NEW YORK -- With the talk of the general sports world centered on the announcement of the Aug. 26 boxing match between retired pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather and UFC champion Conor McGregor, seemingly everyone has an opinion on the upcoming circus pay-per-view bout.
Included in that group is former four-division titleholder Adrien Broner, a friend and "little bro" of Mayweather, who was in New York on Monday at the news conference to announce his July 29 return against Mikey Garcia on Showtime.
"What can I say? [Mayweather] a f---ing genius," Broner told CBS Sports. "Hell, if I don't take any punishment after my fight, I would like to fight the next UFC star on the undercard. F--- it. After this podcast, I'm going to call [adviser] Al [Haymon] and tell him to make me a fight with Steph Curry."
Broner (33-2, 24 KOs) will look to get his career back on the tracks against Garcia (36-0, 30 KOs), himself a three-division titlist who is moving up from lightweight, in a 140-pound showdown. The past year has been a negative one for Broner outside the ring, including jail time and multiple arrests.
But Broner, 27, said he still has dreams of becoming a PPV star and, after recently moving out of his native Cincinnati to remove the outside-the-ring distraction that has hampered him, hopes that after getting past Garcia he can secure a big money fight PPV fight.
Broner's first choir would be Manny Pacquiao, who returns on July 1 in Australia to defend his welterweight title against unheralded Jeff Horn in a fight that will be broadcast on ESPN.
"Pacquio need me. Pacquiao, give me a call man," Broner said. "[Top Rank promoter] Bob Arum, y'all need me. It's not looking too good if y'all fighting back on ESPN man."
Despite the boxing politics that have stood in the way of making many great fights in recent years, Broner is confident his adviser, Haymon, can do business with Arum despite their differences.
"Yes, and I think after my great performance on July 29, I think that will spark the fuel with me and Pacquiao. And I think that we are going to make it happen," Broner said.
Broner knows full well of his doubters and critics but said this time will be different in terms of turning his career around.
"It's all about action. It's about action. Now it's time to just start showing it and showing action," Broner said. "It's putting my hands where my mouth is and putting my hands where other people's mouth is. It's time to perform like i was in my early stages, putting on these great shows. It's time to bring the focus and get serious for the next half of my career."