Adrien Broner is on a quest to become a five-time world champion. Next month, he’ll continue that mission—and he’ll do so in his own backyard.
Adrien Broner fires an uppercut at Shawn Porter during their June 2015 fight. Broner dropped a unanimous decision, but has rebounded with consecutive wins heading into his February 18 bout against Adrian Granados. (Lucas Noonan/Premier Boxing Champions)
A onetime champion at 130, 135, 140 and 147 pounds, Adrien Broner will end the longest layoff of his distinguished career February 18 when he battles veteran Adrian Granados in a 10-round clash. The 147-pound bout headlines a card from the Cintas Center in Broner’s lifelong home of Cincinnati (Showtime, 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT).
Broner, 27, will be returning to action for the first time since April 1, when he scored a ninth-round stoppage of Ashley Theophane in Washington, D.C. That contest was supposed to be Broner’s first defense of his 140-pound world title, but “The Problem” lost his crown on the scales when he failed to make weight.
Meanwhile, Granados will come into this bout riding a five-fight winning streak, including a surprising eighth-round TKO of undefeated Amir Imam in November 2015.
“I’m back at home and excited to get back in the ring,” Broner said. “I’m ready to fight. The boxing game isn’t the same without me.
“Granados is a solid guy who beat someone that no one thought he would beat. I know him well, and I know there’s no doubt he’ll be ready to fight.”
Broner will be gunning for his third straight victory since dropping a unanimous decision to Shawn Porter in June 2015. Prior to stopping Theophane, the 27-year-old Cincinnati native earned a 12th-round TKO of Khabib Allakhverdiev in a fight for a vacant 140-pound world title.
It’s the first time Broner has knocked out consecutive opponents since a six-fight stoppage streak from June 2011 to February 2013.
As for Granados, he followed his upset of Imam with an eight-round unanimous decision over Ariel Vasquez in his most recent fight on July 16 in Phoenix. It was his fifth straight victory since consecutive narrow losses to unbeaten opponents Felix Diaz (10-round majority decision, November 2014) and Brad Solomon (10-round split decision, May 2015).
Granados has previously faced one former world champion: In March 2013, the 27-year-old Illinois native battled former 147-pound titleholder Kermit Cintron to a 10-round split draw.
Not only will Granados be battling his most decorated opponent to date, he’ll have to do so on that opponent’s home turf: Broner is 13-0 with one no contest in 14 career fights in Cincinnati.
Granados recognizes the challenge in front of him, but insists he’s ready to meet it head-on.
“I’m fully prepared to go to war with Adrien Broner on February 18,” said Granados, whose last three defeats have come against opponents with a combined 49-0 record. “I’m very thankful to Tom Brown of TGB promotions and my manager Andy Zak for helping me get this big opportunity on Showtime. I’m training hard, and I will come out victorious on fight night.”
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