Bad Left Hook - Results: Broner overwhelms Rees; Bika, Cherry, Hopkins win on undercardGlobal Boxing News and Commentaryhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47131/backingthepack-fave.png2013-02-18T05:09:05-05:00http://www.badlefthook.com/rss/stream/37587272013-02-18T05:09:05-05:002013-02-18T05:09:05-05:00Rees: 'Broner is too good for Burns'
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<p>Gavin Rees has a warning for Ricky Burns: Stay clear of Adrien Broner.</p> <p>Speaking from painful experience via a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.badlefthook.com/2013/2/17/3997402/broner-vs-rees-results-adrien-broner-stops-gavin-rees-five-rounds-hbo-boxing-news">TKO loss to Adrien Broner</a> and having sparred in the past with Ricky Burns, Gavin Rees says that he can't see a way for Burns to beat Broner if that fight ever does happen.</p>
<p>From <a target="_blank" href="http://www.espn.co.uk/boxing/sport/story/193677.html">ESPN UK</a>:</p>
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<p>"To be honest, I can't see Ricky getting close to beating him. It pains me to say this, but Broner's too good. His hands are so fast that Ricky won't even see the punches coming. He also hits extremely hard. He has phenomenal power for a lightweight. Broner is far and away the best I've been in with. He really is something. No-one has ever treated me like that in the ring. I've sparred with Ricky. Sorry, I can't see him handling this boy."</p>
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<p>Rees (37-2-1, 18 KO) had a good start on Saturday, surprising many with his hand speed and ability to land punches on Broner (26-0, 22 KO) in the first two rounds, but once "The Problem" turned his engine up, it was a completely one-sided fight, with trainer <a target="_blank" href="http://www.boxingscene.com/gary-lockett-admits-i-considered-stopping-three--62461">Gary Lockett saying</a> he wanted to stop the fight after both the third and fourth rounds, before pulling the plug as Broner unloaded upon Rees in the fifth.</p>
<p>Burns (35-2, 10 KO) will attempt to unify his WBO lightweight title with the IBF belt when he <a target="_blank" href="http://www.badlefthook.com/burns-vs-vazquez-fight-time-live-stream-full-coverage">faces fellow titlist Miguel Vazquez on March 16 in London</a>. Broner, who holds the WBC title, said after Saturday's fight <a target="_blank" href="http://www.badlefthook.com/2013/2/17/3997624/adrien-broner-discusses-gamboa-rios-burns-staying-lightweight-hbo-boxing-news">he's pulling for Burns and hoping to face him</a>.</p>
https://www.badlefthook.com/2013/2/18/4000370/gavin-rees-adrien-broner-too-good-ricky-burns-boxing-newsScott Christ2013-02-17T05:59:41-05:002013-02-17T05:59:41-05:00Broner talks Gamboa, Rios, Burns
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<p>Adrien Broner blasted Gavin Rees last night in Atlantic City, and was hit with post-fight questions about facing the likes of Ricky Burns, Yuriorkis Gamboa, and Brandon Rios.</p> <p>Following last night's <a target="_blank" href="http://www.badlefthook.com/2013/2/17/3997402/broner-vs-rees-results-adrien-broner-stops-gavin-rees-five-rounds-hbo-boxing-news">stoppage of Gavin Rees</a>, one of the big questions, of course, is what Adrien Broner will do next. The 23-year-old WBC lightweight champ wasn't shy about saying he's looking for the most money he can find, but did address post-fight press conference questions about Ricky Burns, Yuriorkis Gamboa, and Brandon Rios.</p>
<p>Broner (26-0, 22 KO) seemed most interested in Burns, a fighter he was signed to face in 2011 before that fell through, and recently negotiated with, which also didn't happen.</p>
<p>"We're gonna see if Ricky Burns. I'm pulling for Ricky Burns," he said. "I hope he wins. I'm praying that he wins. We'll just see what happens in his fight, and we'll go from there."</p>
<p>Gamboa has been another potential opponent discussed in recent weeks. The Cuban moved up to lightweight in December, coming back from a long layoff to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.badlefthook.com/2012/12/9/3745716/pacquiao-vs-marquez-iv-results-gamboa-survives-farenas-50-cent-live-stream-hbo-boxing-news">get past Michael Farenas</a> on the Pacquiao-Marquez IV undercard. Though Gamboa wasn't particularly impressive that night, his new promoter 50 Cent <a target="_blank" href="http://www.badlefthook.com/2012/12/9/3748730/yuriorkis-gamboa-next-fight-adrien-broner-50-cent-interview-mayweather-vs-pacquiao-boxing-news">called out Broner after the fight</a>.</p>
