As many expected, Adrien Broner disposed of Gavin Rees with little to no issue. He scored a fifth-round TKO to improve his record to 26-0 with 22 knockouts.
The win was his first defense of the WBC lightweight title, and though Rees isn't considered a major name in the sport, the win further intrigues fans who want to see Broner battle an elite lightweight.
Because he's so young, Broner could feasibly fight at as much as 20 pounds heavier than the 135-pound weight class he reigns at currently. For now, I'll just concentrate on his current weight class, and the one right above it to speculate on future opponents.
A combination of fighters at lightweight and light welterweight offer no shortage of intriguing fights for The Problem.
Here are three fighters I'd love to see Broner take on over the next two years.
Miguel Vazquez, IBF Lightweight Champion
This is an extremely difficult fight for Broner, and quite honestly, it is one he'd be better off avoiding. I'm not saying he can't beat Vazquez, but the man they call The Puppet is one of those fighters who is very hard to look good against.
He's an extremely skilled boxer and stands 5'10" with a 72" reach, so he'd have a significant height advantage. Broner has an abnormally long 71" reach for a man 5'7", so that won't be as much of a concern.
It would be great to see how Broner would handle a skilled, confident technician like Vazquez. He doesn't bring much power to the table as he has only 13 KOs in his career. But he is an impressive 33-3.
Aside from the skills Vazquez possesses, he's not a big name outside of hardcore boxing circles.
He represents a high-risk, but relatively low-reward fight for Broner. The Problem is very business and image conscious, so I'm not sure this is a fight he'd readily agree to. Especially considering Vazquez likely represents the last mildly intriguing opponent at 135 pounds. I'd expect him to ascend to light welterweight before he took on Vazquez.
The chances of a meeting could increase if Vazquez defeats WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns on March 16. The Puppet would hold two major titles and perhaps a unification bout at 135 pounds would be interesting to Broner.
Lucas Matthysse, Interim WBC Light Welterweight Champion
At some point Broner will go up to 140 pounds. When he does, Matthysse will be waiting and would represent a huge test for The Problem.
The Argentinian is pound-for-pound one of the hardest punchers in the sport.
He is 33-2 with 31 KOs, and both of his losses were extremely controversial split decisions. He is an underrated boxer who primarily gets praised for his primarily. He bangs the body and head with equal ferocity and he destroyed Mike Dallas, Jr in the first round of his last fight.
His name is rapidly gaining steam in boxing circles, and this could be a signature fight for Broner.
If he meets and defeats Matthysse, he will quiet any sensible critic he has.
Amir Khan, Light Welterweight Contender
Of the three fighters listed, Khan has the biggest name, but he's not a champion currently. As far as raw skills are concerned, there aren't many in the sport as talented, but he has been impeded by a less-than-sturdy chin.
He rebounded from a KO loss at the hands of Danny Garcia, with a stoppage of the tough Carlos Molina in December.
That weak chin could definitely be a problem (no pun intended) when facing a hard puncher like Broner. But Khan would also represent the most talented opponent Broner has faced in his career.
From a commercial standpoint, it would be a huge fight that could make both men a pretty penny.
I'd love to see it happen.
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