Shaw Impressed: Broner Could Be Next Mayweather
By Keith Idec
ATLANTIC CITY — Count Gary Shaw among those who are extremely impressed with Adrien Broner.
Shaw sat ringside Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall as Broner battered the proud Mexican warrior Shaw promotes. He couldn’t help but think that he was watching the second coming of Floyd Mayweather Jr.
“From what I saw tonight, I think he could be the next Floyd,” Shaw said after Broner stopped DeMarco in the eighth round of their WBC lightweight title fight. “He’s fast, he’s got the moves, he’s got great defense. Obviously, he’s got punching power.
“He hurt DeMarco a few times underneath, cut him up. I think he’s the total package. There are very few guys, like DeMarco, who could’ve stood up to that punishment for eight rounds. … I’m very proud of the courage DeMarco showed and the way he fought tonight, but Broner’s special. He’s special.”
Mexico’s DeMarco (28-3-1, 20 KOs) absorbed a brutal beating for much of this one-sided HBO main event. There was significant swelling surrounding both of DeMarco’s eyes when the fight was stopped, and he bled at times from his mouth as Broner (25-0, 21 KOs) hammered him with power punches to the head and body from close distances.
The 23-year-old Broner finally floored DeMarco with a left-handed, half-hook/half-uppercut just past the midway mark of the eighth round. DeMarco made it to one knee, but referee Benjy Esteves called a halt to the action at 1:49 of the eighth round as one of DeMarco’s corner men made his way up the steps to his corner, waving a white towel.
“His shoulder roll and his defense was hard to penetrate,” said DeMarco, who was down 69-64 on all three scorecards when the fight was stopped. “It was very difficult to get my shots in, but I fought my heart out and gave it my all. I’ll be back.”
Keith Idec covers boxing for The Record and Herald News, of Woodland Park, N.J., and BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
