Confident that Adrien Broner will take another world title in the future, legendary boxing promoter Don King supports him to defeat Bill Hutchinson in their 10-round welterweight bout.
King says Broner’s fight with Hutchinson – which will be streamed live on FITE TV Friday night – will be one of “the most exciting and provocative fights” in history due to the speed of The Problem.
The legendary promoter has also said that Broner’s return to boxing will inspire the next generation of athletes given the controversies the 33-year-old has had to overcome outside the ring.
King – who is known for his own string of controversies – told Mail Sport how he opened up to Broner about his own issues to offer advice and guidance for the former four-division champion.
When asked what fans can expect from Broner later in the evening, King told Mail Sport: “You can expect one of the most exciting and provocative fights you’ve ever seen in your life. This man is a problem. He is a problem for his opponents.
Adrien Broner has been out of the ring since beating Jovanie Santiago over two years ago
“He’s also a big deal because he’s so fast. Your hands can’t touch what your eyes can’t see. Your eyes should always be able to see a place to hit. They have to pick a spot and then you can go at it with a left hook, right hand, jab or whatever they want.
“But if they can’t see it because you’re too fast and they don’t know where it is, then it’s like boom.” He’ll be great if he can show that tonight. He is a four-time world champion and only 24 years old.
‘Those four world titles are all in distinctive categories. It’s a remarkable record. It all speaks for itself. You don’t have to brag; you do not have to do anything. The record speaks loud and clear.’
King ended by saying, “If he can handle the occasion, it will be great.” I want all fans in the UK to tune in as it will be an eye opener. It’s going to be a new day and that’s why we called it ‘return to glory’.’
Broner parted ways with Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions and signed a deal with streaming service BLK Prime. However, his comeback fight on BLK Prime fell through the cracks.
That’s why Broner – who has been out of the ring since beating Jovanie Santiago on February 20, 2021 – decided to team up with “the biggest boxing promoter in the world” to bring “exciting fights” to the people.
But King revealed how people in the boxing world told him not to sign Broner because of his storied past. They said the 33-year-old King would bring “nothing but trouble.”
However, King knew all about Broner’s past and said it was one of the reasons he actually signed the American. King said Broner’s ability to turn his life around could “inspire” the next generation of boxers.
The four-division former champion has been dogged by controversy throughout his career
He told Mail Sport: ‘My middle name is trouble too. People came up to me and said don’t help him. Don’t do anything to him. They said he can’t do this, he can’t do that. They said he will only bring you trouble.
“I said okay, but I know what this young man has done. If he can recapture the years gone by and bring them to the floor tonight, he’ll be super sensational. It shows everyone what people are capable of, even if people say you can’t.’
King concluded by saying, “It gives the young people and the people who follow you a lot of hope and a chance to say yes, I can do this.”
Broner came under fire leading up to his fight with Paulie Malignaggi in June 2013. Broner made history by jumping two weight divisions and defeating Malignaggi via split decision for the WBA welterweight belt.
It was a bold move that exemplified Broner’s ironclad confidence and the win in New York gave him a world title in his third weight class at just 23 years old.
However, Broner’s impressive performance was marred by the dirty talk – from both sides – leading up to the fight. It ended in a personal shouting match and they dragged girlfriends and ex-girlfriends into the fight.
Broner also made headlines for the wrong reason after being charged with misdemeanor and aggravated robbery in 2016. However, the alleged victim and key witness failed to show up at the Hamilton County Courthouse in Ohio. Therefore, the case was dismissed.
None of the aforementioned troubled King – who has been involved in numerous controversies over the course of his life. Instead, he has used his own experiences to advise Broner.
King told Mail Sport: “I have [shared my experiences with Broner]. We both graduated from the same school. It’s the school of hard knocks and broken dreams.
Promoter Don King revealed how people in the boxing world told him not to sign Broner
“I know I graduated cum laude and he still has a few degrees to go, but the point is that Muhammed Ali taught me that the most important thing is the people. So I promote the people.
The fighters are the most important. Boxing is a platform that I use to promote the people. I am by the people and for the people.’
King hopes the Broner’s fight – which will be broadcast live on FITE TV – will help Broner reconnect with the fans.
Click here to watch Adrien Broner vs Bill Hutchinson live on FITE TV