ADRIEN BRONER: ‘I’m here to mess up Pacquiao’s plans’
LOS ANGELES – He was supposed to arrive at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood to play second fiddle to Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday but Adrien Broner stood his ground and instead staged his own media day in a different gym across town.
“What they was trying to do to me, they don’t got to do for me,” said Broner, who challenges Pacquiao for the World Boxing Association welterweight crown on Jan. 19 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The promoter had earlier sent out a media alert announcing that Pacquiao and Broner would alternately hold open workouts.
Broner had none of that and made a decision to bring his act elsewhere.
Pacquiao did his around 1 p.m. and Freddie Roach’s gym was swarming with media outfits from everywhere.
After the customary Q&A and light training, almost everyone drove 12 miles to Van Nuys to see Broner do his thing at the Ten Goose Gym where the American fighter dissed his Filipino foe no end using language form the ghetto.
“I have enough star power to say, ‘Hey I am doing my own media day.’ If they do this with another fighter, everybody would have showed up. But not with me,” said the 29-year-old from Cincinnati.
Asked about Pacquiao’s decline, Broner insists the handwriting is on the wall and once he beats the WBA 147-lb champion, he will become “a legend overnight.” “He slipped a few times and he didn’t get up. But he knows his boxing. I am pretty sure he is training and he’s got goals but I am here to fuck his plans up.”
Broner, a four-division titleholder, trained almost exclusively in West Palm Beach in Florida.
Leonard Ellerbe, a key figure in Floyd Mayweather’s group, also warns Pacquiao not to take Broner for granted.
“He is 100 percent focused and he is ready, he had a terrific camp,” said Ellerbe, brushing off claims that he is distracted by his legal troubles stemming from sexual allegations in two separate incidents in two US states last year.
CJ Perez feels the pressure attached to him being the overall top rookie pick in the PBA, but the former collegiate standout is more focused on being a role player for the Columbian Dyip in the upcoming season.
“As a rookie, I know that it will be hard because there are a lot of veteran players out there. The key is how much effort I can provide for my team,” said Perez in Filipino during Thursday’s PBA Media Day at the Solaire Tent.
Perez, who won the NCAA Most Valuable Player in 2017 while playing for Lyceum, said he is expected to provide spunk and energy to a team that seeks to better its last place finish in the 2018 Philippine Cup.
He also said he has to play like a veteran. “I know the expectations are very high as a top rookie pick, but I just want to give my best,” said Perez. “I won’t settle for less. I will keep on improving every game.”
So far, Perez is optimistic he can contribute to the Dyip.
“I think I’m doing well (during practice). Columbian Dyip is running nicely especially during last week’s tuneup.”
Perez added he is excited in this next chapter of his basketball career, reiterating he still has much to learn now that he’s playing with some of the best players in the country.