Showtime will stream Adrien Broner-Adrian Granados fight card on Twitter
Adrien Broner’s rugged test to prove he belongs in boxing’s elite will be accessible across social media.
Showtime announced Friday it will stream former four-division world champion Broner’s welterweight bout against underdog Adrian Granados of Chicago live on Twitter.
The promotion coincides with Showtime’s free preview weekend. The card begins at 6 p.m. Pacific time Saturday.
Fighting in his hometown Cintas Center in Cincinnati, the 27-year-old Broner (32-2, 24 knockouts) has struggled to separate the diversions of fame from the devotion his sport requires.
Knocked down twice by Marcos Maidana in a 2013 loss by decision, Broner lost again to Shawn Porter in a 2015 unanimous decision.
His often coarse behavior has drawn more attention than other more committed fighters, and his wayward path included missing weight before his April technical knockout of Ashley Theophane, costing Broner a chance to defend his World Boxing Assn. super-lightweight belt.
“I know everyone is used to me coming up here and being boastful. That’s not me anymore,” Broner said at Thursday’s news conference. “I have a lot of respect for Adrian Granados, and he’s a great fighter.
“A businessman that can fight — that’s what I am nowadays. I’m not a [trash] talker anymore. I just want to go in there and put on a great performance for the hometown crowd.”
Granados (18-4-2, 12 KOs), meanwhile, can affirm the strides he has made during a five-fight win streak that included a November 2015 stoppage of Amir Imam.
A former stablemate of unbeaten super-lightweight Ed Brown, who was killed by gunfire in Chicago in December, Granados said, “I’ve been through a lot, but we’re ready. I’m here to take home a victory for Chicago and for my people.
“People who think I’m an underdog don’t know me. They don’t know the tricks I have up my sleeve. I plan on thriving in the underdog position. Mixed with my style, I know it’s going to be a good fight.”
The card also includes WBA secondary welterweight champion David Avanesyan defending his belt against former two-time champion Lamont Peterson and light-heavyweight contenders Marcus Browne and Thomas Williams meeting in a bout scheduled for 10 rounds.
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