Suppose Adrien Broner is losing on purpose...

[Combat Talk Radio]

Wait, hear me out.

Ali got inspiration from Gorgeous George in the 50's when he saw this flamboyant guy that people would pay to see lose.

Floyd got inspiration from both Ali and the WWF/E about the marketability of heel characters.

If you look back in time, the loud and flamboyant are much more remembered over the silent killers. Most everyone can name at least three distinct Ali or Floyd opponents without searching it - yet a true monster in Mike McCallum? Crickets except for Roy Jones.

We know Broner was inspired by Floyd at least early on. But I look at the Broner that faced DeMarco 2 and a half years off of the Valero/DeMarco war, and Broner was brilliant that night. He actually performed then like Crawford performs now.

But then something changed and I don't think it was just his lifestyle. It's like he goes in the ring and does the bare minimum every fight. Against C-levels like Theophane that still makes him look like a top flight fighter, but then you get a B-level like Porter and Round 11, and it's like "dude, you didn't even try". One punch knockdown that you KNOW he could have landed at any time against a guy that leads with his head. He should have completely embarrassed Shawn Porter like Thurman did.

Then Broner cut an interview about his name value, where he said that despite his losses to Maidana and Porter, he's still the draw in every fight, because of how he acts outside of the ring; that people are still paying to see him lose.

What if...just what if...Broner took the extreme approach from Floyd, where he'll do the basics to self-preserve, walk away with guaranteed paydays, and just be content with it knowing that people are essentially paying to see him lose? What if the reason he didn't hardly throw against Mikey is that he just didn't care as long as he getting paid? Because in the one or two rounds he did give Mikey a bit of trouble, it was where he used his size advantage. The rest of the fight it's like he was there to collect a check.

[Sadiqkingofko]

I thought he could have beaten both Mikey and Porter with the right gameplan, many people act like Garcia shutout Broner but AB was competitive in that fight, and he fought well during the last stretch against Porter but he just tries to be Floyd too much tbh

[b00g13man]

You're overthinking it. Broner sucks.

[Randall Cunning]

So hes back in the talk for Fighter of the Decade then?

[Prince Madison]

Damn, people really were so sold on broner that the only plausible way he could lose is deliberately. I'm just putting it out there so don't shoot me down, but with all this talk about throwing fights, untapped potential, wrong tactics, lack of focus, maybe the reason he loses against top fighters is because he's not as good as them?

[_original_]

You're overthinking it. Broner sucks.

Exactly. lol it kills me when people say that Broner could be elite if he was "focused" and had the right team. Broner has always been a B level guy, the evidence was there since Quintero, Ponce De Leon, and Paulie. He only faced three really good fighters and was outclassed by them, I think that tells us everything we need to know about his career. A solid guy with good handspeed and all around fundamentals but never meant to be a top talent. And that's okl not everybody is.

[BrometheusBob.]

You're overthinking it. Broner sucks.

Yeah, he's OK but not that great

None of these guys lose on purpose

[SouthEastBeast]

So you reckon a boxer who everyone wants to see lose and actually loses (AB) is a bigger draw than a boxer who everyone wants to see lose and doesn’t lose (Floyd)?

[THEFRESHBRAWLER]

Lmao wtf did I just read. I need to bleach my eyes. Broner isn’t smart enough to think of all that anyway

[Combat Talk Radio]

You're overthinking it. Broner sucks.

Damn, people really were so sold on broner that the only plausible way he could lose is deliberately. I'm just putting it out there so don't shoot me down, but with all this talk about throwing fights, untapped potential, wrong tactics, lack of focus, maybe the reason he loses against top fighters is because he's not as good as them?

Exactly. lol it kills me when people say that Broner could be elite if he was "focused" and had the right team. Broner has always been a B level guy, the evidence was there since Quintero, Ponce De Leon, and Paulie. He only faced three really good fighters and was outclassed by them, I think that tells us everything we need to know about his career. A solid guy with good handspeed and all around fundamentals but never meant to be a top talent. And that's okl not everybody is.

Yeah, he's OK but not that great

None of these guys lose on purpose

So you reckon a boxer who everyone wants to see lose and actually loses (AB) is a bigger draw than a boxer who everyone wants to see lose and doesn’t lose (Floyd)?

This isn't a question of talent, it's a question of intent.

How do you explain his excellent showing against Emmanuel Taylor? Taylor's not elite but he's certainly no bum either.

And I find it funny so many people call out the De Leon fight - a fight where Broner walked away with a unanimous - rather than more obvious poor showings like Porter and Malignaggi.

I'm not positioning Broner to be any higher than he is. I'm asking a question based on what I see with my eyes, which is a guy who fights brilliant seemingly when he wants to and then other times just barely shows up. That smells of a guy who is just collecting checks. Tha's my ONLY question here.