Former boxing world champion Adrien Broner learned of a sexual battery lawsuit filed against him in real-time during a live stream.
A woman, identified as Havana Saint, alleges that Broner committed sexual battery, assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and defamation. Boxer Nurideen Shahid Shabazz, also known as Deen the Great, is named in the suit for defamation, and the streaming platform Kick is named for negligence.
The civil complaint, first reported by TMZ, details an alleged incident on June 2, after which Saint claims Broner pressured her into unwanted sexual acts, exposed himself, and doused her with ice water. Saint states she had made it clear she was not interested in men.
According to the filing, Saint encountered Broner again on June 8 at a content house in Los Angeles County. She alleges he physically removed her from the venue and took her to his home in Encino. The lawsuit claims that after she again refused his advances, Broner poured ice water on her the following morning during a live stream, causing her severe humiliation and emotional distress.
Saint also alleges that Broner and Shabazz made defamatory statements on subsequent broadcasts, falsely claiming she had sexual relations with others at the content house.
Footage of Broner discovering the lawsuit during his live stream with Deen the Great circulated on social media. In the clip, Shabazz is shown looking at reports from TMZ before informing Broner of the legal action. Broner's initial reaction was one of disbelief, with his entourage heard laughing.
Broner, a native of Cincinnati, won the WBO Super Featherweight title at 22 in 2011, experiencing a rapid rise in the boxing world. However, his career has been marked by arrests, defeats, and personal issues.
In a separate incident in September, Broner was removed from rapper Cam'ron's podcast after repeatedly making flirtatious comments to the co-host, Treasure 'Stat Baby' Wilson, despite warnings from the host. Cam'ron ended the interview and paid Broner for his time, citing a violation of boundaries.