Adrien Broner's Trainer Says Return To 147 Will Happen

By Edward Chaykovsky

Former three division champion Adrien Broner (27-1, 22KOs) is very focused in camp for his upcoming junior welterweight debut on May 3rd, against Carlos Molina. The match will be part of the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Marcos Maidana Showtime Pay-Per-View from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Broner is looking to rebound after suffering his first career defeat, by way of twelve round decision, to Maidana last December at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Last June, Broner moved up from 135 to 147 and captured the WBA title with a split decision over Paulie Malignaggi. He then lost the title in his first defense with Maidana.

"Well, you know, naturally people say it's a big jump, which it is, but he's a talented kid so he did it with talent.  He beat Paulie and I'm pretty sure Paulie felt some of his power and I'm pretty sure Maidana did.  It was a grueling fight.  Maidana didn't go home glad, he was happy, but inside he felt some of Adrien's power, too.  It was just a couple of punches away, Adrien could have took him out, too," said Broner's trainer Mike Stafford.

Now Broner is dropping down to pursue a title that he previously skipped over. Stafford explained the move, which involves winning titles at 140, maybe at 135 and then going back to 147 for another title run.

"ike Adrien said he's a natural lightweight and he could make 135, 140 or 147, but we elected to do some things at 140 that nobody had done.  We think we can get a title at 140 and maybe at 135, and come back up to 147.  It varies," Stafford said.

"All the other fighters did it and it's not, it seems like it's a big deal when Adrien does anything.  But he's doing everything that everybody else did, Floyd, Jones, Hopkins, all those guys went up and down and they got titles, even Tommy Hearns, all of them."