Four-time world champion boxer Adrien “the Problem” Broner has all the moxie of Floyd Mayweather Jr. but only one-third the talent. Maybe Broner has more of the moxie, who knows. The problem with the Problem is that he focuses entirely too much on cussing out his opponents instead of actually training hard to out-box them.
If Broner’s mouth is to be believed, his upcoming fight Saturday against Jessie Vargas will be a cakewalk, but there’s only one problem: “The Problem” has sung this tune before.
In fact, in every major fight against a big-name opponent, with the exception of a past-his-prime Paulie Malignaggi, Broner has talked his way right into an ass whooping. It happened against Marcos Maidana, Shawn Porter and Mikey Garcia—all losses on Broner’s record. But what makes Broner interesting is his willingness to continually call out whoever he has a problem with, and it looks like the Problem has a problem with everyone.
During Thursday’s press conference, Broner went HAM on Vargas and Leonard Ellerbe, the consigliere of Mayweather Promotions (seriously, what does Ellerbe do?).
“This is a fake-ass press conference,” Broner said, according to Boxing News 24. “I’m just ready to fight. I ain’t worried about Jessie. Honestly, this is a very important fight for my career on a serious level. I know he trained hard. I ain’t worried about that. I’m ready, man. I’m ready to fight. We can fight right now. I know we’re going to win. He didn’t win his fights when he stepped up. He lost.”
Broner was talking about a statement Vargas made claiming that Broner had trouble when he stepped up in class. Before Vargas could answer, Broner interjected: “I don’t want to hear none of that shit. When you stepped up and you fought Timothy Bradley, you lost; and when you stepped up and you fought Pacquiao, you lost, so shut that. … What I’m saying is this: I’m a four-time world champion.”
But things really took a turn when Broner was asked what a fight of this magnitude would mean should he win.
“I hope y’all give me credit, because I’m going to beat his ass,” Broner said, according to Boxing News 24. “And I know y’all are against me. Leonard Ellerbe here is against me. They with this bitch-ass nigga, too. Leonard a bitch-ass nigga, too.”
More from Boxing News 24:
Ellerbe: “You don’t disrespect me like that.”
Broner: “Shut up! You ain’t with me. You ain’t with me. You’re with Jessie.”
Ellerbe: “I’m with Mayweather Promotions.”
Broner: “Yeah, you ain’t with me. I’m a real one.”
Ellerbe: “This isn’t about me. You guys got to fight Saturday night.”
Broner: “Shut that soft-a– sh-t up.”
Ellerbe: “And the best man win.”
Broner: “That’s some soft-a– s-t. Shut that soft-a– s–t up. All that soft-talking. ‘I know you can do it AB.’ Shut that soft-a– s–t up. You ain’t with me…Y’all against me. This is what they want. They don’t want me to be in nice cars. They don’t want me to be in Rolexes. They don’t want me to be in APs. They don’t want me to be in private jets. They want me to LOSE THIS FIGHT, then go up under the rug and never be talked about again. They don’t want me to see the top of my pinnacle. But guess what man? I trained my a– off. I’m not losing to no Jessie Vargas! Y’all got me f–– up. 2018 I’m taking over man. And it starts with Jessie Vargas. And like I said, Leonard, you ain’t with me!”
God, I hope Broner wins or else we won’t be treated to these kinds of rants, but something tells me that the Problem had problems making it to the gym to train, and this is another case of Adrien Broner doing his best Floyd Mayweather impression right up until the bell rings and he can’t talk his way out of the fight.
Watch the full meltdown below: