Floyd Mayweather Jr. won't give up on struggling protégé Adrien Broner

LAS VEGAS – Adrien Broner might be the biggest enigma in boxing because his physical skills, not to mention his outrageous talk, suggest one thing, but his string of lackluster performances routinely suggest something else.

The whole of Broner doesn’t equal the sum of his parts. He often leaves the audience wanting more.

Floyd Mayweather is attempting to answer why this is happening. Mayweather’s company is promoting two shows this weekend at the MGM Grand, an NBC-televised card on Saturday featuring Broner against Shawn Porter in the main event, then a CBS-televised show on Sunday afternoon with Rances Barthelemy headlining against Antonio DeMarco.

The world’s richest athlete – he told Yahoo Sports on Wednesday that he expects to earn “$275, $276 million” once all the receipts are counted from his May 2 win over Manny Pacquiao – is seated on a couch in the Mayweather Boxing Club, speaking to a small group of reporters.

He’s in a playful mood. He’s already reserved the MGM Grand Garden for Sept. 12 for what he says will be the final bout of his career. He won’t say who it will be against and when pressed, suggested that Andre Berto and journeyman Karim Mayfield are the leading contenders.

He fails to suppress a grin as he proceeds to go on at some length about Berto. Mayweather is 38 years old, but he loves to be the one to make the big announcement. He’s going to announce the name of his next opponent himself, on his terms and via his preferred medium.

Mayweather, who scolds one reporter for being negative, is repeatedly asked about why Broner hasn’t looked much like the fighter his talents suggest he should be. Broner spoke all manner of trash talk prior to his June 22, 2013, split decision victory over Paulie Malignaggi in Brooklyn, a bout that more than a few long-time boxing observers felt Malignaggi may have won.

Broner was beaten decisively by Marcos Maidana on Dec. 14, 2013, before besting Carlos Molina, Emanuel Taylor and John Molina Jr. in his next three fights. He clearly handled Carlos Molina, though his performance didn’t wow anyone. Taylor was way more competitive with him than expected, and fans booed frequently during his win over Molina Jr. in March.

It’s been a long time since Broner has truly looked like a world-class fighter approaching greatness.

Mayweather, though, preached patience.

“Things take time in boxing,” Mayweather said. “You can’t rush things.”

Broner is only 25, and doesn’t have the discipline and determination that marked Mayweather throughout his career. Broner has gone into some fights out of shape and struggled to make weight. He has gone into others after having only gone through the motions in training camp.

Mayweather suggested Broner quit training in his native Cincinnati and work out at the Mayweather Boxing Club, just a short jaunt from the Las Vegas Strip.

“There are fewer distractions here,” Mayweather said.

Not a soul laughed, or found it unusual, when Mayweather said there are fewer distractions in Las Vegas for an athlete who loves to party and surround himself with women than there would be in Cincinnati.

Broner, though, came to the desert, to this sizzling gambling haven, to avoid distractions and to coax the talent from himself.

Mayweather has made it clear through the years that Broner needed to take his career more seriously. For all the criticism Mayweather has received throughout his nearly two decades as a pro fighter, his effort and dedication have never been in question.

He frequently says that he doesn’t watch much boxing, and as he attempts to spin Broner’s issues in a positive light – “We’re not negative in this gym,” he says – it’s clear that’s true.

He turns to Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe, who is seated on a couch behind him, and asks the name of one of the company’s champions.

“Take my fighter,” Mayweather begins, referencing IBF lightweight champion Mickey Bey.

He can’t recall Bey’s name – “We got so many fighters,” he says – and so he turns to Ellerbe for help. After a bit of back and forth between them, Ellerbe finally realizes Mayweather is speaking of Bey.

“The same guy that Bey lost to [John Molina Jr.] fought … What’s the name of the guy who is the big puncher?” Mayweather asked.

Told it is Lucas Matthysse, Mayweather continues.

“You saw those fights and you saw the difference in how Adrien Broner handled the guy [Molina Jr.],” Mayweather said.

Molina was dominated by Bey and was hopelessly behind in their 2013 bout when he scored a last-minute knockout out of nowhere. That landed Molina a Showtime date with Matthysse, which turned out to be the 2014 Fight of the Year as chosen by the Boxing Writers Association of America.

But Molina Jr. didn’t push against Broner, and Broner was content to waltz through the fight. He certainly didn’t look like a fighter who could remotely be called great.

Mayweather, though, went on to talk about the heart that Broner showed in a losing effort against Maidana.

“If I was in Adrien Broner’s corner against Maidana, I probably would have stopped the fight,” Mayweather said.

His point was that Broner didn’t quit and stayed in the fight, even though he lost.

Now, Broner is headlining his second consecutive main event on NBC, and Mayweather wants to help his protégé become a star.

The best fighter on Saturday’s card, however, may be neither Broner nor Porter but 2012 U.S. Olympian Errol Spence Jr. He is 16-0 with 13 knockouts and was supposed to fight Roberto Garcia on Saturday’s card before Garcia had to be removed due to the fact that he wouldn't be able to make weight. Spence's opponent is now TBD.

Spence served as one of his sparring partners as Mayweather prepared for his 2013 bout with Robert Guerrero, firmly impressing Mayweather.

He thinks so much of Spence that Mayweather says Spence should fight WBA welterweight champion Keith Thurman if both of them win their upcoming fights, in what would be a huge step up in class for Spence.

But Mayweather goes on and on, talking up Broner and Spence as if they were Hagler and Hearns, or Leonard and Duran.

Boxing, he said, needs young stars and Broner and Spence are going to be the next generation.

He deflects most questions about his career and tries to keep the focus on the boxers on Saturday’s card.

But he finally decides he’s done, and pops out of his chair.

“I like being on this side of it,” he says, beaming, referring to promoting. “This is fun.”

It will be a lot more fun for the spectators if Broner fights the way that Mayweather insists he can. No one ever has to worry if Mayweather is properly prepared. But though he didn’t say it Wednesday, even Mayweather has to wonder about Broner’s commitment.

“Porter is no easy fight for him,” Mayweather correctly says.

And if Broner isn’t prepared, if he found as many distractions in Las Vegas as he did in Cincinnati, it may not be as easy for Mayweather to shower him with praise next time out.