NOW AND THEN – ADRIEN BRONER VS. VICENTE ESCOBEDO
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By: Joston El Rey Theney
UPDATE: Adrien Broner misses weight by 3.5lbs and forfeits his title.
Arellano, who is Escobedo’s manager, said the Ohio commission imposed a $60,000 fine on Broner a percentage of his purse for not making weight. He said half of the money would go to the commission, with the other $30,000 being added to Escobedo’s $150,000 purse.
“We’re going to try set up a second weigh-in for Saturday,” Arellano told ESPN.com. “We want him limited to 10 pounds over the contract weight, so he could have a maximum of 140 pounds. But if he comes in over that, then we want to start imposing fines. We want $10,000 a pound, but so far (the Broner camp) has not agreed. The ball’s in their court. We’re not considering pulling out, but Broner didn’t live up to his agreement, so we are giving him the flexibility to modify the initial agreement.
“I think he should have acted more professionally,” Arellano said. “That’s not cool. That’s a lack of professionalism. We know he made an effort to make the weight because we knew he was in the gym working (Friday) morning. We just wanted him to try it again, but by running off he didn’t respect the game, he didn’t respect us or the people who work hard to put the event together.”
“If he is unable to satisfy those terms and conditions we are asking for, that’s on him. We came to his house, to his arena, to his show. We did everything we were supposed to do.”
The low rumble after an announced championship fight is most commonly followed by the pitter-patter of puncher’s mitts in training camp and the pounding of keyboards as fight fans scour the web for information to gorge themselves on regarding both competitors. Even the largely knowledgeable boxing enthusiasts find themselves seeking out the most obscure details of each fighter’s history, sifting through the minutia for any indicator of how the announced event might play out. Indicators that are sometimes muddled by the champion headliner’s previous performance. Indicators that ultimately set the table for debate and set the odds for bookmakers. Indicators that separate the “here and now” from the “then and there.” As we prepare for this Saturday’s WBO Super Featherweight match-up between the champion Adrien Broner (23-0, 19KOs) and WBO’s #1 ranked Vincente Escobedo (26-3, 15KOs), those indicators have placed odds at 7-1 in favor of Broner, but what both fighters’ pasts tells us is those odds, as well as the fight, should be much closer.
The “here and now” for the flashy, defensive-minded Adrien “The Problem” Broner is that he is coming off a sensational fourth-round stoppage of the previously unbeaten title-challenger Eloy Perez – a bout that showed glimpses of a flamboyance reminiscent of Floyd Mayweather Jr. He controlled the action in the ring with his lightening-fast counterpunching and elusive footwork, while walking down his opponent and even finishing him with a lead right hand. But the “then and there” of the Super Lightweight champion is also reminiscent of Floyd Mayweather Jr. In March of last year, Broner then 23-0, stepped up his level of competition and faced the wide-swinging, hard-punching southpaw Daniel Ponce de Leon for a vacant title at the Honda Center in Anaheim. In a fight most expected Broner to walk through his technically-inferior opponent in highlight reel fashion, instead spectators where treated to an aggressive Ponce de Leon pressuring and becoming a solution to “The Problem.” The verdict handed down by the judges was a unanimous decision for Broner that most observers saw Ponce de Leon edging out or at least drawing. Though the here and now for Broner is exciting and his style makes for head-snapping counter-punches, there have been strategic blemishes in his performances there and then where he has underestimated worthy opponents and had to bite down to pull out less than stellar victories.
Just this May, we were treated to the here and now of WBO #1 ranked Vicente Escobedo in his 10 round drubbing of journeyman Juan Ruiz. It was the showing of a durable, workmanlike challenger who does just enough to win in however the there and then couldn’t be a starker contrast. In his thrilling, rock ‘em sock ‘em fights with Rocky Juarez, Lonnie Smith, Robert Guerrero and Michael Katsidis, Escobedo showed grit, determination, pop in both hand and ample speed – enough to give any competitor a run for their money. In the majority of the fights that have established his pedigree, Escobedo controlled the pace, pressed the action and dominated, growing stronger round by round. And though Escobedo may have three very close decision losses on his record (two of them to Robert Guerrero and Michael Katsidis), they are two fighters that arguably present more “Problems” than Broner.
If we are to consider both competitors’ last performances as indicators of how this upcoming Saturday’s title bout might play out, the here and now tells us the disproportionate 7-1 odds might still be too close given the wide gap in talent. Broner’s hand-speed and footwork will overwhelm the workmanlike Escobedo, and without the ability to penetrate Broner’s tight defense, he’d barely get two or three rounds on the scorecards. But if the sum of both mens’ history holds true, and if the then and there reminder of both pugilists’ technical prowess, determination, quickness and grit rears it’s head, as well as their sometimes strategic hiccups, then fight fans are in for another thrilling, nail-biter with two elusive, fast, accurate punchers with pop in both hands. The rumble is here. The fight is now. This Saturday night from the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio WBO Super Featherweight Champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner defends his crown against the #1 ranked challenger Vincente Escobedo, live on HBO 10pm ET/PT. See you then and there.
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