By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
FILIPINO World Boxing Association welterweight champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao retained his title after outclassing American challenger Adrien “The Problem” Broner in their championship fight on Sunday (Manila time) in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Dominated the contest right from the start with solid and steady jabs, the eight-division world champion proved too much to handle for Mr. Broner en route to a convincing unanimous decision victory, 117-111, 116-112, and 116-112.
Forty-year-old Pacquiao sizzled in the seventh and ninth round, in particular, where he connected jabs and combinations that hurt Mr. Broner, 29, and had him on the ropes. The latter though managed to survive both times but holding on to the Filipino champion to the dismay of majority of the 13,025 who trekked to the MGM Grand Garden Arena to witness the fight.
In the championship rounds, Mr. Pacquiao tried to go for the finish but Mr. Broner would be reluctant to engage and was seemingly content on just surviving the contest, forcing Mr. Pacquiao to just pick his openings and settle for the unanimous decision win.
“I feel happy because I did my best in the fight. And in training with did a lot and I thank God for this victory,” said Mr. Pacquiao, who improved to 61-7-2 after his latest victory.
He went on to say that the win was proof that he is not yet done in boxing even at 40 years old and the journey continues for him.
“I’m just so happy that God gave me great health and all these blessings. At the age of 40 I can still do my best. I really do not believe my career is over. I proved that in my last fight against [Lucas] Matthysse and I proved that again today. Manny Pacquiao’s journey continues,” said Mr. Pacquiao, also a sitting senator of the republic.
After the fight, the Filipino boxing superstar was asked if he was willing to fight anew unbeaten world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr.
He said his is willing to fight the already-retired American champion but the latter must come back to the ring first.
“Tell him (Mayweather) to come back to the ring and then we will fight,” Mr. Pacquiao said.
“I’m willing to fight him again,” he added.
Mr. Mayweather, who was in attendance and whose group is a co-promoter of the Pacquiao-Broner fight, did not response to the comment when put on the spot and the TV camera was pointed to his direction.
For his part, Mr. Broner (33-4-1) refused to accept the result of the fight, believing he won it.
“Everybody out there knows I beat him (Pacquiao),” he confidently blurted out in the post-fight interview.
The win was the second straight for Mr. Pacquiao after he lost to Australian Jeff Horn in July 2017 while Mr. Broner has not won in his last three fights, recording two defeats and a draw.

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