Oh and its on!!!
Adrien Broner, Mikey Garcia set to face off at 140 pounds this summer
The July 29 bout will serve as the centerpiece for Showtime's summer lineup
An already red-hot 2017 for boxing saw the temperature rise even higher Thursday with the announcement of a summer showdown at junior welterweight.
Former four-division champion Adrien Broner will face off against lightweight titleholder Mikey Garcia in a star-studded Showtime Championship Boxing main event. The 12-round bout, presented by Premier Boxing Champions, doesn't yet have an official home, although the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, has been cited as the frontrunner.
The 140-pound bout comes at a critical point in the career of both fighters.
The polarizing Broner (33-2, 24 KOs) has routinely made headlines. The native of Cincinnati has twice done brief stints in jail over the past year and teased at taking his own life last October in a string of disturbing social media posts. But despite numerous second chances that have gone awry, Broner is still just 27 and hasn't yet to capture his full potential.
Meanwhile, Garcia (36-0, 30 KOs) returned spectacularly in 2016 from a two-plus year exile while undergoing promotional issues. At 29, he has come back focused on becoming one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport and very much looked the part in January when he destroyed
lightweight titlist Dejan Zlaticanin to capture his third title in as many divisions.
Garcia will be move up to 140 pounds for the first time, a weight Broner has had issues at times making. In April 2016, Broner forfeited his junior welterweight title on the scales, one day before stopping Ashley Theophane.
The fight also figures to be a strong centerpiece in an already loaded spring and summer schedule for Showtime. The card will be the network's 19th live event over the first seven months of the year.
"Showtime Sports continues to deliver the most anticipated matchups, the most important events and the most thrilling fights in boxing," said Showtime Executive Vice President and General Manager Stephen Espinoza. "We consistently feature top-rated champions and challengers. The best are fighting the best and the results have been spectacular.
"Adrien Broner vs. Mikey Garcia is a fight that fight fans have dreamed of -- an undefeated, young star facing one of the best 140-pound fighters in the sport, both men in the prime of their respective careers. July 29 promises to be a memorable night in a year already full of memorable boxing events."
The fight presents interesting challenges for both competitors, provided Broner comes in focused and prepared. When he's dialed in, Broner is a tough out for any elite junior welterweight due to his slick counterpunching and durability.
It will be just as interesting to find out how well Garcia's power carries with him up to yet another weight class. Garcia will enter with the edge in terms of pure boxing. At 5-foot-6, he's the same height as Broner, giving up just one inch in reach.
Despite his troubles outside the ring, Broner has remained a huge draw on television. His most recent bout, a
split-decision victory over Adrian Granados in February, remains Showtime's most-watched telecast of 2017.
@ 78 getting at this white boy.
That was poetic
