It was only the second time Adrien Broner fought in a Lightweight bout, but already it seems this division and this title (WBC) are too small for his abilities and aspirations. Gavin Rees, a tested journeyman without much left in the tank, was simply way out of his league against the champion, and it doesn’t seem to feel anyone in the division is.
Broner himself says he’s not ready. He won his first major belt, the WBO Super Featherweight, only 14 months ago. Since then he retained the title, lost it on the scale but winning the fight and moved on to beat Antonio DeMarco three months ago to begin his reign in the 135-pound weight class. Broner doesn’t talk about cleaning up the division, but it seems he’s probably not quite sure he’s going to dominate as easliy in the Light-Welterweight class, a much deeper division, without at least one more fight at Lightweight.
No one to fight? Only one name comes to mind – Ricky Burns, the Scottish WBO Lightweight champion, who preferred moving up a division instead of fighting Broner not too long ago. Burns himself is facing a unification fight against Miguel Vazquez next month. If he wins, Broner would love to get a chance at cleaning up the division and beating Burns. His next goal is Juan Manuel Marquez, moving up and down the weight classes in recent years, but his true legend has been made at Lightweight. Maybe they’ll meet in some sort of middle ground.
He kept coming through every shot like it was his best shot. I knew he would hang. He’s a world-class fighter. “When you have two world-class fighters going toe-to-toe, it’s going to be a fight. He’s tougher than a steak that’s well done.
Broner didn’t disrespect the older Rees, depite knocking him out in the fifth, in a fight that should have been over way before according to Rees’ trainer. The first round was quiet, but things got heated in the second round. Broner hurt Rees with a big right hand, Rees took a chance when Broner wasn’t looking and clipped him back. But when it came to trading shots, the size, speed and strength advantage were all on Broner’s side. In the third, it was a few combinations while Rees was on the ropes that did the damage, setting the tone for the next couple of rounds.
Broner scored his first knockdown in the fourth, and Rees was never the same after getting up. He needed to take a knee after a huge shot to his liver early in the fifth, afterwards the fight was over. His trainer waves the white towel, and Broner was free to start celebrating another impressive win, in a division that really doesn’t hold much for him anymore.