The DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission will license Friday’s fight at the DC Armory despite felony charges against one of the boxers in the main event.
News4’s Tom Sherwood confirmed the commission will allow the fight to go forward after receiving written assurances from Adrian Broner’s camp that Broner will surrender to authorities in the days following the fight.
Reports surfaced last week that Broner is wanted in his native Cincinnati for assault and aggravated robbery, the Associated Press reported.
News4 confirmed the statement the commission gave ESPN Wednesday night:
"On March 25, 2016 the DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission was made aware of an arrest warrant issued by the City of Cincinnati, Ohio, for Adrien Broner, who is scheduled to participate in an upcoming boxing event scheduled on April 1 at the DC Armory. Due to the nature and seriousness of this matter, the commission contacted Mr. Broner's representatives, expressed the severity of our concerns, and began an investigation to gather information on the status of this situation and to determine if Mr. Broner would be issued a license to fight on April 1.
"Based upon the facts provided by Mr. Broner's representatives, which were subsequently verified by the Municipal Court of Hamilton County, as well as the Hamilton County prosecutor's office, the commission is satisfied that Mr. Broner has reached an agreement with the appropriate law enforcement and judicial authorities that does not restrict him from traveling to or participating in the fight on April 1, and through which he will address this serious legal matter. Barring any changes in these facts, and assuming no additional issues arise, the DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission has no plans to withhold a license for Mr. Broner to fight on April 1."
Broner, 26, has won world championships in four weight classes and has a record of 34-2-1 (23 KOs). Friday’s fight against 35-year-old Ashley Theophane was supposed to be in defense of Broner’s WBA super lightweight title, but that belt was stripped when he failed to make weight. Broner weighed in at 0.4 pounds over the 140-pound limit Thursday and declined to try and meet the limit in the time he was allowed.
Sports
The fight, however, is scheduled to go on, and Theophane will claim the belt if he defeats Broner. If Broner wins, the title will stay vacant.
Theophane (39-6-1) has won six straight bouts and will try for the victory of his career at the DC Armory in a fight airing on Spike's Premier Boxing Champions series.
