Vinny’s Views: Mikey Garcia Vs Adrien Broner: The Stats, The Facts and The Fight Prediction!
By Vinny “Glory Days” Lucci
As 2017 continues to roll out fan friendly match ups there are always certain pairings that strike chords of multiplicity like a Mark Knopfler rift reverberating your senses as well as your collective conscience. What might not be envisioned as a fight of year candidate on paper can nonetheless evoke the blessings of the masses when two opposing styles clash in ring center like night into daybreak. Enter Adrien Broner Vs Mikey Garcia in a high profile 12 round non-title affair that should electrify the mid-summer boxing calendar amid the heat wave guaranteeing to leave leather ambers in its wake.
Background: Both gents are high profile and known to even casual fans for quite some time. Broner was once thought of as the heir apparent to Floyd Mayweather, JR. before the heights of his own fame helped bring about his demise masquerading as two official loses and several questionable wins. His notoriety and life style have been a cause celeb where he spent too much time believing his own press clippings and not enough time in the gym. Juxtapose the other side of matchup has Garcia embracing greatness one rung at a time giving each fight all that he is.
The Stats:
Adrien Broner is an American boxer who hails from Cincinnati Ohio and will turn 28 the day before bout. He stands like a fireplug at 5’6” with a middleweight’s chest and thick muscled neck. His reach is 69” but often neglects it fighting out of a shell for defense. The orthodox boxer’s record stands at 33-2, 24 KO’s. Broner has won several portions of different titles with the non-glamorous prefixes like Youth Intercontinental, USNBC, and International to be trailer hitched to several alphabet organizations. His moniker is twofold as he goes by “AB, About Billions,” and the “Problem.”
Mikey Garcia will look Broner in the eye at weigh in and there after standing 5’6” also. His wingspan falls an inch short at 68” but he makes much better use of his jab and reach. The American born boxer of Mexican heritage hails from Ventura California and fights from orthodox stance. At 29 years young he is perceived to be just entering his prime while amid all the fanfare and braggadocio it can be argued that Adrien quite possibly peaked as many as four years ago. His record is impeccable at 36-0, 30 KO’s. Mikey lost two quality years on hiatus due to promotional disputes just when he was on cusp of greatness. He has attained titles at 126, 130, and 135 pounds.
The Venue:
Bout to be promoted by Dibella Entertainment on July 29, and hosted by Barclays Center, Brooklyn New York. It will be broadcast live on Showtime cable network.
Odds:
Early Vegas odds have installed Garcia as a clear favorite at -550 to +375. Some internet betting sites have pushed the envelope early making Broner a five to one underdog. This likens more to a 3/1 for Garcia as logical thinking prevails. Broner has one hell of a left hook punch but he simply doesn’t throw it enough to impress smart handicappers, while he keeps his right in mothballs.
Previous fight:
Broner won a home town split decision over unheralded Adrian Granados last February. The ten round affair had most ringsiders awarding Granados 6 out of 10 rounds.
Garcia last fought in January lifting WBC Lightweight title from Dejan Zlaticanin with a three round knockout of defending champion. Mikey had risen five pounds and looked convincingly dominant over a power punching undefeated fighter with a solid chin.
What to look for on fight night: Forget the gold chain, rap music Hip Hop dance entrance and his pop’s brushing Broner’s hair in the corner before the first bell. The more distraction Adrien needs to pump up his ego will belie the truth behind how prepared he truly is. Broner feeds off the crowd approval in the misconception that his antics make him more appreciated as a fighter. For hard core fans, nothing can be further from the truth. He works much too hard to be an entertainer regardless of how much time he spends in gym.
Garcia enters ring same as press conferences, very amiable, but all business. A gentleman warrior who conducts himself with class, confidence and a polished expertise inside the ropes where there isn’t a single flaw to his game. His style is that of an “Iceman” who boxes behind a tight defense while walking his man down and cutting off the ring under perpetual offense waiting for his opponent to get bored and make a mistake where he instantly finds the opening and capitalizes on it. Dare I say his class and poise backed with a terrific work ethic in ring reminds me of the immortal Alexis Arguello.
Intangibles:
First factor to consider is weight differential. While Mikey will yet again step up a weight division entering junior welterweights for first time his frame will hold its chiseled physique but will he again manage to bring his firepower north of lightweight? Broner has returned to division and seems to be hiding here since his poor showing at 147 against Marcos Maidana and Shawn Porter. Adrien has a bad habit of ballooning up past light heavyweight in between fights while Garcia keeps himself in pristine condition and lives in gym. Early reports have Adrien focused for this bout but we here that rhetoric before every fight and yet he has looked subpar since 2013. Will he try to rehydrate hard after weigh in in hopes of gaining a weight advantage over Garcia or stay as close to gym perfection as possible in hope of being more mobile and athletic.
Part two of this equation is who will possess the heavier handed power at 140 and when tagged clean and often who owns the better chin.
Style wise can Broner lay back in his shoulder roll defense and pick apart an adversary who will be backing him up all night and giving punch stat gents ringside a workout?
And finally as rounds progress who can keep their A-game finely tuned in last third of bout.
The Vinny Factor:
With all things considered I always inject some insight outside the box. There is an old timer’s quote, “You’re only as good as your last bout.” Broner landed 23 out of 92 jabs against Granados over 10 rounds, for an average of 9 jabs per round. Garcia was throwing 40 jabs a round against Zlaticanin while the bout lasted. The constant fury of being trip hammered kept the former champion on his heels and unable to get his offense going.
Broner has not faced a high profile foe in his last three bouts and yet failed to shine despite three wins. He tires badly as rounds progress and resorts to clinching and holding to the point of distraction. Garcia is brutal inside the pocket where he makes terrific use of uppercuts and can shorten his punches with dramatic effect.
Prediction:
Mikey Garcia by decision. While it wouldn’t surprise me if he forced a stoppage by TKO Broner’s whiskers have been reliable and battle tested. Garcia maintains perfect balance throughout fight and will be out landing Broner on a steady 3 to 1 basis while varying his attack and landing enough convincing power shots to keep Broner in his shell and leaning his weight on his heels stopping forward aggression. Broner is game, and a true showman who will entertain the cameras and audience with theatrics and sometimes gutty bursts of energy but for the most part will be outworked by a better craftsman all night long.
Stay tuned…
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