It’s Showtime! Broner versus Malignaggi, Bank versus Mitchell II
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Correspondent
Brooklyn, NY (June 21st, 2013)– Adrien Broner looks taller than he is. Broner was three inches taller than his last opponent, Gavin Rees. However, Broner steps up into the unknown as the shorter man. Even at 26-0 with 22 knockouts, Broner, the BoxRec number lightweight out of Cincinnati, Ohio, will have trouble when he yields his World Boxing Council World Lightweight title and steps up in weight on June 22, 2013, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York to fight Paulie ‘Magic Man’ Maliganggi for Malignaggi’s World Boxing Association World Welterweight title. The Barclays fight card will be broadcast live starting at 9 PM on Showtime, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.
Broner is stepping up from 135 to 147 pounds. Broner, who had some trouble spots versus Gavin Rees, will be shocked when he is unable to put Paulie Malignaggi, 32, 32-4 with seven knockouts, Brooklyn, New York, away. The winner has a great deal to do with who executes the game plan correctly in this crossroads main event.
Vyacheslav Senchenko was 32-0 and 5’10” and Paulie defeated him in his home country the Ukraine. Paulie has done the work and knows no fear. Broner has bit off more than he can chew, and trash talk and hard partying aside, Paulie will fight Adrien to the bitter death. If Broner fails to knock Paulie out, the later rounds could go either way. Paulie has been 12 rounds and has won at Barclays before.
The key has to do with footwork and reach advantage. Broner has only a one inch reach advantage. If he can stay outside and pick Paulie apart, he can win. Broner has a 71 inch reach, Paulie a 70 inch reach. Rees got inside and connected with only a 64 inch reach. Paulie must walk Broner down and get inside and create fantastic angles to confuse Broner. Also, Broner will also lose power in the higher weight class.
Broner by knockout if he keeps Paulie away and uses his jab and slightest of reach advantages to break Paulie down and stop him. If the bout goes the distance, and Paulie can cut Broner up and do some damage, Paulie can win this fight. True, Broner is being hailed as the next Floyd Mayweather, even if he does not get a chance to fight Floyd in the future. But Showtime and Al Haymon can hype Broner and buy all the tickets they want. Brooklyn is Paulie’s town and the crowd will not be for Broner. Tavoris Cloud could not beat Bernard Hopkins at this venue. Broner has his work cut out for him. Paulie trains very seriously. The only crime would be if Paulie wins the decision and get robbed. The outcome should not be close one way or another.
If Paulie can get inside on Broner and do serious damage, Broner will be exposed as an overhyped limited fighter. This fight goes down to the game plan and it’s a we’ll see on fight night situation. Sorry folks, a ‘B’ fight this is not. This is the fight of the night and sparks are going to fly. My advice: don’t miss this one. It’s going to be an exciting war!
On the flip side, the so-called preliminary to the Broner-Maliganggi main event might just stink out the house. Johnathon Banks, the trainer of Wladimir Klitschko and a talented heavyweight in his own right, already exposed Seth Mitchell as a football player who has no business being a boxer. Too many fools stood in front of Mitchell, and got zonked. Banks is not a fool, and boxes by the golden rule: accurate punches with power and superior movement will separate the contenders from the pretenders. Banks has a masterful jab, and masterful foot movement. He’ll be even faster now after needing less than two rounds to dispose of Mitchell last November.
Banks knockouts Mitchell on YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwgMk4D6P3E
This prediction is a quickie: Banks will knock out Mitchell in the fourth round for the full ten count of a lopsided contest. The Mitchell camp could not accept the loss to a better fighter. Ed ‘Too-Tall’ Jones, Mark Gastineau, Tye ‘Big Sky’ Fields, Lyle Alzado and Seth Mitchell are all college and pro football players who thought they were the next Jack Dempsey. Sorry folks, Jack Johnson and Rocky Marciano they were not. Golden Boy lost money on Mitchell, and they are NOT going to overturn the apple cart with Mitchell Saturday night unless there is something I’m missing.
It’s a stupid rematch, almost as stupid as David Price versus Tony Thompson II.
Mitchell, 31, 25-1 with 19 knockouts, Brandywine, Maryland, stands 6’2″ with a 76 inch reach. Banks, 30, 29-1-1 with 19 knockouts, Detroit, Michigan, stands 6’3″ with a 76 inch reach. The key to this bout is ring generalship. Mitchell cannot perform like a polished fighter. Mitchell could do nothing with Zack Page, Alvaro Morales (twice), Mike miller (twice) and Andrew Greeley (known today as a 43 loss fighter). These fighters went the distance.
If by some odd chance Banks versus Mitchell II goes to the cards, Mitchell probably will not win a round. I give Mitchell much credit for hard work and courage. However, Banks is not just defending his reputation, but also the reputation of Dr. Wladimir Klitschko, who he trains. Banks lands more punches than Mitchell at a 50% to 30% ratio.
Banks is getting better as a fighter. Between Johnathon Banks and Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko, you have the best three heavyweight fighters in the world. Emanuel Steward, who worked with the bunch, is smiling down from the heavens. If either of the Klitschkos got their paws on Mitchell, they would tear him to pieces. And I’m not talking about Reese’s. Football players are not boxers.
Mitchell is fighting at 240 to 245 pounds. Banks is fighting at 218 to 227. Mitchell is bigger for sure, but Banks is faster on his feet and knows how to use the ring once he gets his man in trouble. Mitchell is a slugger who began boxing at age 25, but like Chris Arreola, is not going to win against a scientific boxer who began boxing at age 15. Does anyone believe Mr. Banks and the Klitschko Brothers in their dedicated training camp aren’t going to do their homework for this and any other bout? I don’t think so.
Mitchell’s only chance is for Banks to get careless. Banks is too smart a fighter to stand in front, but is a smart enough fighter to set some serious traps while cutting off the ring. Mitchell is a one dimensional fighter. His weakness is he cannot change the game plan midstream, while Banks is a more versatile fighter.
COMMENTS
English