by David P. Greisman
The welterweight title fight between Adrien Broner and Marcos Maidana was originally supposed to headline a Dec. 14 pay-per-view on a card in Las Vegas, but instead it kept the same date and was changed to a Showtime broadcast airing out of San Antonio.
If the thought was that Broner could still make his debut as a pay-per-view star in 2014, then those plans must be affected by Broner’s loss to Maidana, the first loss of Broner’s pro career and the defeat of a brash antihero.
Nevertheless, Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions says he’s confident that Broner “absolutely” can still become a pay-per-view headliner.
“He lost the fight. It was an exciting fight. He was in trouble early on. He didn’t give up. He came back. He was fighting on pure heart, and so this is not the end for Broner,” Schaefer said after Maidana topped Broner by unanimous decision. “I mean, who wouldn’t want to see Adrien Broner again? He’s an asset to the sport. He’s exciting. He’s entertaining. It’s a matter of going back to the drawing board.”
The 24-year-old who captured world titles at 130, 135 and 147, is 27-1 (22 KOs). Schaefer later referred to this loss as “a step back.”
“I still believe he will be a big star,” Schaefer said.
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