By: Sean Crose
“The World’s Greatest Boxing Advertiser Don King,” a press release published Thursday stated, “Signs for exciting boxing superstar, Adrien Broner; The four-time world champion is ready to return to work. (sic)
Indeed, it was a couple. One of the most notorious promoters of boxing’s recent past linked up with one of the most notorious stars in the business that will always make headlines. That’s why you can expect a lot of ink to be used to discuss the just-announced deal between promoter Don King and former world player Adrien Broner. In fact, both men’s careers have declined significantly in recent years and are in need of rejuvenation. If nothing else, this unexpected collaboration will introduce these two colorful characters to quite a bit of media and online attention.
About a decade ago, Broner was actually considered the heir to the throne held by the legendary Floyd Mayweather at the time. He’s undefeated, talented and – perhaps most notably – notorious. This is a man whose antics outside the ring have overshadowed his remarkable achievements as a boxer. The party was almost over at the end of 2013, when Broner was defeated by Marcos Maidana in a grueling match. Broner has certainly fought many notable opponents since that time, but has proven impossible to beat any of them. Manny Pacquiao, Shawn Porter and Mikey Garcia have all met and beaten the boxer dubbed “The Problem”.
King, of course, needs no introduction. Since the early 70s, this man has almost become one of the most colorful figures in boxing. Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes, Mike Tyson, and countless others have all fought under the Don King banner. Suffice it to say, King has had a long-standing reputation – fair or not – as a scammer who has repeatedly hid money from boxers who rightfully earned it.
With that in mind, it remains to be seen how well King and Broner will serve each other’s purposes. The internet has attracted quite a bit of collective attention to pairing, but one never knows when it comes to sweet science. After all, Broner is still quite young. Perhaps King will guide the Cincinnati native back to the pinnacle of boxing. Still, it’s understandable why some would be skeptical. Neither King nor Broner were a real force for a while. But, again, this is boxing, a perpetual endeavor full of surprises.
