Adrien Broner Defeats Bill Hutchinson by Unanimous Decision in 1st Fight Since 2021

Adrien Broner’s return to the ring proved to be a successful one, as he defeated Bill Hutchinson at the Casino Miami in south Florida on Friday.

The former WBA super lightweight champion got the win via unanimous decision in the 10-round bout. The judges ruled the fight 100-90, 99-91, 99-91, reflecting Broner’s dominance from start to finish.

Boxing journalist Dan Rafael even stated that giving Hutchinson one round may have been too much.

A former protégé of Floyd Mayweather Jr., Broner’s career has fallen on hard times due to a series of legal issues. He was most recently jailed in October 2021 for violating the terms of his probation when he failed to enroll in a court-mandated alcohol program.

Prior to Saturday, the 33-year-old most recently fought on Feb. 20, 2021, when he defeated Jovanie Santiago by unanimous decision. That bout ended a two-year layoff following his loss to Manny Pacquiao in January 2019.

Broner was scheduled to fight Omar Figueroa Jr. last August, but he withdrew from the bout to focus on his mental health.

Broner is the biggest-name opponent Hutchinson has faced in his professional career. The Pittsburgh native, 34, entered Saturday with a 20-2-4 career record. His most recent fight was a unanimous-decision victory over Rondale Hubbert in January 2022.

“I’ve been in the game so long to where I really don’t need to look at this guy,” Broner told Fight Hub TV about Hutchinson (h/t Jeff Sorby of Boxing News 247). “There’s really not a style that I haven’t seen before, honestly, with all the experience that I’ve got.”

While it’s a questionable strategy to not study an opponent, Broner was able to make it work by getting the win. He declared in the buildup to this bout he wanted WBC light welterweight champion Regis Prograis next.

Time will tell if Broner gets his wish, but Friday was the first step in his quest to get back into the title picture after a long layoff.