<p>Broner, though, has taken issue with a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.badlefthook.com/2013/1/29/3928426/yuriorkis-gamboa-miami-athletes-linked-miami-drug-clinic">recent report that named Gamboa as a client</a> of a Miami clinic that supplied athletes with performance-enhancing drugs, and brushed off a question about fighting him.</p>
<p>"Yuriorkis Gamboa is fighting on PEDs," Broner said. "He's on PEDs. I don't wanna hear about Yuriorkis Gamboa. Tell him to go get his piss clean, and then he can come talk to Adrien Broner. Other than that, he's done."</p>
<p>As for the popular brawler Rios, Broner acknowledged without saying it that a fight with the Top Rank star is next to impossible to make. "I've said it. If Brandon Rios wants to fight me, we can fight. I don't pick my fights, I fight whoever they put in front of me."</p>
<p>There are already anxious calls for Broner to move up to the 140-pound division, but he's not exactly chomping at the bit to do so, and says he's staying at lightweight for the time being.</p>
<p>"As long as HBO keeps paying me to fight these lightweighs, man. I've never been on a farm but I'm milking the cow real good."</p>
https://www.badlefthook.com/2013/2/17/3997624/adrien-broner-discusses-gamboa-rios-burns-staying-lightweight-hbo-boxing-newsScott Christ2013-02-17T00:28:29-05:002013-02-17T00:28:29-05:00Results: Broner hammers Rees in five
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<p>Adrien Broner successfully defended his WBC lightweight title tonight, physically overwhelming Gavin Rees in the HBO main event from Boardwalk Hall.</p> <p>Adrien Broner did pretty much as expected tonight, rolling through a determined Gavin Rees and scoring a fifth round corner stoppage victory that came when Rees' trainer Gary Lockett waved the towel as Broner hammered away on the underdog.</p>
<p>Broner (26-0, 22 KO) lost the first round for sure, and probably the second, too, as Rees (37-2-1, 18 KO) had a nice game plan and attacked well, landing frequent shots on Broner, but finding he was unable to do any significant damage. Once Broner got his timing down and turned the engine on, it was one-way traffic, as the Cincinnati fighter completely took over the bout. Rees went down in the fourth round on a right uppercut, and again in the fight on a left to the body.</p>
<p>Lockett actually tried to stop the fight after the fourth, but Rees wouldn't allow it. Out for the fifth, the sailing was just as tough for Rees, who simply could no longer find any success. Broner was simply too big, too strong, and too good, as the script dictated he would be.</p>
<p>It's a solid win over a world-ranked fighter for Broner, but there will still be the calls for him to find someone challenging to fight. Yes, Broner was the obvious massive favorite over Rees, and it played out as was expected. But the question is, is there really anyone at 135 pounds who can actually challenge Broner? Antonio DeMarco couldn't. Gavin Rees couldn't. These were top five, top 10 guys in the weight class. Should we demand that a maturing 23-year-old fighter rocket up in weight as quickly as possible?</p>
https://www.badlefthook.com/2013/2/17/3997402/broner-vs-rees-results-adrien-broner-stops-gavin-rees-five-rounds-hbo-boxing-newsScott Christ2013-02-16T23:43:03-05:002013-02-16T23:43:03-05:00Results: Bika outclasses Sjekloca
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<p>Sakio Bika earned a potential rematch with Andre Ward tonight in Atlantic City, rather easily defeating previously unbeaten Nikola Sjekloca in a WBC super middleweight eliminator.</p> <p>Sakio Bika was expected by most to win over Nikola Sjekloca, an unbeaten fighter with a soft record coming into tonight's fight in Atlantic City, but few expected it to be a 12-round showcase performance from the Cameroonian veteran, who outpointed Sjekloca on scores of 120-108, 119-109, and 118-112. BLH had it 120-108 for Bika.</p>
<p>The win gives Bika (31-5-2, 21 KO) a possible rematch with WBC super middleweight champ Andre Ward. Ward beat Bika in 2010, but it was as competitive and rough a night as Ward has had as a pro, and a rematch wouldn't really be any worse than just about anything else Ward might do if he stays at 168 pounds upon his return from shoulder surgery.</p>
<p>Sjekloca (25-1, 7 KO) was overpowered by Bika, which most expected, but Sakio's work with trainer Kevin Cunningham has apparently been geared around settling his more savage instincts, as the crazed BIKA SMASH! parts of his game seem to be gone, replaced by a more technical approach. Or maybe, as HBO's Jim Lampley put it at one point, Sjekloca was so slow that he made Bika look like a technical puncher.</p>
<p>Adrien Broner faces Gavin Rees next in the night's main event. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.badlefthook.com/2013/2/16/3996664/broner-vs-rees-live-results-coverage-round-by-round-stream-hbo-boxing-news">Join us!</a></p>
