SAN ANTONIO – Friday afternoon in the western part of this city’s downtown area, Cincinnati welterweight Adrien “The Problem” Broner (27-0, 22 KOs) and Argentine Marcos “El Chino” Maidana (34-3, 31 KOs) each came in under the weight limit for their Saturday title match at Alamodome, with Broner marking 144.4 pounds and Maidana weighing 146.2.
Lingering rumors about Broner’s weight, of his being too heavy, were wrong. Rumors of his being a box-office heavy might prove to be as well.
Popular as he is on television and for as much presence as he shows in planned media events, Adrien Broner does not seem to be drawing much of a crowd in South Texas – certainly no crowds like those Saul “Canelo” Alvarez drew in April. While there were some who braved the raw temperatures to gather at Market Square and watch Broner make weight, Friday, there was more of a media presence than a presence of fans.
After being partially pushed out the way by a characteristically quiet and surly Maidana, Broner made his weight, jumped off the scale and gave interviewer Steve Farhood a prognostication.
“Easy money,” Broner said. “If he comes in with any dumb shit, I’m a flat-line him.”
While the “Danger Zone” card is stacked as its promoters say it is, a toys-for-tickets drive and $10 entrance fees to Alamodome on Saturday have insiders wondering how much of a draw an African American from Cincinnati and an Argentine are proving to be, especially this close to Christmas.
If the main event needs support, though, it is getting plenty of it, with a co-main between Florida welterweight Keith “One Time” Thurman (21-0, 19 KOs) and Mexican Jesus Soto-Karass (28-8-3, 18 KOs). Friday each fighter came in below the welterweight limit – Thurman at 145.8 pounds and Soto-Karass at 146.2 – and Thurman, probably the card’s most likable personality, shared what he told Soto-Karass during their staredown and then added an insight.
“He’s tough,” Thurman said of his Mexican opponent. “My grandma’s tough too.”
The Saturday fighter most likely to entice South Texas’ partisan-Mexican fanbase, California super bantamweight Leo Santa Cruz (25-0-1, 15 KOs), took the scale as well in preparation for his title match with Puerto Rican Cesar Seda (25-1, 17 KOs), in a match aficionados expect Santa Cruz, who weighed 121.4 pounds, to win by brutal stoppage over Seda, who weighed 121.6.
“It’s my personality,” Santa Cruz said, when asked why he is always grinning. “I’m always happy.”
Alamodome doors open early on Saturday at 3:00 PM local time. Opening bell for “Danger Zone” will ring at 3:30. 15rounds.com will have full ringside coverage.
