Manny Pacquiao showed on Saturday night he still has plenty of fight in a dominant win over Adrien Broner – and called out Floyd Mayweather in his post-fight press conference.
With Mayweather watching from ringside in Las Vegas, Pacquiao showed flashes of his old speed in winning a unanimous 12-round decision over Broner to easily defend his piece of the welterweight title. It was the 61st win of a remarkable career in which Pacquiao has won titles in eight weight classes.
Pacquiao was repeatedly asked about a rematch with Mayweather after the fight. “My message is I’m still active, and if [Mayweather] goes back to the ring and wants to challenge me, I’m a champion. Get back to the ring and we will fight again if he wants,” he said. “If he wants to come out of retirement, then announce it and challenge me. I’m a champion and I don’t pick any opponent. I’m just waiting to see who will challenge me, who will challenge [for] my belt.”
Pacquaio won a lopsided decision that was never in doubt before a crowd that roared at every punch he landed. The decision was never in doubt, but Pacquiao pressed the fight into the later rounds as he tried unsuccessfully to score a knockout. Two judges favored Pacquiao by a 116-112 score, while the third had it 117-111. The Guardian scored it 119-109 for Pacquiao.
There were no knockdowns, but Pacquiao landed the heavier punches — and lots of them. He caught Broner in the seventh and ninth rounds with big left hands that sent him backward, while Broner spent most of the fight looking for one big counter that never came.
“At the age of 40 I can still give my best,” Pacquiao said. “Although I wanted to be aggressive more, my camp told me don’t be careless and to counter him and wait for opportunities.”
Broner, meanwhile, fought like he was merely trying to survive, despite being 11 years younger than his opponent. He was booed loudly as he raised his hands in victory and jumped on the corner ropes as if he had won.
“I came and I gave them what they weren’t looking for,” said Broner. “If you ask me, I feel like I won the fight, but I’m not about to sit here with a sad face. I’m all right, I’m all right and I will be back and I will be champion again.”
Asked about Broner’s verdict, Pacquiao said: “We cannot blame him. I’m sure he will review the fight and think about it. He is a good boxer. He’s fast, he moves fast – he’s a former champion, so he’s the kind of fighter that you cannot underestimate, you cannot take him lightly. He gave me a hard time.”
Mayweather watched it all intently from his ringside seat, and was coy about possibly coming out of retirement for a reprise of the 2015 lackluster fight Mayweather won by decision over Pacquiao.
“You keep asking me about Manny Pacquiao,” Mayweather said during the fight. “He needs to get past Adrien Broner first. And right now I’m living a happy and healthy life.”
Showtime announcer Jim Gray tried to get Mayweather to climb into the ring after the fight and discuss a possible bout with Pacquiao, but Mayweather demurred.
It was the first fight in the US in two years for Pacquiao, who reunited with trainer Freddie Roach for a bout that would determine how much he had left at the age of 40. Turns out he had plenty, in a fight that was entertaining even if it wasn’t a classic.
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