WBA Super World super lightweight champion Adrien Broner (31-2, 23 KOs), the mercurial boxer-puncher fighting out of Cincinnati, Ohio, is determined to stay busy. He fought just two months ago, a TKO victory in a championship fight against resilient but overmatched Khabib Allakhverdiev, and he has a defense lined up for the end of January against Ashley Theophane in Atlanta, Georgia.
Thirty-five-year-old Theophane (39-6-1, 11 KOs) hails from Paddington, London, United Kingdom, but fights out of Las Vegas under the banner of Mayweather Promotions.
The former British super lightweight champion is on a six-fight win streak. His last loss was by split decision in 2013 to the always tough Pablo Cesar Cano. And while he is not ranked in the WBA top 15, Theophane is by all accounts a hungry fighter, and a hungry fighter is a dangerous fighter.
“My fighter Ashley is from the UK,” said Mayweather. “Him and Adrien Broner will fight in Atlanta. We’re doing a big show in Atlanta at the end of January. Ashley and Adrien will be fighting for the title.”
Broner called out Theophane after his TKO victory over Allakhverdiev in October.
“I’m going to fight who I want to fight and when I want to fight them,” he said at the time. “You know, they say my big bro, the one, the only Floyd Mayweather, he say he got a fighter that he feels like he can beat me. I think his name is Ashley, but if that is true, this is what you do, big bro, because bosses talk to bosses. You put Ashley on one of your private jets, bring him to come see me.”
Theophane responded as any fighter would. He accepted the challenge
“Whenever Adrien is ready to make this fight we can make it happen,” he told BoxingScene.com. “My promoter Floyd Mayweather and advisor Dejuan Blake believe I can beat him and so do I. He’s a great fighter and his record shows that. Twenty-six-years-old and a four-weight world champion but I believe in my ability and I 100 percent believe I would be victorious.
“I want to be your first defense, Adrien. You called me out live after your win. Let’s do this.”
This is exactly what they’re going to do.
Theophane respects what Broner does in the ring. He respects Floyd Mayweather as well.
“Floyd is a nice guy,” he said. “He has all the money but he wants to help. For me as a boxer, it is inspiring to see a man that has so much money but is still working and wants everyone around him to achieve their dreams as well. I used to be in London watching him but now he is my boss and my friend.”
This will also be a chance for Mayweather and Broner to patch up their differences.
This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.
