In just three short days, Adrien Broner will face the toughest test of his short career when he attempts to win his second world title in as many weight classes when he faces Mexico’s Antonio DeMarco.
DeMarco (28-2-1, 21 KOs) is coming off of a 44-second destruction of John Molina, Jr. this past September and will be attempting to defend his WBC lightweight title for the second time.
This will be the first fight at lightweight for the 23-year-old Broner, who formerly held the WBO junior lightweight title. The brash Cincinnati fighter, who is known just as much for his outrageous persona as his in-ring skills, isn’t taking his opponent lightly.
“He’s definitely my best opponent so far on paper,” Broner said in a media conference call held earlier today. “I know it’s the biggest fight of my career thus far—I’m not looking past nobody; I am just going to take a fight at a time.
“This fight will be a fight I will be able to show a lot more of my skills. In some of my last fights, my opponents, even though they were ranked No. 1 at the time, they got downgraded because my skill level is so high.”
Broner, who should have the speed advantage in the fight, said that his strength advantage would also be on display come Saturday night. He believes that his strength will not only be a problem for lightweight fighters, but that it could carry all the way to welterweight.
“I can make any fight look easy; it’s up to me,” Broner said.
The undefeated Broner is often compared to his idol Floyd Mayweather, Jr., and the comparison doesn’t bother him at all. While Broner thinks of him like a big brother, he said if a fight between the two has to happen down the line, then it has to happen.
Broner hopes to one day be considered the best to ever lace up a pair of boxing gloves and believes that one day kids in the gyms across America will emulate his style much as young fighters have emulated Muhammad Ali, Roy Jones, Jr. and Mayweather in the past.
“I want it to inspire them when they see me fight,” Broner said of the legacy he hopes to one day leave behind.
Broner needs to put on a better show in his lightweight debut than his “big brother” Floyd Mayweather, Jr. did when he fought for the same title against Jose Luis Castillo a little more than 10 years ago if he wants to take the next step in achieving his goal of being the best to ever lace up a pair of boxing gloves.
Michael Walters is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand.
Follow @MWalters202
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