https://www.badlefthook.com/2013/2/16/3997332/broner-vs-rees-results-sakio-bika-outclasses-nikola-sjekloca-wbc-eliminator-boxing-newsScott Christ2013-02-16T22:29:32-05:002013-02-16T22:29:32-05:00Results: Cherry, Hopkins win on AC undercard
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<p>Edner Cherry stopped Vicente Escobedo in six, and Demetrius Hopkins dominated Charles Whittaker over six rounds on the Broner-Rees undercard tonight in Atlantic City.</p> <p>Edner Cherry and Demetrius Hopkins were winners on the Broner-Rees undercard tonight in Atlantic City, along with 2012 Olympians Rau'Shee Warren and Jamel Herring, and Cincinnati's Robert Easter.</p>
<p>Cherry (31-6-2, 17 KO) stopped Escobedo in the sixth round, on the third knockdown of the fight and second of the frame. Escobedo (26-5, 15 KO) also went down early in the bout, and this loss really takes him out of the equation at 130 pounds. Losing to an oversized Adrien Broner last year was one thing, but this is a much more significant letdown for the California fighter. At 31, Escobedo probably would have become a serious contender by now if he was going to do so. It hasn't happened.</p>
<p>Demetrius Hopkins (33-2-1, 13 KO) also won, beating Charles Whittaker when the 39-year-old veteran's corner stopped the fight after six lousy rounds that had the AC crowd jeering consistently, with the official reason that Whittaker (39-14-2, 23 KO) couldn't see. Hopkins scored a knockdown in the fourth round, but never really came close to finishing the fight, though he was able to dominate mostly with his jab.</p>
<p>Warren (3-0, 1 KO) scored the first stoppage win of his young pro career, beating Richard Hernandez, who fell to 0-6. Herring (2-0, 1 KO) beat Carlos Lopez in three, and Broner's pal Easter improved to 3-0 (3 KO).</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.badlefthook.com/2013/2/16/3996664/broner-vs-rees-live-results-coverage-round-by-round-stream-hbo-boxing-news">Stick with us for continuing coverage</a>, with the HBO doubleheader starting in moments.</p>
https://www.badlefthook.com/2013/2/16/3997076/broner-vs-rees-results-edner-cherry-demetrius-hopkins-score-undercardScott Christ2013-02-16T19:04:28-05:002013-02-16T19:04:28-05:00Broner-Rees: Live results and discussion
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<p>Adrien Broner defends his WBC lightweight title tonight against Gavin Rees, while Sakio Bika and Nikola Sjekloca are in the super middleweight co-feature on HBO.</p> <p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
https://www.badlefthook.com/2013/2/16/3996664/broner-vs-rees-live-results-coverage-round-by-round-stream-hbo-boxing-newsScott Christ2013-02-16T16:08:00-05:002013-02-16T16:08:00-05:00Betting preview: Broner-Rees
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<p>Adrien Broner is an incredibly wide favorite tonight against Gavin Rees, who is being given little to no chance by oddsmakers.</p> <p>What do you get when you pit two fighters together, when one of the two is significantly quicker, stronger, considerably taller, younger, and technically superior? One who, both on paper and to all observers - educated or otherwise - would appear to hold all the aces in every possible way? That's right - it's this weekend's HBO main event!</p>
<p>It's also, in betting terms, a recipe for a 50-to-1 favourite, which is precisely what Adrien Broner (25-0, 21 KOs) is at the time of writing across a number of books going into the first defense of his WBC lightweight title against Gavin Rees (37-1-1, 18 KOs). There's been a little bit of jostling among the layers - at least those in the UK and Europe - throughout the week and Broner, from a general opening 1/33 (-3300) is likely to go at 1/20 with a clutch of marginally-more-adventurous firms at the first bell.</p>
<p>Conventional wisdom suggests it probably won't matter all that much. Here's the conundrum: Gavin Rees is pretty much qualified to be here or, at least, in the position of a title challenger at 135lbs. It's just that, from what we've seen of the man in the opposite corner, the Welshman - an excellent pressure fighter, a man with a tremendous in-ring work ethic and heart, and a former WBA beltholder at 140 - looks out of his depth. Rees, a massive 15-1 underdog here - last seen in this column getting the job done inside the distance against the capable Derry Mathews - would attract money from backers against those also at the top of the division. There's little doubt he would see support in the market - even at a significantly shorter price - were he paired against the previous incumbent of Broner's strap, Antonio DeMarco. He'd likely be a shorter price again should an all-British clash with WBO titlist Ricky Burns be made. The difference here is that this match-up offers not only a large disparity in natural talent, but also a pairing of styles that would appear to present Rees with a challenge so big that it appears to be insurmountable. Certainly, in major fights alone, should Rees pull the unthinkable, it's arguable that there would have been no bigger upset since Sonny Boy Jaro's shocker over Pongsaklek Wonjongkam, BLH's upset of the year for 2012.</p>
