[Video/Gallery] An Entertaining Problem: Broner’s 12th Round Knockdown Caps Victory Over Taylor

Photo Credits: Stephanie Trapp / SHOWTIME

Tom Hogan / Hogan Photos/Golden Boy Promotions

CINCINNATI, Ohio — Before his hometown fans at the US Bank Arena, Adrien Broner notched the most impressive win since his lightweight days with a unanimous decision over credible opponent Emanuel Taylor (116-111 twice, 115-112).

Broner had to work hard for this one as Taylor utilized a strategy of inside fighting and a high workrate. Broner’s guard and head movement allowed him to evade most head shots, but Taylor was highly effective at pounding the body with left hooks. When Broner did catch a blow upstairs, he immediately responded with a burst of offense, as he did late to pull out a close third round.

Going into the later rounds, Taylor’s work became inconsistent. Taylor was no longer cutting off the ring or in Broner’s chest, allowing The Problem to pepper him with jabs at mid-range and do solid work with his own left hooks to the body. The wider range between the fighters benefited Broner’s faster reflexes — he easily countered Taylor missed haymakers with hooks of his own that chilled Taylor’s early aggression.

Still, the fight was competitive in the championship rounds with Taylor making a strong push in the last rounds. After arguably outworking Broner in the 11th, Taylor buzzed Broner with several right hands, prompting a brawl to break out at ring center. Broner would breach Taylor’s guard with a corkscrew left hook for the bout’s only knockdown with less than a minute remaining.

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BRONER VS. MATTHYSSE: To Broner’s credit, he reinterated his desire to face Lucas Matthysse, who made quick work of Roberto Ortiz on the undercard.

“I said my next fight should be Matthysse and he can get it,” said Broner. “If it was up to me I’d fight him with this cut on my head tonight.”

If Danny Garcia is intent on leaving 140 or possibly facing Lamont Peterson, Broner-Matthysse is clearly the best fight to be made in the division. Matthysse does indeed have the power to put a hurt on Broner, but The Problem has a good chin and fast hands to counter Lucas. It’s a fight I favor Matthysse to win, but one where a Broner win is not impossible.

Speaking of Garcia, Broner started off his post-fight interview with a cryptic rant at “fake champs” who don’t want to put themselves in tough fights. Was Garcia the target? It certainly fits going by Garca’s recent opposition.

UNDERCARD RESULTS: Andre Berto is back in the win column after three years with his decision victory over Steve Upsher. At this point, everyone should know what to expect from Berto. He still had his fast hands and showed good initiative in working the jab and keeping Upsher afraid to throw. On the downside, his defense is leaky and Upsher stunned him repeatedly in the first half of the fight with 1-2s and hooks downstairs. Upsher admitted to his corner in the last few rounds he was afraid to get countered, and that summed up why he didn’t have faith in his offense despite landing. The scores were 99-91 across the board.

So if you’re advising Berto, how do you map out his next 12 months? Even though he’s only 31 years old, he has a lot of mileage with repeated tough fights. One more bad loss is probably the end. A rematch with Jesus Soto Karass makes sense considering the first fight was exciting and Berto had an early injury. But if you’re Al Haymon, who’s advising Berto, you’ll probably want a Berto defeat and his name to benefit someone else on your roster. In that regard, Berto could be an option for Danny Garcia when he moves up, a returning from injury Keith Thurman, or even Devon Alexander

If I’m Berto, I try to get in two more fights on undercards before I go after a Top 10 welterweight.

Lucas Matthysse found that a body shot to the liver was the best remedy for the awkward style of Roberto Ortiz, who the Machine eradicated in just two rounds. Matthysse had trouble landing head blows and went with straight rights to the stomach to lower Ortiz’s guard. While inside, he smashed home a left hook that brought Ortiz to his knees.

Then the fight got strange.

Ortiz spit out his mouthpiece and referee Benji Esteves began the ten count, but called off the fight just as Ortiz made it to his feet after nine but before the count of ten. You may recall something similar happening to Malik Scott in his loss to Dereck Chisora. It seems that some referees count the “10!” in their head instead of calling it out, while others will say it before waving the fight off. Commissions worldwide need to get some uniformity there since the fighters are obviously confused.

“I thought I was up at nine,” said Ortiz. “He definitely hit me with a good shot, but I was up at nine. I could have got up at seven. I was just, as you said, milking it. I was in good position to continue this fight and I want a rematch.”

Matthysse is still obsessed with revenge on Danny Garcia, but made it clear he’d welcome a showdown against Broner.

“It was not what I expected, but this is what I have now,” Matthysse said of the Ortiz KO. “And now I challenge Danny Garcia to stop being a chicken, to stop fighting little boxers and come and fight me. If Garcia doesn’t come then I’ll have Adrien Broner. I’ll have anybody.”

And to close, Danny Garcia’s response.

I’ll beat his ass again!

— Danny Swift Garcia (@DannySwift) September 7, 2014

I beat his ass so bad the first time he wanted to retire! He don’t care about winning he wants the money. #TeamDSG

— Danny Swift Garcia (@DannySwift) September 7, 2014