It is unclear who Adrien Broner will fight next, but he has made it abundantly clear that he will not be sharing the ring with Conor Benn. During a recent interview with Behind The Gloves, the Ohio native was asked about a potential fight with the welterweight contender and he immediately shut down the question.
“F*ck buddy,” he said.
“He [is] broke.”
Broner is a 32-year-old fighter who has won titles in four weight classes, but he’s struggled as of late. After winning just one of his last four fights, he’s eyeing a comeback later this year. Despite his recent lackluster performances, Showtime Sports President Stephen Espinoza believes that Broner still has a lot to give to the sport.
“Adrien’s in camp. He’s gone away, he’s in Colorado for camp, demonstrating how serious he is. We’re working on opponents and dates for him. He’s clearly committed to it. I think he’s still got gas in the tank. I think there are interesting match-ups. Whether you love him or you hate him, you know, he’s still a draw,” Espinoza said earlier this month.
As for Benn, he’s scheduled to fight Chris van Heerden on April 16, 2022 at Manchester Arena. If he’s able to get by van Heerden, there are a number of potential fights out there for the unbeaten fighter. Recently, rumors have suggested that a fight with Kell Brook could be on the horizon. However, he shut those rumors down earlier this week.
“The Kell Brook fight, they were already in negotiations [with other parties]. Could I have waited for the Kell Brook fight and had a big payout, massive payday, and looked good, big showdown? Or do I keep my head focused on April 16?” he said, according to Boxing Scene.
More recently, he’s identified Yordenis Ugas as a potential opponent. The 25-year-old said he’d like to fight Ugas after he snubbed the welterweight champion’s dinner request.
“It’s not that we are from the same country or live the same lifestyle so I was thinking ‘Why does he want me to go to dinner?’ What are we going to do? Sit there and stare at each other. I found it very odd. I don’t know what his motive was,” Benn told ESPN.
For now, both fighters will have their eyes set on their April 16th opponents. Meanwhile, Broner will continue to train up in Colorado until a deal is finalized.
