STALEMATE
Broner and Vargas cannot be separated, while Davis and Charlo shine brightly
TALKING POINT
FOR better or worse, Adrien Broner is still one of boxing’s biggest draws. This time, he gave fans their money’s worth. A near-capacity crowd at Brooklyn’s Barclay’s Center witnessed a stirring 12-round struggle between him and Jessie Vargas, which ended in a majority draw that included enough flashes of vintage Broner to keep his career alive for at least one more fight.
The 13,964 in attendance represented the third-highest boxing total in Barclays’ history, surpassed only by Keith Thurman-danny Garcia (16,533) and Deontay Wilder-luis Ortiz (14,069).
But it wasn’t all Broner. Those numbers were aided by Jermall Charlo and Gervonta Davis, both of whom were on the televised portion of the Showtime card, presented by Premier Boxing Champions. Davis is a big ticketseller. Nearly half of the assembled made a fourhour trek from his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland.
Charlo and Davis enjoyed early nights, Broner-vargas was far more dramatic. The stakes were high for both fighters. Vargas was calm, confident and professional during fight week, while Broner was his typical narcissistic self. He spent most of the final press conference shimmying in his seat with headphones on. At one point, he answered a query by placing his headphones over the mic to play the soothing sounds of Vanessa Carlton’s A Thousand Miles. He then proceeded to berate Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe for allegedly supporting Vargas. Broner wasn’t so exciting early in the fight. Vargas dominated the first, pumping a steady jab and stepping in with combinations to the body. “AB” advanced in the second but seemed more interested in shaking his
JERMELL CHARLO had plenty of harsh words for Broner and Davis during Wednesday’s press conference. He screamed all sorts until big bro Jermall calmed him down. The cause of the beef is unknown, but Errol Spence Jnr intends to broker a peace between the two factions.
head when hit than returning the favour. Between rounds, Kevin Cunningham, Broner’s new lead trainer, implored him to let his hands go.
Vargas, also working with a new trainer in Mike Mccallum, appeared rejuvenated at the outset. However, sucking down to the 144lbs catchweight may have affected his durability and stamina because, after a solid first five, he was increasingly frazzled down the stretch.
On the rare occasion when Broner threw in the first half of the fight, the punches landed with effect. Vargas winced after a left hook sunk into his ribs in the third, and then again when another landed on his cup. By the fifth, his face and sides sported black and blue welts.
Broner controlled the middle rounds. He sneered after eating a clean right in the eighth, responding with combinations to Vargas’ body. Vargas retreated throughout the ninth but was the busier of the two. The bigger punches came from Broner. With 30 seconds left in the round, he unloaded a Roy Jones-esque quick combination capped off by a right uppercut that caused Vargas’ knees to dip.
Broner looked fresher in the final three stanzas. Somehow, Vargas still managed to outwork him. In the end, Broner’s lack of urgency cost him the win. Judge Julie Lederman scored it 115-113 for him, while Eric Marlinski and Kevin Morgan had it 114-114.
Broner was adamant that he’d won this fight, jawing with Vargas after the cards were read. Broner has fought several elite boxers, but hasn’t beaten one. He’s a pretty good boxer and an even better publicist. Maybe he surprises a big name or two if he continues to remain focused under Cunningham, but that’s unlikely. Many will continue to tune in regardless.
Likewise middleweight Jermall Charlo, who is must-see TV. Opponent Hugo
Centeno Jnr was in over his head, so Charlo put his head under the ropes with a chilling left hook in the second.
Charlo, the former IBF 154lb titlist, now holds the interim WBC middleweight bauble, and is the mandatory challenger to true champion, Gennady Golovkin.
The 27-year-old Houston, Texas native did what he was supposed to against a fringe contender. A double jab followed by an overhand right drove Centeno to the ropes in the second. Charlo landed two more rights before a left hook crumpled Centeno to the canvas and halfway out of the ring. Referee Steve Willis needlessly counted to eight before halting it at 55 seconds of the round. Bring on Golovkin, Canelo Alvarez, Danny Jacobs and Billy Joe Saunders, if any are in a rush to take on a risk that may outweigh the reward.
Gervonta Davis didn’t disappoint his travelling Baltimore faithful, scoring three knockdowns against Jesus Cuellar before the fight was stopped at 2-45 of the third. Davis is now the WBA superfeatherweight champion after being stripped of his IBF title for failing to make weight against Francisco Fonseca last August. His disappointing performance that night led many to wonder if the wheels had come off “Tank.”
Davis checked all the boxes this time. The southpaw spent nine weeks with Broner at Camp Cunningham. Cunningham is no stranger to lefties. He guided two of them, Cory Spinks and Devon Alexander, to decorated amateur careers and world titles in multiple divisions in the pros. Cuellar, a career featherweight, was a good foil. He hadn’t fought since December 2016, when Abner Mares beat him by split decision.
Davis looked sharp. A three-punch combo ending with a right hook to the body caused Cuellar to sink to the canvas again. He barely beat the 10-count. Davis pounced, firing away until a left uppercut dropped him a third and final time.
THE VERDICT Broner will struggle to improve but for Charlo and Davis, the sky is the limit.