Adrien “The Problem” Broner paid lip service to becoming more serious about his craft, and developing as a fighter ahead of his Oct. title fight against Khabib Allakhverdiev, but his words are clearly just that. Here’s Broner on TMZ, yet again, dousing strippers in money while commenting on some of their … features.

Broner is a champion in four different weight classes at the tender age of 26, but that is more impressive on paper than it has been in the ring. Boxing titles have decreased in importance as the number of titles has inflated, and when Broner’s been faced with world-class opposition, he has struggled. He eked by Paulie Malignaggi in his debut at welterweight, and lost unanimous decisions to Marcos Maidana and Shawn Porter. He was in the running to fight Manny Pacquiao, but antics like this played a role in him being passed over.

Adrien Broner Flashes Guns In Video, Proves He Can't Be Banked On

“When you understand, and you know why you’re losing, then you can fix it. This next half of my career, I’m gonna be the A.B. that’s about business, and about boxing,” Broner said before facing Allakhverdiev.

But if he was “about business,” then he wouldn’t be planning to fight Ashley Theophane, a 35-year-old veteran in Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s fledgling stable who will be a huge underdog once their fight is officially announced. Fighting Theophane is damaging to Broner’s career in two ways. First, it will be little more than a televised sparring session, which does him little good. Broner is very talented, and he’s breezed by many fighters of Theophane’s ilk, so beating him doesn’t do anything to advance his status.

Broner Lashes Out At 'Big Bro' Mayweather

Second, if Broner cruises, it will reinforce the idea that he’s so good he can spend time in strip clubs and rapping instead of in the gym or watching film. This is a movie boxing fans have seen before; Broner brags, feasts on B and C-level fighters, then gets blasted when he steps back up to championship-caliber opposition. Just when it looked like Broner turned a corner, he’s right back where he started. His adviser, Al Haymon, might want to consider cashing out and lining up “The Problem” with a fight against a major name like Terrence Crawford or Amir Khan.

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