Angel Garcia believes Floyd manipulated Broner into Theophane rivalry

0
1943

Mayweather BronerWhat once seemed like an eventual certainty now appears to be an increasingly weakened endeavor as the proposed matchup between Adrien “The Problem” Broner and Ashley Theophane has become a backup option in the 2016 Broner game plan.

 

Several rumors have surfaced claiming Broner is the new leading man in the Manny Pacquiao sweepstakes, a lottery which includes Timothy Bradley, Terence Crawford, and Broner’s fellow PBC comrade Amir Khan.

 

In fact, Broner’s Instagram post addressed the speculation, although there were very few specifics given, let alone any real confirmation on negotiations. In Broner’s IG post, he made it clear that he does not care who he fights next, which is probably a bit of posturing on his part, and then made it clear that he is willing to fight Pacquiao on his scheduled April date. However, he finished by reassuring everyone, namely Floyd, that he has no problem beating Theophane in early March if the fight with Pacquiao isn’t made.

 

Pacquiao is scheduled to fight April 9th on HBO PPV, and the pre-promotional storyline is that it will be his farewell fight as he sets to retire from a Hall of Fame career that saw him win titles in a record-setting 8 different weight divisions.

 

Despite the potential blockbuster that is Pacquiao-Broner, it is still more likely that Broner meets Theophane at some point in 2016 than it is Broner sharing a ring with the Filipino politician who has his sights set on an eventual run at the country’s presidential office.

 

One fighter familiar with both Broner and Theophane is Philadelphia welterweight, and former junior welterweight kingpin, Danny “Swift” Garcia, who will meet Robert Guerrero on January 23rd at the Staples Center in Los Angles, California.

 

Garcia and Broner have always been close friends, although there was once designs of a potential bout between the two when both fighters were undefeated and on a collision course to the top. Actually, the media has always kept the idea of an eventual Garcia-Broner clash fresh, while fans have continuously sparked the notion of a matchup on social media.

 

As for Theophane, he and Garcia once shared a ring together back in 2010. The bout was on ESPN 2’s Friday Night Fights and many fans recall Garcia getting all he can handle despite winning a 10 round split-decision. The fight occurred early in Garcia’s career at a point when, at 15-0, he was still considered a bit green.

 

Garcia describes that fight with Theophane as a learning experience. However, he isn’t too familiar with the Theophane of today.

 

“I haven’t seen Theophane fight in so long. Last time I seen him fight, he lost to that kid [Pablo Cesar Cano],” Danny told Thaboxingvoice during a duel interview with him and his father/trainer, Angel Garcia, conducted by TBV’s own Josh Grayfer.

 

Garcia realizes he is unable to truly assess Theophane whether he understands exactly why that is or not. The truth is, Theophane has undergone some changes since that fight with Cano. Those changes weren’t major and they aren’t so much style oriented, but Theophane has gained confidence riding a six-fight win streak since the loss and he has considerable momentum following his last victory over Steve Upsher Chambers in September – his second victory in 2015.

 

However, Angel Garcia – an outspoken personality never known to hold back and remain blatantly truthful — believes Broner was provoked into the fight with Theophane. And the reality of it all is that Broner and Theophane aren’t just likely foes, either. They have become actual rivals with a hostile storyline between the two.

 

As unlikely as the rivalry is, it is clear that it was manifested by one man, and Angel knows exactly who pushed the button on a potential showdown between Broner and Theophane. And it is the same man who has been pushing buttons on Broner for quite some time now.

 

“Listen, honest to God, I don’t even know why Broner fed into that. He fed into what Floyd said- he said, she said,” Angel said.

 

Danny, a media politician in his own right, was quick to steer the subject back to the business of boxing and to what he could actually speak on regarding Theophane, conjecture aside.

 

“He’s an awkward fighter, though,” Danny added quickly in what was meant as a compliment to Theophane regarding his chances against Broner, to which Angel agreed.

 

Still, you cannot dismiss Angel’s assessment, and it would be poetic justice for Broner, who was being fed a Mayweather approved opponent, to land a Pacquiao fight without Mayweather’s help—although one could argue that Broner is in the position he is in based on his close ties with Floyd.

 

The ironic thing is that Floyd was trying to give an unlikely (and possibly undeserving) fighter in Theophane a shot at a money fight with Broner, yet Broner could end up landing a fight with the same fighter that gave Mayweather his career defining payday, not to mention his longest running rival. It took Floyd so long to make a fight with Pacquiao, but Broner could end up getting the fight unexpectedly.

 

Danny ended his thoughts on Broner-Theophane by saying, “I don’t know how that fight is going to play out.” But it was the way he said it.

 

Perhaps it was just the inattentiveness in his voice based on a subject that he couldn’t add much to, but Danny seemed to be dismissive on the subject.

 

He claims that he doesn’t know how the fight would play out, but maybe he meant that he doesn’t know why this fight is playing out?