Broner entered with a 33-3 record (24 KOs) as a former four-division world champion whose reputation had taken hits following defeats to Marcos Maidana and Mikey Garcia. At 28 years old, he was still viewed as one of boxing’s most gifted talents, but questions surrounded his consistency and dedication. A victory over Vargas would have put him back in line for another marquee fight or world title opportunity.
Vargas, a former light welterweight and welterweight champion, was equally motivated. Following his loss to Manny Pacquiao, the Las Vegas fighter needed a statement win to remain in contention among the division’s elite. The bout was contested at a 144-pound catchweight, with Broner reportedly earning a $1 million purse and Vargas taking home $500,000.
Jessie established the early momentum through his higher work rate. He consistently beat Broner to the punch, attacked the body and outlanded him by a wide margin through the opening six rounds according to CompuBox statistics.
Broner gradually found his rhythm during the second half of the contest. Fighting with greater urgency, he began landing the sharper, cleaner punches and opened a cut around Vargas’ left eye in the 11th round.
Although Vargas threw far more punches over the 12 rounds, Adrien landed at a significantly higher connect percentage, making the outcome difficult to separate on the scorecards.
The judges returned a majority draw. One scorecard favored Broner 115-113, while the other two judges scored the fight 114-114, leaving neither fighter with the victory they needed to move closer to another title opportunity.
Both fighters believed they had done enough to win, but they embraced after the final bell and each expressed interest in a rematch.
The draw left both fighters without the statement victory they were seeking. Broner remained in the welterweight mix and landed a shot at Manny Pacquiao’s WBA title in January 2019, losing by unanimous decision. Vargas continued campaigning at welterweight before eventually moving up to junior middleweight, but neither man secured the immediate title run they had hoped for.
Although both fighters expressed interest in a rematch after the final bell, the bout was never revisited. Their lone meeting remains a competitive 12-round contest between two former world champions attempting to re-establish themselves among boxing’s elite.
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