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ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey (AFP) –
Antonio Demarco celebrates after he beat John Molina Jr. in their WBC Lightweight Championship bout in September 2012. DeMarco puts his World Boxing Council lightweight world title on the line against unbeaten Adrian Broner Saturday in storm-ravaged Atlantic City.
Mexico’s Antonio DeMarco puts his World Boxing Council lightweight world title on the line against unbeaten Adrian Broner Saturday in storm-ravaged Atlantic City.
DeMarco, who claimed the vacant title with an 11th-round technical knockout of Jorge Linares in October of last year, will be fighting for the first time since stopping John Molina just 44 seconds into their title bout in September.
DeMarco, who brings a record of 28-2-1 with 21 knockouts to the bout, has won five straight fights, but in the 24-0 Broner he’ll face perhaps his toughest challenge to date.
Broner, a former World Boxing Organization super-featherweight world champion who surrendered his belt after failing to make weight for a planned defence against Vicente Escobar in July, sounded a confident note this week about stepping up in weight.
“He was fighting good guys, but he wasn’t fighting Adrien Broner,” Broner said of DeMarco’s current winning streak. “I’m stronger than a lot of people think. On Saturday you’ll see that.”
The challenger promised an exciting spectacle.
“You’re not just coming to a boxing show, you’re coming to the Adrien Broner show,” he said. “It’s going to be fun, it’s going to be entertaining.”
The fight at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall brings boxing back to an area hit hard by superstorm Sandy.
Golden Boy Promotions is donating a portion of ticket sales to the local Girls and Boys Clubs, whose buildings were damaged int he storm, with Golden Boy owner Oscar de la Hoy and Caesars Atlantic City promising matching donations.
“We are hoping that the Broner v DeMarco fight will afford people the opportunity to forget their worries for an evening and enjoy this great night of boxing,” said Richard Schaefer, chief executive of Golden Boy Promotions.
“At the same time we understand the severity of the situation and would be remiss not to make a donation to help those directly effected by this terrible storm.”
