Adrien Broner has agreed a $10 million dollar, three-fight deal with BLK Prime. Yes, you are reading an article from 2022. ‘The Problem’, who last held a world title in 2016, has signed a lucrative eight-figure deal that will see him enter the ring three times in the next 12 months.
It is a staggering sum of money considering Broner’s current standing in the game. Once touted as one of many ‘next Floyd Mayweather’ prospects, the 33-year-old last won a fight against a world-ranked opponent six years ago. He has only fought once since 2019. Broner withdrew from a scheduled fight this year with Omar Figueroa citing mental health reasons, after an outburst in a media call. Mental health is always a serious matter and it is hoped that Broner is getting the help he needs. But it does beg the question whether investing $10 million in the troubled, out-of-form boxer is sound business.
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BLK Prime are not one of the scene's traditional names, you’re unlikely to find them listed alongside Matchroom, Queensberry, Boxxer or Top Rank. They are more comparable to Triller, who quickly jettisoned promoting traditional boxing events after the collapse of Teofimo Lopez vs George Kambosos Jr on their watch. Triller started life as a streaming service before graduating to staging fights featuring non-boxers.
BLK took the same route. Building a name based on their entertainment streaming service, which they describe as “easily accessible, on-demand original multicultural movies and TV series”, the company graduated to staging influencer-heavy, boxer-light fight cards. Names like “Lil Mac”, “Iraqi Assassin” and “One Eyed Wolf” sound like they belong on a knock-off WWE DVD from the market. But apparently they’re world-renowned influencers and fighters popularised by the ‘Street Beefs’ franchise. Think Jackass but with more punching and less testicular-stapling.
Like every Scorsese gangster just before they get shot to pieces in the final reel, BLK Media insist they’re going straight. Not only have they signed three-weight world champion Broner, but they will also stage the next fight of one of the biggest names in the sport. WBO welterweight champion and pound-for-pound claimant Terence Crawford will fight on the service against David Avanesyan. Given the wildly-unpopular nature of that fight, coming as a damp squib after the promised undisputed title showdown with Errol Spence Jr, there is probably a reason an unproven promoter like BLK Prime has ended up with it.
You cannot deny that BLK Prime have got star power. Broner may be faded but he still creates headlines. They may have grossly overpaid for his services, but people will still tune in to watch ‘The Problem’. The 33-year-old is unlikely to ever hit the heights that saw him beat the likes of Antonio Demarco and Paulie Malignaggi. But a few decent wins could rebuild him for a title shot, even if he would have earned it based more on notoriety than ability.
But Triller found out this boxing lark isn’t as straightforward as the likes of Frank Warren and Bob Arum make it look. After producing the Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr exhibition and Jake Paul’s bout with Ben Askren, the company tried to segue into legitimate fights. After beating Matchroom and Top Rank at the purse bids for Lopez vs Kambosos, they frequently changed the date and venue. One of the postponements was to try and accommodate pairing the world lightweight title fight with a rap battle. After finally conceding they couldn’t put on the show, Triller went back to doing what it does best; presenting boxing-facsimile cards for people who aren’t really into boxing. Their Triad Combat series sees ageing boxers and knackered MMA fighters face off in a triangular ring. How very Triller of them.
Whether BLK Media can get Crawford-Avanesyan as far as a boxing ring is anyone’s guess. While Triller failed, Jake Paul has surprised many within the industry with his careful guidance of Amanda Serrano’s career. If BLK do get through their maiden legitimate boxing show, that’s still no guarantee they can lead Broner back to title contention. ‘The Can Man’ just hasn’t looked like a world-level boxer in so long, it seems highly unlikely he will rediscover the form of his youth at the age of 33.
BLK Prime has bet the farm on these two investments. Get them right and we have seen how quickly a company can grow. Boxxer has become a player on the UK scene in just a few short years. But if they get them wrong then it’s back to promoting internet personalities brawling in car parks. Your move, BLK.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject To Change
