, he could live up to the expectations that the fans had for him several years ago.
The January 19th showdown between these two men, both of which have something to prove, is one of the most interesting bouts in boxing. Depending on the behavior of Broner, this could go either way. It is incredibly risky for Pacquiao, but probably the safest option out of the other potentials like Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Errol Spence or Shawn Porter.
