The new generation has arrived. Tribute to the future P4P contender Adrien "Da Problem" Broner 24(20 ko) - 0 - 0
Broner, Mitchell, possibly Thurman in Atlantic City on Oct. 6
by Lem Satterfield
Jul 25th, 2012
Unbeaten heavyweight prospect Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell, former WBO junior lightweight beltholder Adrien Broner, and potentially undefeated welterweight puncher Keith Thurman, could all be on the same card on Oct. 6 from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, according to Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer.
Broner (24-0, 20 knockouts) and Thurman (18-0, 17 KOs), of Clearwater, Fla., are coming off HBO-televised knockout victories this past Saturday over Vicente Escobedo and Orlando Lora at U.S. Bank Arena in Broner's hometown of Cincinnati, respectively.
Mitchell (25-0-1, 19 KOs), of Gwynn Park, Md., will be facing Johnathon Banks (28-1-1, 18 KOs), with whom he had been forced out of scheduled July 14 bout as a result of having strained his right hand.
"We will be back on Oct. 6 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, and it will be a double-header that will include Adrien Broner. Our matchmakers are currently looking at opponents for him. You will also have Seth Mitchell against Johnathon Banks," said Schaefer.
"We're going to see if we can make it a triple-header and add Keith Thurman as well. With Broner, Mitchell and Thurman, you have three of the most promising fighters from here in the United States. They're all ready and willing to fight all comers."
altBroner's was his fourth straight stoppage win, but it was not without controversy.
For before even entering the ring against Escobedo, Broner lost his WBO belt at the scales for missing the contracted weight of 130 pounds both the day prior to the fight and during a Saturday morning re-weigh.
Although opponents have yet to be determined for either Thurman of Broner, Broner called out WBC lightweight beltholder Antonio DeMarco of Tijuana, Mexico, as well as four-division beltwinner Juan Manuel Marquez, of Mexico City, and former lightweight titleholder Brandon Rios.
DeMarco (27-2-1, 20 KOs) seems unlikely, since he has a scheduled third defense against rugged John Molina (24-1, 19 KOs) of Covina, Calif., on the undercard of a main event featuring RING light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson and RING super middleweight champion Andre Ward Sept. 8 on HBO.
It is also unlikely that Broner could face WBO lightweight beltholder Ricky Burns (34-2, 9 KOs), of Scotland, who has a defense opposite Kevin Mitchell (33-1, 24 KOs), of England, on Sept. 22.
Thurman came up with his seventh straight knockout against Lora, whom he dropped, and then, stopped at the 1:37 of the sixth round. Thurman called out WBO and WBA beltholders Timothy Bradley and Paulie Malignaggi as well as WBC titleholder Floyd Mayweather Jr., who is also the WBA's junior middleweight titleholder.
Lora's last loss was by unanimous decision to Malignaggi in October of last year.
"Keith Thurman, you heard what [HBO's] Jim Lampley said after the fight, and that was that, 'we want to see him again.' That's the sentiment that we've heard from many fight fans," said Schaefer.
"He's another guy who is charismatic and he backs it up with his fists, like Adrien Broner. Seth Mitchell is not a talker like Adrien Broner, but he certainly is a puncher and he's going to bring the excitement factor in the ring. To have them on one card in Atlantic City is something that I'm sure fight fans will look forward to."