Adrien ‘The Problem’ Broner 33-4-1 (24) returns to the ring this Saturday night after more than two years on the sidelines when he takes on Jovanie Santiago 14-0-1 (10) in a 12-round super lightweight contest on Showtime from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
The 31-year-old from Cincinnati, who hasn’t scored a win in his last three fights, insists his ongoing legal dramas are not the reason he is boxing again.
“Even if I didn’t have these pending court cases against me, I’d still be working my ass off to come back and make a fortune,” Broner said. “That has nothing to do with my motivation. God gave me a blessing and gifted me with some great talent and I’m not going to let it go to waste. The motivation is that I miss the sport. I miss being on top. I miss being champion and I’m going to take another run at being champion.
“I’ve found my love for boxing again. I gave myself some time to miss boxing and I’m ready to go in there and win some more world titles. My children are what fuel me now.”
Puerto Rican Santiago, 31, is a largely unknown quantity and will be having his first fight in the United States.
“Santiago is hungry. He’s still undefeated and he definitely doesn’t want to lose. It’s going to be a great fight. He’s definitely going to come to fight,” Broner said.
“Anybody that has a chance to fight an Adrien Broner to put their career up another step, they’re going to bring their A-game. I’m just training my hardest and I’m going to come in and be ready on February 20.
“He’s a hell of a fighter. He’s got great skills. But I just think I’m on a different level. February 20 people are going to see that I’m still the Adrien Broner who can take over the sport.
“In boxing I’ve learned that it only takes one performance to bring everybody back. All I have to do is go out there and perform and everybody will be back on the bandwagon.
Santiago says that all the pressure is on Broner in this fight.
“It’s a great opportunity that they are giving me to face a four-division world champion,” he said. “It is a great challenge for my career and the world will know me when I beat him. We are both in this sport working hard every day. He is a good fighter, (but) I don’t see anything special about him.”
Broner was jailed in November on contempt of court charges in a Cuyahoga County courtroom after failing to pay $783,752.54 in damages and court costs stemming from an assault at a Cleveland nightclub in 2018.
“I just need to go back to the gym after the fight,” Broner said. “I’m trying to stay out of as much trouble as possible, stay out of jail and just work my ass off.
“I’m going to dedicate these last three to five years to straight boxing. I’m going to get as much as I can out of boxing and then retire and watch my kids grow up. I’ve matured a lot. I’ve been through a lot. It’s just time to get to business, make my money and do what I do best, and that’s box.”
