Hall of Fame boxer Aaron Pryor once advised Adrien Broner that it was OK to keep talking and making predictions as long as you're winning.
Adrien Broner is preparing for his network television debut March 7, when he fights John Molina Jr. on NBC.
But the usually outspoken Broner, who, like Pryor, hails from Cincinnati, said "I'm not doing as much talking" in an attempt to "turn it down a little bit" entering his 140-pound clash with John Molina Jr. on March 7 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Broner (29-1, 22 KOs), who is nicknamed “The Problem,” will be after his third straight victory since losing by unanimous decision to Marcos Maidana, who dropped Broner in the second and eighth rounds of their 147-pound bout in December 2013.
Yet as the three-division champion enters his matchup with Molina Jr. in the debut of the Premier Boxing Champions series on NBC, Broner has taken to calling himself "Mr. NBC."
He has designs on winning a fourth belt in as many weight divisions as he pursues his goal of becoming "the greatest in boxing" of this era.
"It's definitely a huge position to be in, because a guy like me, with the name that I've got, the reputation that I've got, I've got to perform," Broner said. "There are going to be a lot of people who will be seeing Adrien Broner fighting for the first time.
“I mean, you've got some people who have probably heard my name, but they probably haven't seen me fight. For them seeing me fight for the first time, I've got to put on a show. I'm always coming to do that. It's just a matter of what round I'm going to stop him in."
Broner shared his thoughts surrounding his upcoming fight:
Given that you're fighting on regular network television next month for the first time, how do you see this benefitting your career?
This is a chance to get to know Adrien Broner. I'm a lovable guy, and I'm a smart, intelligent and handsome guy. Plus, a lot of people can relate to my past.
All that I have to do is to go in there and get my victory and put my show on. Of course I've got to turn it down a little bit, but I'm still the same guy, and they'll see on March 7. I'm Mr. NBC.
Having fought for world titles on a big stage, and, in fact, having lost on a big stage, are you a better fighter for the experience?
You know, a lot of people get it twisted. To be great, you don't have to be undefeated. And that's no disrespect to those who are undefeated.
To be great, you don't have to be undefeated. Greatness is what you do after you get knocked down. Do you get up and go and continue like the fighter that you once were? That's showing that you're good. I'm going to let my talent speak for itself.
But are you more humble and more focused as a result of losing?
You know, I'm not doing as much talking as I have in the past, and I don't have to. I'm going to still be myself, but at the end of the day, I'm going to let my talents speak for me.
In this era, I am the greatest in boxing. It's been said once before that there was the greatest, and that's Muhammad Ali. But I'm going to say that in this era, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, they're almost done with boxing. They've got a couple of more fights left and then they're done. But I am the greatest in this era. I'm the greatest in boxing. So I'm just going to be myself and go and get my victory.
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