In July 2018,
Broner was ranked as the world's fourth best light welterweight by
the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and the eighth best active
welterweight by BoxRec. In December 2012, The Ring magazine ranked
him as the world's fifth best active boxer, pound for pound.
Early career
Broner turned professional on May 31, 2008,
and scored three consecutive first-round knockouts against Allante
Davis, David Warren Huffman, and Ramon Flores. In Broner's fourth
fight he faced Terrance Jett at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on the
undercard of the Ricky Hatton vs Paulie Malignaggi fight. Broner defeated
Jett with a stoppage in the sixth round. In Broner's fifth professional
fight and final of 2008, he faced Eric Ricker with a no-contest decision.
In January 2009, was forced to go the distance with Jose Alfredo
Lugo, at the Staples Center on the undercard of Shane Mosley vs Antonio
Margarito. Broner returned to the ring in March scoring a unanimous
decision over Eric Ricker. Three weeks later Broner stopped Angel
Rodriguez in the fourth round. In his eighth fight, Broner stepped
up to the eight rounds in a hard-fought fight with Fernando Quintero,
pulling out a controversial majority decision victory in a fight
that Quintero took on 4 days' notice. In June at the Staples Center
Broner met Australian William Kickett, scoring a sixth-round knockout.
On the Juan Diaz vs Paul Malignaggi undercard in Houston Broner made
short work of Edgar Portillo, victory coming via stoppage in the first
round. Broner defeated Henry White Jr via KO in September and finished
his busy year against Tommy Atencio. Broner stopped Atencio in the
first round, for the sixth time in thirteen fights. Broner then had
a fourth round stoppage victory over Roberto Acevedo. Broner fought
4 more times in 2010 against Rafael Lora, Carlos Claudio, Guillermo
Sanchez, and Ilido Julio, stopping all of them.
Broner's
next fight was on HBO's Boxing After Dark show from Guadalajara, Mexico,
Broner took on Top 10 Super Featherweight contender Jason Litzau in
a fight scheduled for ten rounds. Broner landed combos on the ropes
late in the first, with a straight right, left hook and then a right
uppercut hurting the Minnesotan badly. He crumpled, and the ref leaped
in seeing he was out. The official end came at 2:58 of the first round.
Broner was set to make his
first title defense on February 16, 2013, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic
City. Having no luck at getting fellow Lightweight champion Ricky
Burns to fight him in February, Broner fought Ring No. 6-ranked lightweight
and former WBA champion Gavin Rees (37-1-1, 18 KOs) instead. The fight
was announced in December 2012, with many believing it to be a mismatch,
to take place at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. There
was a crowd of 4,812 at Boardwalk Hall and both Broner and Rees weighed
150 pounds in the dressing rooms before the fight. Broner stopped
Rees in five rounds, After Rees' corner threw in the towel at the
end round. Rees had some success early, when Broner was clowning and
showboating, landing jabs and body shots. By round 3, Broner was in
complete control, hitting Rees with his counter left hook at will,
as well as hitting Rees at will on the inside. In the 4th round, Broner
sent Rees to the canvas with a quick right uppercut, and lander more
combinations as the round ended. In the 5th, after a brief clinch
between the two, they separated and Broner landed a hard left body
shot on Rees, dropping Rees to a knee. Broner ended the round teeing
off on Rees, with Rees' trainer throwing in the towel from the corner.
CompuBox had Broner landing 48% of his punches in the first, as well
as ending the fight landing 40 of 57 in the final round.