Adrien Broner-Ashley Theophane: The Show Goes On In D.C.

By Jake Donovan

The show will go on for Adrien Broner – in the ring, anyway.

Whatever fate awaits him once back home in Cincinnati will come after his scheduled showdown with Ashley Theophane. Their super lightweight title fight takes place this Friday at D.C. Armory in Washington, D.C., with Broner (31-2, 23KOs) deep in training camp in the nation’s capital since early February.

There was concern over the status of the bout due to an active arrest warrant back home in Hamilton County, Ohio, stemming from an alleged incident that – according the warrant and an open civil lawsuit – took place in the wee hours of the morning on January 21 at Madison Bowl in Cincinnati.

DC Metro law enforcement was made aware of the arrest warrant, but – according to police spokespersons both in Cincinnati and D.C. – but there is no jurisdiction for Broner to be apprehended out of state. Apparently there isn’t any real motivation for the reigning 140-pound titlist to surrender to authorities until after this weekend’s fight, which headlines a Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) telecast on Spike TV.

Mitch Abramson of Ring TV was the first to confirm the most recent status of Friday’s show.

Spike TV’s public relations department had previously informed BoxingScene.com that the April 1 PBC on Spike TV telecast was set to proceed as planned, regardless of the status of the current main event in place.

Had Broner been forced to withdraw, event handlers were still prepared to move forward with the rest of the card. Also currently slated for the telecast:

Unbeaten lightweight prospect Robert Easter Jr. (16-0, 13KOs; Broner’s training and promotional stablemate) faces former super featherweight champ Algenis Mendez (23-3-1, 12KOs), who now competes as a lightweight, and; 

Baltimore’s Gervonta Davis (14-0, 13KOs), a rising super featherweight talent meets veteran Guillermo Avila (16-5, 13KOs)

Broner and his legal team have been made aware of the charges looming overhead, but have yet to publicly address the situation. It stands to reason that any comments from Broner will be limited to what he has been legally advised to say in public.

As it relates strictly to boxing, the event marks the first defense of the super lightweight belt he acquired in a 12th round knockout of Khabib Allakhverdiev last October in Cincinnati. The win netted Broner a fourth major title in as many weight classes, having enjoyed previous (albeit, brief) reigns at super featherweight, lightweight and welterweight.

Theophane (39-6-1, 11KOs) – who has remain unfazed by the out-of-ring circumstances (and free of commentary on the subject) – comes in riding a six-fight win streak, including a 10-round decision win over Steven Upsher Chambers last September. The 35-year old hard-luck contender from London now trains out of Las Vegas, in the presence of Mayweather Promotions founder and former pound-for-pound and box-office king Floyd Mayweather. Friday’s affair will mark his first career title shot.

Based on comments from Cincinnati PD, Broner will be strongly advised to surrender to authorities upon his return home, which will presumably come after this weekend’s action. Such a step is by no means an admission of guilt, rather acknowledgment of the pending charges.

Upon turning himself in, Broner will remain in custody with the bail amount set at $100,000, of which he or a party on his behalf will required to post a 10% bond payment ($10,000).

Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox