Adrien Broner lost the fight, lost his mouthpiece four times and even lost a tooth during a 10-round welterweight bout against Blair Cobbs.
It was that kind of night for the former world champion, who got knocked down in the second round and dropped a unanimous decision to Cobbs Friday night at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
The judges scored the fight 97-91, 96-93, 96-93 in Cobbs’ favor.
“On my vision board is very few things. … But one of the main things on my vision board is this fight,’’ Cobbs said during an in-ring interview after the bout. “Blair ‘The Flair’ versus Adrien Broner.’’
There was flair and some power. In the second round, in addition to getting knocked down, Broner lost a tooth, per the Triller TV analysts. But once he was back on his feet, he stayed there.
He landed punches, but got hit with at least twice as many against Cobbs, who was fighting after a two-year layoff. Lauding Broner, Cobbs said, “He survived a lot of big blows after getting knocked down.’’
At times, Broner swung with more ferocity than Cobbs did. But he seemed reluctant to throw those punches – as if fearing how Cobbs might counterpunch – and most of them missed.
Broner’s defeat came three days after he threatened Cobbs with gun violence and used a homophobic slur. Cobbs smiled repeatedly in the ring as he outclassed Broner.
Broner, 34, fell to 35-5-1. Cobbs, 34, improved to 17-1-1.
Round-by-round fight analysis:
Blair “The Flair’’ Cobbs fires a couple of right jabs. Adrien “The Problem’’ Broner still trying to settle in as he takes a jab to the stomach. Cobbs lands a left and Broner is showing no urgency or aggression. Cobbs circling and landing jabs. Broner looks skittish. Cobbs looks dialed in. Cobbs 10, Broner 9.
Broner throws a hard left, misses then… Down goes Broner! Pounded with a left hand. Up on his feet but has lost his mouthpiece. He’s up but ref has to insert the mouthpiece. Cobbs is coming in for the kill. Just assaulting Broner, who finally is fighting back with a jab. Cobbs still firing a flurry of punches. Broner alive and now attacking Cobbs in the corner, but Cobbs smiling and counters. The knockdown might have woken up Broner. Triller TV reports Broner lost a tooth! Cobbs 20, Broner 17.
Cobbs firing away, but Broner standing his ground. Cobbs connects again with a hard left and Broner looks perplexed. Standing directly in front of Cobbs but fists aren’t moving much. Cobbs, meanwhile, throwing punches with regularity. Cobbs 30, Broner 26.
Cobbs out quick behind his right jab. Cobbs connects with Broner’s noggin a couple of times. Broner seems more focused on blocking punches than throwing them. Broner stalking. “A, B! A, B!’’ Crowd chanting for Broner, despite the fact there’s not much to get excited about. Cobbs 40, Broner 35.
Broner moves in, and Cobbs repels him with a flurry of punches. Broner willing to stalk Cobbs, but throwing very few punches. Reducing himself to target. Broner lands a couple of lefts, but Cobbs is far more active – that includes a punishing left. Cobbs 50, Broner 44.
Broner looks tentative, perhaps afraid of what punch he might eat if he unleashes his own. Cobbs hits Broner with a swooping left and keeps up the pace. Broner looks fatigued. Scared? Fatigued? Only clear answer: largely ineffective. Bell rings and the fighters exchange trash talk. Cobbs 60, Broner 53.
Broner leads with his left, then absorbs a left to the face. Broner closes the distance between him and Cobbs, lands a body shot. Broner loses his mouthpiece yet again. Ref stops the action for Broner’s corner to reinsert it. But at this point, a lost mouthpiece is the least of Broner’s troubles. Yet he loses the mouthpiece again! And here comes Cobbs, firing away. Now Broner lands some impressive shots. Broner looking alive. Cobbs 69, Broner 63.
Broner lands a shot and takes two, three, four. There’s the story of the night, unless Broner can quickly change the narrative. Cobbs flustering Broner with his head movement. Closing in on Cobbs is one thing, hitting a moving target is another. Cobbs 79, Broner 72.
Broner stalks again, and yet Cobbs is doing most of the punching. Broner delivers some big shots to the body. Cobbs smiles. Then tags Broner with a flurry of punches. Cobbs 89, Broner 81.
Nice exchange to open the round. Broner aggressive, but Cobbs pushes back. Another lively exchange, with the crowd now chanting, “A-B, A-B!” Cobbs beating Broner to the punch. Broner lands a big right and, once again, Cobbs answers. Has answered all night. Broner loses his mouthpiece again. Wins the round, but not the fight. Cobbs 98, Broner 91.
Broner’s ring walk was delayed but memorable. He was led by Rick Ross, the rapper and music-producing mogul. “The Boss” saluted Don King while holding a mic, praising the promoter and Broner.
The wait for the Broner and Cobbs ring walks has taken so long, somebody brought a chair into the boxing ring for Don King, the 92-year-old promoter. He spent about 15 minutes on his feet before taking a seat. The Triller TV commentators have exhausted their material but against all odds have filled the dead airtime.
More than half an hour passed from the end of the last fight before ring walks finally began at 10:30 p.m. ET.
At 92, legendary promoter Don King still possesses the gift of gab. That gab got political during an interview between fights on the card he was promoting.
“We’ve got to work … for the betterment of the sport of boxing and the betterment of people for the world,’’ King said, adding that Israel was attacked by Hamas and Russian president Vladimir Putin “attacked unprovokedly Ukraine.
“And so we got to bring that type of stuff to an end. In boxing you get a return match. But in Ukraine and in Israel, you know, the price you pay is not returnable and it’s not redeemable.’’
He lamented the “thousands of people’’ killed in the wars.
“That’s a lot of B.S.,” he said. “We can do better than that, we’re smarter than that.”
Friday, June 7 from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
Main card starts at 8 p.m. ET. Main event starts at approximately 11 p.m. ET
TrillerTV. The PPV fee is $39.99.
S Saadeq Ahmed, Yardbarker: Although Cobbs has been out of the ring for nearly two years, it has been a long time since Broner has had an impressive showing. This feels like a fight “The Flair” should be winning easily. Prediction: Unanimous decision for Cobbs.
Josh Peter, USA TODAY Sports: Broner turns back the clock, shows impressive power and, as his trainer put it, “beats the corn off the Cobb(s).” Prediction: Broner TKO, 8th round.
FanDuel: Blair Cobbs -150, Adrien Broner +140
Bet365: Blair Cobbs -163, Adrien Broner +130
BetMGM: Blair Cobbs -165, Adrian Broner +138
Hunter dominated Chaney during a 10-round heavyweight fight that left onlookers befuddled.
What in the heck was going on with Chaney?
The 6-foot-6, 260-pound boxer looked strangely disinterested, and Hunter capitalized by attacking Chaney from start to finish.
Hunter won every round on all three judges’ scorecards.
Hunter, 35, improved to 23-1-2. Chaney, 37, fell to 23-2.
Round-by-round analysis:
Michael Hunter throws a couple of jabs to Cassius Chaney’s body. He lunges in for more body work and establishes himself as the aggressor. Still waiting on a punch from Chaney. Hunter 10, Chaney 9.
Chaney’s first notable move: wraps his left arm around Hunter’s neck in a clinch. Yeah, slow start for Chaney. He finally unleashes a big right but misses. Williams unspectacular but solid. Hunter 20, Chaney 18.
So far, Chaney, at 6-foot-6, is unable to capitalize on his four-inch height advantage. Hunter attacking Chaney’s body and also staying on the move. Hunter dictating the fight. Puzzled by Chaney’s passivity here. Hunter 30, Chaney 27.
Hunter making effective use of his left jab, connecting with Chaney’s head and body. Chaney unleashes a right. Not a direct hit, but a sign of life. Hunter pounding Chaney’s body, using his jab and right. Could Chaney be playing rope-a-dope? Lands a crisp right, and just like that Hunter is back on the attack. Hunter 40, Chaney 36.
Hunter comes out firing, and Chaney covers up. At 260 pounds, Chaney is 40 pounds heavier than Hunter, but you wouldn’t know it to this point. Hunter is playing the part of heavy, and still very active with both hands. Hunter 50, Chaney 45.
Hunter firing the left jab again. Chaney fires a left hook that misses, but suggests he may be trying to load up for a knockout punch. Or maybe not. Suddenly Chaney is backed up on the ropes and Hunter is pounding away. Time running out fast on Chaney. Hunter 60, Chaney 54.
Hunter, unrelenting, moving forward as he attacks Chaney with both hands. A minute into the round, the referee notices Chaney is not wearing his mouthpiece. Back to the corner he goes. For some reason, he comes back out for more. Triller TV commentator gets it right: Chaney is a 262-pound punching bag. Hunter 70, Chaney 63.
Chaney comes out, backs into a corner and almost welcomes Hunter’s punches. Which are not punishing punches. Befuddling, to say the least. Hunter might be running out of gas. Not sure Chaney arrived with anything in his tank. Here come the boos. Hunter 80, Chaney 72.
Chaney slow off the stool. But he makes it out for Round 9, which begins with another flurry of Hunter punches – connecting to Chaney’s head and body. Chaney not looking hurt or interested in fighting back. Hunter 90, Chaney 81.
Hunter still firing. Chaney still mystifying. No word of refunds for this one, fight fans. The final bell rings, triggering boos. Hunter 100, Chaney 90.
Ian Green vs. Roy Barringer, middleweight
Cassius Chaney vs. Michael Hunter, heavyweight
Antonio Perez vs. Antonio Williams, lightweight
Johnnie Langston vs. Mike Perez, cruiserweight
Tresean Wiggins vs. Semajay Thomas, welterweight
Don King climbed inside the ring for prefight fanfare, and Green and Barringer proceeded to put on a show that surely pleased the legendary promoter.
The fighters exchanged stinging blows throughout the 10-round middleweight bout. Green, with his left eye swollen shut the second half of the fight, finished strong and secured the scorecards.
The judges scored it 96-94, 96-94, 97-93 in favor of Green, who improved to 19-2. Barringer fell to 10-5.
Perez improved to 10-0 after outclassing Williams with a combination of speed, elusiveness and a touch of power.
The 22-year-old from Pennsylvania knocked down Williams in the ninth round and cruised to victory in the 10-round lightweight bout.
All three judges scored it 99-90 in Perez’s favor.
Williams, 27, suffered his first loss and fell to 16-1-1.
Floyd stepped into the ring with a record of 1-8-1 and Williams entered with a record of 4-0.
No surprise ensued.
Williams knocked down Floyd in each of the first two rounds and stopped him by TKO in the fourth.
Williams, 21, has now won by knockout in each of his five fights. Floyd, 36, has lost seven fights in a row.
Broner beat Bill Hutchinson by unanimous decision on June 9, 2023 — the last time he was in the ring.
Broner boasts a 35-4-1 mark with 24 knockouts.
Cobbs is 16-1-1 with 10 knockouts.
The Sports Lite estimates Broner’s net worth to be $10 million.