by Cliff Rold
Mikey Garcia has won belts in three weight classes, the latest his share of the lightweight crown. Adrien Broner has him by one, capturing belts in four weight classes, but holds no titles at this moment.
Despite all the belts each has added to their trophy case, there will be no title on the line this weekend. This weekend is about money, pride, and positioning for the future.
For Garcia, this is a chance to explode past over two years out of the ring, going beyond just winning to demand full attention and headlines. For Broner, this is perhaps his last, best chance to go beyond being a well-managed personality whose accomplishments aren’t as accomplished and his rhetoric.
Let’s go the report card.
The Ledger
Adrien Broner
Age: 28
Title: None
Previous Titles: WBO super featherweight (2012, 1 Defense); WBC lightweight (2012-13, 1 Defense); WBA welterweight (2013); WBA super lightweight (2015)
Height: 5’6
Weight: 138 ¾ lbs.
Hails from: Cincinnati, Ohio
Record: 33-2, 24 KO?
Record in Major Title Fights: 6-1, 5 KO
Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Faced: Daniel Ponce De Leon UD10; Antonio DeMarco TKO8; Gavin Rees TKO5; Paulie Malignaggi SD12; Marcos Maidana L12; Shawn Porter L12; Khabib Allahkverdiev TKO12
Vs.
Mikey Garcia
?Age: 29
Title: WBC lightweight (2017-Present)
Previous Titles: WBO Featherweight (2013); WBO Super Featherweight (2013-14, 1 Defense)
Height: 5’7
Weight: 139 ½ lbs.?
?Hails from: Oxnard, California
Record: 36-0, 30 KO
Record in Major Title Fights: 4-0, 3 KO
Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Faced: Mauricio Pastrana KO2; Jonathan Barros TKO8; Orlando Salido Tech. Dec 8; Juan Manuel Lopez TKO4; Roman Martinez KO8; Elio Rojas TKO5; Dejan Zlaticanin KO3
Grades
Pre-Fight: Speed – Broner A-; Garcia B+
Pre-Fight: Power – Broner B+; Garcia A
Pre-Fight: Defense – Broner B-; Garcia B
Pre-Fight: Intangibles – Broner B; Garcia A
As we are in the vacation season, this report card will be a little quicker than most. Hand speed here isn’t too far apart and both have a little pop. Garcia has more of it. We’ve seen Garcia’s power displayed in each class he’s been in against legitimate contenders. The less protected Broner has been over the years, the lower his knockout rate has fallen. Broner still scores the occasional accumulation stoppage, or big knockdown, but Garcia is the one who puts guys down and out of it more consistently.
Defensively, Garcia is more responsible. Both men can be hit but Garcia is more likely to use his defense to roll into his offense. Broner still often pulls straight back, or admires his work and leaves his head there to be cracked.
In terms of intangibles, both have shown pretty good whiskers. Garcia’s edge is in general professionalism. Broner showed up ripped and ready for this one, but that anyone was worried about it should tell us all we need to know about how each man is perceived.
That said, can anyone imagine a scenario where Broner would sit out two years for any reason? Garcia’s willingness to ride out the wait for his preferred business deal might be somewhat admirable, but could someone who really loves to be in the ring do that? Broner has whipped himself into fantastic shape and needs this fight more.
It says here he gets it.
The pick is Broner to win in a good, entertaining affair.
Report Card Picks 2017: 24-11
Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel, the Yahoo Pound for Pound voting panel, and the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com