The former two-division champ Adrien Broner will now face Hank Lundy after original opponent Ivan Redkach decided to opt out of his scheduled bout due to his promotional dispute.
Broner was ready to make his highly anticipated return to the ring this February 25 against Redkach but a fresh conflict between Redkach and his promoter, Joe DeGuardia, has forced a change in plans.
The Broner-Lundy will go down at Gateway Park Arena in the College Park section of Atlanta, Georgia.
“Fighting Broner is something I’ve envisioned for a long time and now this opportunity has presented itself to me,” stated Lundy.
“Broner has established himself as one of the best fighters in the world, but he hasn’t been active, so I’m going to take full advantage of his inactivity. Everyone knows that I will fight anyone and the big names run from me. So I’m telling everyone right now, I’m going to beat the shit out of this can man.”
Redkach’s recent explosion of anger on social media has somewhat cleared the situation. The Ukrainian southpaw fighting out of Los Angeles has accused his promoter, DeGuardia of demanding more money from BKL Prime than was stipulated.
“He’s a greedy devil,” Redkach said of his promoter. “He didn’t do anything for this fight for me he wanted to make all the money on me. I gave him all the money he still wanted BLK to pay him more.”
Redkach hasn’t fought since April 2021 and wants to get back in action more frequently but it seems like he will have to wait a bit more until he sorts out this promotional spat.
Redkach wants himself to be released from DeGuardia.
“Take $35,000 out of my purse or take everything but release me to fight,” Redkach demanded to DeGuardia in an email exchange, with a screenshot of that portion shared with BoxingScene.com. “I need your answer right now.”
Broner last fought in February 2021, when he claimed a twelve-round, unanimous decision win over Jovanie Santiago in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Broner received a lifeline after signing a handsome deal with BLK Prime.