Adrien Broner withdrew from the fight with Omar Figueroa, citing mental health

Adrien Broner has pulled out of Saturday’s junior welterweight fight with Omar Figueroa citing the need to address his mental health, he announced on Instagram.

Sergey Lipinets defeated Broner at the PBC in Hollywood, Fla. He will replace him in Showtime’s main event, sources told ESPN.

This is the second time a fight between Broner and Figueroa has been canceled. The former champions were set to compete in April 2018 before Figueroa pulled out with a shoulder injury.

“Sorry to all my fans but mental health is real and I’m not going to play it in the ring,” Broner wrote. “I saw a lot of people playing together [their] Boxing is a career and what I do.

“Just pray for me, I love boxing. [sp] Too much to not give everything and I feel like I’ve come before because my mind wasn’t 100% and I’m a dam. [sp] If I make that mistake again.

Broner (34-4-1, 24 KOs) has just one win in his last four fights, a controversial decision over Giovani Santiago last February. The 33-year-old from Cincinnati has competed just three times in the last four years. Figueroa, too, has been inactive for three fights in that span.

Omar Figueroa: “Not saying you don’t suffer from mental health issues because we’re all telling you, don’t use it as an excuse now that you’ve been disciplined and don’t take this fight/training camp seriously.” the older brother of former 122-pound champion Brandon Figueroa wrote on social media.

“You cannot undermine my journey and the struggle of countless others. [with] Mental health because of the immoral/dumb ass of a child.

Figueroa (28-2-1, 19 KOs) will now try to end his two-fight skid against Lipinets, a tougher opponent than Broner. Figueroa, a 32-year-old Texan, was spotted by Jordan Ugas in 2019 before being drafted by Abel Ramos in the 6th round last year.

Lipinets (16-2-1, 12 KOs) is winless in his last two fights since his split with Coustius Clayton in 2021.

Saturday’s undercard features two title fights. Alberto Pulo beats Batyr Akhmedov for the vacant WBA junior welterweight title Taylor fights for the WBA junior lightweight title between Roger Gutierrez and Hector Garcia.