Is Adrien Broner Willing To Die In the Ring?

Adrien Broner has passed the “trust, but verify” stage, from a fan and pundit standpoint.

It would not be wise, at this point, to take AB at his word. His walk hasn’t matched his talk in too long, so at this stage, it’s simply wiser to wait and see how things play out with the talented but troubled boxer.

So, when he says as he did at the final presser to hype his Saturday bout against Jovanie Santiago of Puerto Rico on Showtime that, “I’m just ready to put it all on the line. I don’t know how he feels, but I’m willing to die in the ring,” it goes in one ear and out the other for me.

Show, don’t tell, they used to tell young journalists in training. That goes for Adrien Broner now.

No one should be surprised if Adrien Broner plays it cautious and gets a boring win. Amanda Westcott photo

“I’m willing to put my life on the line,” said the prize-fighter, who seems to be coming closer to running out of chances, perhaps more from the perspective of law enforcement than TV programmers. “I don’t know how far he’s willing to go. He might start thinking about his kids, grandkids, aunts, nieces, I don’t know.”

Brian Custer presided over the presser, which featured the other fighters who will be on a stage, up against Top Rank on ESPN, which has a much anticipated 130 pound all-Mexican showdown for consumption.

Adrien Broner comes in with a 33-4-1, 24 KOs mark while Santiago (14-0-1, 10 KOs) is seen by most as not having enough skills to hang with AB in a 12-round welterweight bout. (Click here, for a great Q n A Jacob Rodriguez did with Santiago.)

Show of hands–who thinks Santiago scores the upset? (Amanda Westcott photo)

“I went through a lot of things, honestly,” Adrien Broner told him. “One day, I just woke and said, ‘I’m done.’ In order to change, you’ve got to make change or you’ll steady get caught up doing the same thing. I cut a lot of stuff, I stopped doing a lot of stuff and I got myself together. It was a long road to get to where I’m at today and now I’m here.”

As are we. And we are curious to see if his walk matches his talk. It didn’t in making 140, which was the plan. And if he just does enough to get the W, post-shots and evades, and snags an un-exciting decision over Santiago, don’t say you weren’t warned.

SHOWTIME kicks off Saturday night at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

Former heavyweight world title challenger Dominic Breazeale and Otto Wallin (above, in Amanda Westcott photo) will square off in the 12-round co-feature of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast, and former world champion Robert Easter Jr. and contender Ryan Martin who will meet in a 12-round super lightweight bout to open the telecast. The event is promoted by TGB Promotions. Breazeale vs. Wallin is promoted in association with Salita Promotions.