Adrien Broner (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Former WBA World welterweight champion Adrien Broner never passes up an opportunity to entertain.
“I’m going to do the same thing as I did, as I always do,” Broner (29-1, 22 KOs) said in a recent media conference call in support of his upcoming fight. ”I’m going to come put on a show. I’m going to come in dancing and doing what I do and do whatever I got to do to get my victory.
Broner will take on John Molina Jr. in a double-header card to kick off Premier Boxing Champions on March7 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The fight will be carried live by NBC (8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT).
“I know [Molina] is rough and tough and as cool as Cheetos puffs but I’m the man and it’s been said once but I’m going to say it again,” the Cincinnati native said. “I’m the can man and anybody can get it and John Molina’s the one that’s going to have to take his beating on March 7th.”
Broner, 25 years old, is coming off back to back victories over Emmanuel Taylor and Carlos Molina after suffering his only defeat to Argentine Marcos Maidana is December 2014. Broner has registered wins over top-level fights Paulie Malignaggi, Daniel Ponce de Leon, and Antonio Demarco.
Although he has not scored a stoppage in two years, the entertainment value of a knockout is not lost on Broner.
“A victory is a victory but there is nothing like a knockout,” he said. “I love knockouts and the fans love knockouts and stoppages. I feel like with my skills, if I come in and do everything I’ve got to do, there’s a great chance that I do stop John Molina.”
John Molina Jr. (R) connects with a right to the face of Humberto Soto. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
32-year-old John Molina Jr. (27-5, 22 KOs) was last in action in September 2014, losing to Humberto Soto by unanimous decision. Before facing Soto, Molina had been stopped by Lucas Matthysse in the 11th-round of their vicious 2014 Fight of the Year candidate at the StubHub Center in California.
“It’s a classic match-up for boxing,” said Molina. ”You’re going to have two different sides of the spectrum as far as styles go. Adrien’s very quick-handed, very talented. You cannot deny the accolades that he’s accomplished in the ring, but if I felt any different about going right through Adrien, I wouldn’t be in the right business. We’re extremely, 110% confident we’re going to go in there and implement our will and do what we need to do to become victorious that night. Adrien has one plan, I have my plan. We’re going to see that night, March 7th, who’s going to come out on top.”
“I know John Molina’s going to come swinging for the fences,” Broner said. “This is his big turnaround for his career-if he beats Adrien Broner, who knows where his career can go.”
The fight is part of the debut of enigmatic manager Al Haymon’s new Premier Boxing Champions series. Also co-featured on March 7, Keith Thurman faces brawler former two-division titleholder Robert Guerrero.
