Four-division world champion Adrien Broner gives us a training camp update from West Palm Beach where for the first time under the guidance of head trainer Kevin Cunningham he’s preparing for his April 21 Showtime clash with former welterweight world champion Jessie Vargas in Brooklyn.
On changing trainers…
“I felt like it was time to change. I hear people say, ‘You are expected to change but you don’t, that’s why you end up in the same spots over and over’. So, I have to change something to get a different result. That’s why I had to step outside of the box and go for it.
“I had to change things. I had to add to my repertoire because I’m getting all that I can do out of what I’m doing but I keep coming up short for these fights that I’m supposed to be winning. So, it was time for a change.
“Looking back at all of my defeats, the only real punishment that I’ve taken in this sport was against [Marcos] Maidana—I got a fractured jaw. In the Shawn Porter fight, he outwrestled me and in the Mikey [Garcia] fight, he just outworked me. So, it’s time to add to my team and that’s why I got coach Kevin Cunningham. He’s going to bring out the best of Adrien Broner.”
On why he chose Kevin Cunningham?
“I’ve known Coach Cunningham since my amateur days. We used to go up to St. Louis all the time and fight in his tournaments, on his shows. I have even fought for St. Louis in the Ringside Tournament. It was a great experience.
“I’ve known Coach Cunningham for a long time. He is the real deal He is not going to B.S. me. He’s going to keep me on my toes. I need that.
“There are coaches that change when their fighters get to certain levels. They still coach, but they don’t provide the structure the fighter needs. When I was fighting at 130, 135, Coach Mike [Stafford] will be at my door yelling ‘Get your butt up. We have to run. We have to train. Get up! Get up!’ But time went by and things changed.
“Coach Mike stopped being a coach and started being more of a friend. I needed him to keep being my coach. I need someone to keep me in line. Don’t get me wrong, he’ll always be like a father figure but when it comes to training and my career. I needed a change.”
On training camp…
“I’m very happy with this camp. It’s just what I needed. I’m catching up with sleep, eating well. The isolated training is really good. I love everything about this camp.
“Training in isolation is really good for me. I told everybody that they were not coming to Florida with me, that I will see them all after the fight and that if they really love me they will understand the situation and they will be cool with it.
“I actually did a camp with Coach Kevin before when Devon Alexander fought Timothy Bradley. And I’ve seen the way he is. We had our arguments and he cussed me out almost every day, but I was just missing the structure and that’s what I need.”
On how he felt after losing to Mikey Garcia…
“I was upset. At the end of the day, nobody fixes my problems but me. I can take care of everybody when they have a problem, but nobody fixes my problems. There are one or two people that are there for me but at the end of the day, I told myself I have to get my life and career together.”
Reflecting on his career…
“I started my career young. I won titles in four weight classes. I’ve accomplished a lot and there’s still more to come. I got a lot of fighting left to do.”