Ex-world champion Adrien Broner has put on a ton of weight again despite being in training camp for ten weeks ahead of a fight on August 20.
“The Problem” was looking good heading into a fight with Omar Figueroa but called off the clash, citing mental health issues as fight week began.
Adrien Broner is back in the gym
Broner was obviously struggling with life as he apologized to the fans for canceling his appearance in Hollywood, Florida.
“Sorry to all my fans, but mental health is real. I’m not about to play inside the ring,” said Broner.
“I’ve watched many people die playing with their boxing career, which is something I won’t do. Just pray for me.”
“I love the sport of boxing too much not to give my all.
“I feel Like I came up short before because my mind wasn’t 100% there. I’ll be damned if I make that mistake again.
“I need to make some changes for the better instead of worrying about other people’s feelings and pleasing them. When In all reality, I have nothing to prove to nobody.”
Uncertain future
At the time, Broner was unsure if he’d step between the ropes again.
“I’m a four-time world champion in four different weight classes. If I never lace up a pair of gloves again, I feel like it’s safe to say I will be inducted into the Boxing Hall Of Fame.
“So I must step back and overcome this obstacle before I put my life on the line inside the square circle again.
“I know I’m far from being finished with the sport. See you all soon.”
WBN can report that Broner is back in the gym with trainer Kevin Cunningham. He’s got belly fat to lose, but nothing that another ten-week camp focused on the sport couldn’t fix.
At 33, Broner is approaching another two years out of action. His last win came against Jovanie Santiago in February 2021.
Gone are the days when Broner fought battles with Manny Pacquiao, Shawn Porter, Mikey Garcia, and Marcos Maidana and graced venues like the MGM Grand Garden Arena and Barclays Center.
However, the latter of those four is interested in an exhibition if Broner does decide to walk away soon.
Showtime dates
For now, he’s still signed to promoters PBC and should still be able to get main event bouts on Showtime due to his exploits in winning world titles in four weight divisions.
Broner may have some work to do regarding his reputation with the fans. Especially when Figueroa claimed he saw videos of Broner partying in the weeks before he pulled out of the fight before using an excuse.
Figueroa stated: “We have seen some video of him. It hasn’t been hard to find. So we know more or less what to expect.
“I have no problem with Broner not taking the fight because of mental health. I’m trying to advocate and get more people to take care of their mental health.
“But for him to use it as a cop-out annoyed me.
“All the troubles with camp and dealing with the weight cut and all that camp entails, I was hoping to take it out on Broner.
“I’ve been a fighter for 27 years now, and the sport hasn’t always been the nicest to me.
“We all know about my mental health struggles, but I got to enjoy training camp for the first time. I got to enjoy dealing with all that a training camp provides.
“With anyone struggling with mental health, the most important thing is to reach out to a friend or neighbor and know that you’re not alone. Life’s not easy.
“It’s a constant struggle and an everyday battle. We must stay strong, rely on each other, and have each other’s back.
“Just love each other, and that’s the best we can do.”
Figueroa ended up facing replacement boxer and former belt holder Sergey Lipinets. He went down to a defeat and retired on his stool following a barrage of punches.
Adrien Broner struggling
A few days ago, though, Broner went public with his struggle again on social media. The Cincinnati native said he feels like he’s “destroying himself” with extracurricular activities.
“I’m not going to lie. This battle I am going through is not just mental health,” explained Broner.
“I can admit I have many problems and vices. I feel like I’m destroying myself at times.
“It’s going to take a lot to fix, but I’m not going to stop trying to make my next day better than my last day.
“I won’t let the past dictate my future. I will be back as a champion again.
“A lot of people with the same problems I have will go seek help from professionals.
“I understand that the only one who can fix my problems is me. God got a plan for me. I’m really one of the special ones in this world.”
A comeback is again on the cards for Adrien Broner as he works towards title fights.
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