Broner ‘not in awe’ of Pacquiao

LAS VEGAS, USA – Manny Pacquiao was cool, humble, and respectful. Adrien Broner was hot, arrogant, and a braggart.

That’s the common perception of those in attendance and those who watched the final press conference of the Pacquiao-Broner title duel at David Copperfield Theater-MGM Grand Las Vegas on Wednesday, January 16, (Thursday, January 17, Manila time).

Their contrasting demeanor was evident.

While Pacquiao just answered the questions thrown at him by event host Al Bernsteir, Broner threw a tantrum, cussed the Hall of Fame broadcaster, the entire promotion, Pacquiao supporters, and during the side interview, lashed at the media for tagging him as a huge underdog in their World Boxing Association welterweight collision.

“I ain’t even going to lie to you, I don’t f*** with you, bro,” Broner told the Hall of Fame broadcaster in a curse-laced tirade. “You talk too much s*** about me on Twitter and I’m just letting you know. I’m just being real, bro. I already feel like you’re against me. I’d rather have Roy Jones or Stephen A. Smith ask me some questions.

“I don’t f*** with you.”

Then he shut down Bernstein, and his trainer, Kevin Cunningham did the same.

Broner’s rant was unexpected as he gave his piece in the introductory phase.

“I’m not in awe of any fighter, especially Manny Pacquiao. I hope he’s in awe of me,” said Broner.

“I’m a one-of-a-kind fighter, too. I’ve made history in this sport. I just have to go out and win this fight, then everything is going to start going my way. Saturday night, I will be victorious. This is a defining moment in my career, and it’s going to be one of the biggest nights of my life.

“Pacquiao hasn’t fought me so I’m not worried about what he says about me right now. He’s going to have a different outlook after he fights me Saturday night. I’m going to turn Las Vegas into a big block party after I win on Saturday night. It’s going to change my career. Manny Pacquiao has done a lot for the sport. I’m going to beat him up and have a drink with him afterward.”

Bettors at The Strip, however, are lining up with Pacquiao, an eight-division world champion and sitting Philippine senator.

And rather than focusing on the fight with Broner, discussions veer mostly on Broner’s brushes with the law and Pacquiao fighting Floyd Mayweather next.

These must have angered Broner, who’s been labeled an underachiever even if he was already a four-division world champion at 26 years old. He’s now 29, 11 years younger than Pacquiao.

“I hope you write something different about me,” Broner told reporters. “I just want to see you write something different about me. I see everything, man. All you [expletive], I read a lot.”

After his tirade, Broner, who again showed up bejeweled, and his team left the podium in a huff, with Pacquiao being interviewed at the other side.

As usual, Pacquiao was smiling, thanking the fans for welcoming him back to the world’s fight capital, the promoters, and the media, for chronicling the Showtime pay-per-view bout, his first at 40.

Unlike Broner, Pacquiao will turn wild only in the ring on Saturday. – Rappler.com