<p>The Newport native, a legitimate top-ten lightweight, would appear to have been chosen, in part, because he simply has the aggressive kind of style to make Adrien Broner look good. It may turn out that he looks even better than that. The only name on Broner's ledger we've seen him struggle with so far is Daniel Ponce de Leon and, looking at the names at lightweight, it'd really appear that only Miguel Vazquez or, perhaps, Richard Abril could present him with the same kind of awkwardness. Rees is as far removed from those cuter, more cautious operators as it's possible to get. In the same way we saw DeMarco's somewhat baffling tactic of standing largely stationary in front of Broner for the duration backfire spectacularly, Rees' likely busy, come-forward work may ultimately end up being little more than an annoyance to the Cincinnati man. It's for this reason that, remarkably, a Broner stoppage win is priced up as short as -1400, although as big - using that word in the loosest possible sense in this context - as -600 or thereabouts in places.</p>
<p>In truth, it's difficult to imagine a scenario here that would result in the Rees upset. As if he didn't have enough piled against him, he is, of course, the away fighter, and against the more polished, slicker Broner, it seems hugely unlikely that he'd emerge victorious should he attempt to outbox him in the hope of landing a win on the cards. Putting his threats of a knockout aside, Rees, you'd imagine, will attempt to bank the rounds - particularly in the early part of the fight - on sheer activity alone. Could he sustain any early success for the full twelve rounds? The huge +3400 for a Rees decision suggests it's highly unlikely. In short, it would appear Rees has the classic puncher's chance. 18 stoppages in 37 wins - although, it must be noted, four from the last six against largely quality European and domestic-level opposition - doesn't inspire much confidence either, particularly with Rees being a fighter who favours going to the body. Against Broner's tightly-held guard - whichever way you slice this, it's a huge, huge ask.</p>
<p>Instead, there's more appeal in looking at alternative angles to side with the landslide favourite, given that neither the outright odds or indeed straight KO can be backed. Broner, in search of a sixth straight stoppage win, a sequence that began with that first-round demolition of Jason Litzau, has gone more than eight rounds only once in his career, in that contentious decision nod over Ponce de Leon. It's a best-priced -200 that this fight goes more than that again on the over/under 8.5 line, but the stats give enough credence to a bolder selection. In the five-KO streak currently enjoyed by Broner, the average duration of of each fight comes to just 4.2 rounds. Looking back further still, in all 21 of Broner's stoppage wins, the mean round total comes to just 2.9. He is, if there was any lingering doubt, not a man who likes to hang around for longer than is necessary. Using the numbers alone, some more interesting markets come into play: the unders at 4.5 can be backed at +200; 3.5 at +333, and 2.5 at +550. All of which, crucially, fit the brackets already mentioned, and those looking to side with the Broner stoppage could do worse than back what has been a fairly solid trend to continue. The most attractive play at a slightly shorter price, however, is the Broner win anywhere from rounds 1-6 inclusive, at a shade at under even money. With 20 of his 21 stoppages fitting the same description - DeMarco being the lone exception - the numbers, like everything else would appear stacked against the Welshman.</p>
<p><b>Elsewhere...</b></p>
<p>Vicente Escobedo, last seen being manhandled by an oversized Broner, is favoured at -333 to see off Edner Cherry (+275). In the chief support to the main event, there's another heavy favourite, with Sakio Bika, at best, a -800 shot over Nikola Sjekloca (+600).</p>
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https://www.badlefthook.com/2013/2/16/3996188/broner-vs-rees-betting-preview-adrien-broner-enormous-favorite-oddsTom Craze