Tonight at 10:30 pm EST, HBO has a doubleheader from Atlantic City, with WBC lightweight champion Adrien Broner making his first defense against Gavin Rees in the main event, and Sakio Bika facing Nikola Sjekloca in a WBC super middleweight eliminator.
Broner (25-0, 21 KO) is a huge betting favorite, and went 5-for-5 in our staff picks. Few really believe Rees (37-1-1, 18 KO) has the necessary physical tools to be any real challenge for "The Problem," but Rees is a former world titlist at 140 pounds, and a former European and British champ at lightweight. He's a good fighter, recognized in the top ten worldwide, and as credible as anyone who was willing or available to take this date.
Bika (30-5-2, 21 KO) is a former Contender winner, but more important than that, a legit contender at 168 pounds who gave Andre Ward a pretty difficult night in 2010, the toughest battle of Ward's pro career. Sjekloca (25-0, 7 KO) beat Koren Gevor in 2011, which was by far his best win.
We'll have live coverage and immediate post-fight results as always, so join us tonight for just the second HBO card of 2013, as the boxing schedule just now starts to pick up for the new year.