Four-time world champion Adrien Broner withdrew Monday from his nationally televised fight against Omar Figueroa on Saturday night, citing mental health. Broner announced his decision on Instagram, apologizing to his fans and asking for prayers.
He said mental health is real and that ”I’ve watched a lot of people die playing with their boxing career and that is something I won’t do …” Showtime was scheduled to air the fight from Hollywood, Florida. Former world champion Sergey Lipinets (16-2-1, 12 KOs) will replace Broner and face Figueroa.
Broner, a 33-year-old from Cincinnati, also said he loves boxing and ”I feel like I came up short before because my mind was not 100% there.” Broner said he needed to make some changes instead of worrying about other’s people’s feelings. ”In all reality, I have nothing to prove to nobody,” Broner wrote. ”I’m a 4-time world champion in 4 different weight classes and if I never lace up another pair of gloves again I feel like it’s safe to say I will be inducted into the #BoxingHallOfFame.” Broner last fought on Feb. 20, 2021, posting a unanimous decision over previously undefeated Jovanie Santiago, also on Showtime. It ended a 25-month absence from boxing and improved his record to 34-4-1. There was one fight ruled no contest.
Broner has had issues away from boxing, including several arrests. In 2019, he had a restraining order issued against him after making homophobic threats on social media. He later was ordered to pay over USD 830,000 for sexually assaulting a woman in a Cleveland nightclub. Broner was jailed for a parole violation last year after failing to enroll in a court-mandated alcohol treatment program.
