According to a father's Facebook post, Adrien Broner has just lost his THIRD opponent for a February 25th comeback fight. Broner's original opponent Ivan Redkach dropped out due to a promotional dispute. Then Hank Lundy came and went. Michael Williams, Jr. was brought in to replace Lundy, but Wiilliams' father and co-trainer Michael Sr. has just posted this: "First things first.. Roy Jones Jr. is no longer one of my son's trainers. Second, I am so sorry to announce that my son will not be fighting AB [Broner on] February 25th due to an unnecessary injury in training camp. Hopefully the fight will be postponed. I’m sorry." The post was accompanied by a photo of a medical form indicating that Williams Jr. has suffered bilateral mandibular (jaw) fractures earlier this week.
PRIOR BOXINGTALK COVERAGE
JAN. 27, 2023: BLK Prime announced former four-division world champion, Adrien Broner (pictured, 34-4-1, 24 KOs) will now battle Michael Williams Jr. (20-1, 13 KOs) in a ten-round welterweight clash at the Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia on February 25th. Williams replaces previous opponent Hank Lundy, who is suspended by the California Athletic Commission. Lundy had replaced original opponent Ivan Redkach, who is in a dispute with his promoter. Tickets for Broner-Williams will go on sale today Friday, January 27th at 12:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT at ticketmaster.com. This event is promoted by Christy Martin Promotions and BLK Prime. Broner vs. Williams Jr. will broadcast worldwide via pay-per-view beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. A live preshow starts at 7 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT.
"I'm excited to get back in the ring and show the world that I'm still one of the best fighters in the sport,” said Broner, who has a new outlook on his boxing career. “Williams Jr. is a tough opponent, but I'm ready for the challenge, and I'm going to put on a show for the fans in Atlanta. It’s the AB show on BLK Prime.”
"I've been preparing for a moment like this for a long time, and I'm ready to take on Broner,” stated Williams Jr. “I’m going to take full advantage of this opportunity, and show everyone watching on BLK Prime that they didn’t make mistake by choosing me to challenge Broner. I have nothing to lose and I’m going all out on fight night 150%.”
JAN. 17, 2023: Due to circumstances out of the control of BLK Prime, Ivan Redkach (23-6-1, 18 KOs), who was intended to fight Adrien Broner (34-4-1, 24 KOs) in a ten-round welterweight main event on February 25th, will now be replaced with “Hammerin” Hank Lundy (31-12-1, 14 KOs). [Editor's note: Promoter Joe DeGuardia is reportedly holding up Redkach's participation. Meanwhile, Lundy has a fight on the books for Feb. 4th against Ernesto "Tito" Mercado (8-0, 8 KOs) in California. We shall see if that presents another obstacle to Broner's return]. Broner vs. Lundy, taking place at the Gateway Center in Atlanta, Georgia, will broadcast worldwide on BLK pay-per-view for $39.99. More details, including ticket sales and undercard bouts, will be announced at a later date. Broner vs. Lundy promises to be an action-packed matchup between two battle-tested warriors. Broner, the former four-weight world champion and Cincinnati native, has established himself as one of the sport's most exciting and dynamic fighters today. He captured world titles in four weight classes and is known for his bold and confident style.
“I’m glad they found a worthy replacement in Hank Lundy,” said Broner, from his training camp in South Florida. “Unfortunately, Redkach had to pull out, but I’m ready for whoever they put in front of me. This is the AB show and I’m on a mission to bust up everyone in my way. Hank Lundy is in trouble. I’m going to put a beating on him.”
DEC. 13, 2022: This past Saturday, BLK Prime announced that former four-division world champion Adrien Broner (34-4-1, 24 KOs) will be returning to the ring to face Ivan Redkach (23-6-1, 18 KOs) in a welterweight match-up. The scheduled ten-round bout, promoted by Christy Martin Promotions, is slated for February. A fight date and location will be announced at a later date. In a battle of former world champions, Mickey Bey (23-3-1, 11 KOs) and Tevin Farmer (30-5-1, 6 KOs) will square off in a lightweight match-up on the undercard. In his last outing, Broner scored a unanimous decision victory over Jovanie Santiago (14-2-1, 10 KOs) in November 2020. His last fight before that was a unanimous decision loss to Manny Pacquiao in 2019. '
Broner is eager to show the world he still has what it takes to become a world champion again. "I'm excited to be back in the ring and to show everyone why I'm one of the best boxers in the world," said Broner. "Redkach is a tough opponent, but I'm confident that I have the skills and experience to come out on top. Everyone knows I bring excitement to the ring and against Redkach, it will be no different. It’s time to bring another great show to BLK Prime, I can’t wait.
Redkach, a Ukrainian-born boxer who now fights out of Los Angeles, has been in the ring with some of the best fighters in the welterweight division, which include Regis Prograis, Devon Alexander, and Danny Garcia to name a few. "Broner is a great fighter, but I believe I have the power and determination to beat him," said Redkach. "This is my opportunity to show the world that I'm still a dangerous fighter. I know I have what it takes to defeat Broner.”
