When Premier Boxing Champions entered into long-term contracts last year with Fox and Showtime, the reaction among boxing fans was, 'This is great!' The assumption was that these contracts, coupled with the alliance between Top Rank and ESPN, guaranteed that there would be lots of high-quality 'free' boxing on television. But it turns out that 'free' television isn't so free. Nor does paying a monthly fee for Showtime or ESPN+ ensure that fans won't be charged an additional $74.99 to watch a fight. Exhibit A for this reality was the Jan.
19 matchup on Showtime PPV between Manny Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KOs entering the fight) and Adrien Broner (33-3-1, 24 KOs) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Pacquiao worked well off his jab. His best moments came in Rounds 7 and 9 when he drove Broner to the ropes and landed punches in bunches.
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But Broner has a pretty good chin and weathered each storm, holding on to Pacquiao like they were slow-dancing together. Broner was clearly behind as the bout progressed. But he never looked like he was trying to win. Indeed, he spent the last two rounds circling away and avoiding combat to the greatest extent possible. All told, Broner landed a meager 50 punches over the course of 12 rounds. Then, at the final bell, he raised both arms in the air and jumped onto the ring ropes in an outlandish gesture of triumph.
The unanimous verdict in Pacquiao's favor was a foregone conclusion. After the judges' decision was announced, Broner told Jim Gray, 'I beat him. Everybody out there knows I beat him. I controlled the fight.
Boxing news, commentary, results, audio and video highlights from ESPN. Boxing news, commentary, results, audio and video highlights from ESPN. Charr (31-4, 17 KOs) and Oquendo (37-8, 24 KOs) were supposed to meet Sept. 29 in Cologne, but Charr tested positive for two banned substances and the fight was canceled.
He was missing. I hit him clean more times. You know I beat that boy.” Later, at the post-fight press conference, Broner added, 'My performance tonight talked for me.' It certainly did.
Boxers are held to a high standard of courage because thousands of courageous fighters who boxed before them have set that standard. On Saturday night, Adrien Broner fell short of that standard. He punked out.
MORE: And a thought in closing. The pay-per-view telecast of the Pacquiao-Broner card began at 9 p.m.
The bell for Round 1 of Pacquiao-Broner rang at 12:45 a.m. On Sunday morning. NFL playoff games don't start at 12:45 a.m. World Series games don't start 45 minutes after midnight.
Thomas Hauser's new email address is [email protected]. His most recent book – Protect Yourself at All Times – was published by the University of Arkansas Press. In 2004, the Boxing Writers Association of America honored Hauser with the Nat Fleischer Award for career excellence in boxing journalism.