By: Sean Crose
Adrien Broner is coming back to the ring. On February 13th, the man known as “The Problem” will face the little known Pedro Campo on Showtime. The location of the battle has yet to be provided. This will be the 33-4-1 Broner’s first fight in over two years. His last time in the ring, Broner was bested by Manny Pacquiao who walked away with a unanimous decision win after their pay per view main event. For the 31-1-1 Campo, the fight is clearly the opportunity of a lifetime. Broner, although considered past his prime, is still a popular attraction in the fight game.
It wasn’t all that long ago that Broner was considered the heir to Floyd Mayweather’s throne. A talented, brash and successful young man from Cincinnati, Broner’s sometimes antisocial and very public behavior actually seemed to add to his popularity. Then came Marcos Maidana. In a highly anticipated 2013 battle, Broner was dropped twice by the rugged Argentine slugger en route to a close UD defeat. Since that time, Broner has lost fights on three more occasions, each time against a top level opponent, giving some the impression Broner can’t win against the upper echelon of the game.
Still, there is no denying the man’s talent. He might not have developed much since he crashed onto the scene years ago, but even as it stands, Broner’s skill set is far better than that of most fighters. He’s fast, he’s rugged…and, best of all for fans, he’s fun to watch. This, perhaps more than anything else, is the reason people still like to see “The Problem” in action, in spite of all the disappointments in and outside the ring. Simply put, Broner puts it all out there each and every time. With that in mind, it’s clear Broner is no longer at the point where big names are on his immediate agenda.
As for Campa, the 28 year old Mexican super lightweight was last in the ring in October of 2019, when he stopped Kevin Betancourt within two rounds. Campa has never had a fight of this caliber and would clearly do wonders for his career should he manage to pull off the upset. Of course it remains unclear how the 31 year old Broner will look when he returns to action in a few weeks. As of press time, no other bouts have been scheduled for the February 13th card.