Pacquiao Looks Ageless After Dominating Victory Over Broner

By Tony Mangia

While many have been looking at boxer Manny Pacquiao as past his prime in recent years, the future Hall of Famer looked ten years younger after convincingly defeating American challenger Adrien Broner to retain his WBA welterweight title in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

No, make that 11 years younger.

The 40 year-old Pacquiao (61-7-2) won a unanimous decision (117-111, 116-112, 116-112) over the 29 year-old Broner (33-4-1) defending his 147-pound belt in dominating fashion in front of 13,000 appreciative fans at the MGM Grand Arena.

It was Pacquiao's first fight in the United States in over two years and his first bout since a title-winning seventh-round knockout of Lucas Matthysse in July in Malaysia. Now fight fans are hoping last night's bout could serve as an tempting incentive for a rematch with another perennial — Floyd Mayweather Jr..

Pacquiao claimed a shoulder injury limited his effectiveness going into that Mayweather fight and has expressed his desire for another shot at the champ after losing a unanimous decision to him back in 2015. Mayweather was ringside for last night's fight.

Manny Pacquiao lights up Adrian Broner in the 7th round! #Boxing #Broner #BronerPacquiao #PacquiaoVsBroner #PacquiaoBroner pic.twitter.com/zT6HRvQRZQ

— Enos Tonnie (@ItsEnos) January 20, 2019

It was Pacquiao's first fight since turning 40 years old and the the first one since being reunited with his longtime trainer Freddie Roach after a brief separation.

The Filipino senator used body shots to work over Broner in the early rounds before unleashing a wild flurry of head shots in the seventh. Pacquiao completely controlled the tempo of the fight and the stats don't lie. During the 12 rounds bout he landed 82 of 197 power punches to 39 of 180 for Broner. Pacquiao connected on 47 body shots. Broner landed a grand total of three.

"I don't believe my career is over," the boundless Pacquiao said after the bout. " I proved it again at the age of forty."

On the other side, Broner's remarks after the fight might not be ageless, but they certainly will be timeless.

pic.twitter.com/IVsom1GcIz

— Sporting News (@sportingnews) January 20, 2019

Mayweather-Pacquaio WBC title belt will have new look : Report

The boxing world finally has the high-profile fight it has been waiting for, so it's only fitting it gets a special championship belt to match its record-breaking purse.

World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman announced the winner of the long-awaited bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao will receive a new belt to highlight the event's importance.

The WBC's official site passed along comments from Sulaiman, who also applauded both fighters for putting their legacies on the line:

"For this special recognition I would like to have emeralds or platinum, but everything will be defined during the next weeks. This is because of the magnitude of the event, which will be broadcast via TV networks globally.

"It came in a good moment and it will be an emotive event. Both are obviously putting their legacy at stake, to prove who's the best, satisfying an enormous created expectance. They are also competing to be considered one of the best 10 fighters in the entire boxing history."

The May 2 fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas is the most expensive sporting ever promoted — with $250,000 ringside seats — so a new belt to commemorate the historic welterweight encounter seems apropos.

Sulaiman didn’t reveal any details about the new belt but, I'm guessing it'll be real sparkly.

It's on! Floyd Mayweather will fight Manny Pacquiao on May 2

For more than five years fight fans have screamed for a meeting between the two best fighters in the world, and after various failed negotiations and teases — Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. have agreed to get it on May 2 to unify the fighters' welterweight world titles at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

After what seemed like the most intense speculation of any sporting event in history, Pacquiao (57-5-2) and Mayweather (47-0) have finally agreed to put it all on the line in Las Vegas for an estimated purse of $250 million (60/40 in Mayweather’s favor because that was the only way he’d agree to the fight.)

Mayweather made the announcement on Friday afternoon on a social media venue called  “Shots.”, where he wrote:

"What the world has been waiting for has arrived. Mayweather vs. Pacquiao on May 2, 2015, is a done deal.”

"I promised the fans we would get this done, and we did," he added, posting a picture of a signed contract.

       
The May Day Pay Day is a lock to be the richest in boxing history and will, barring a draw, settle the issue that has been debated for years: Who is the No. 1 fighter in boxing?

'The May Day Pay Day' - How the world reacted to the announcement of #MayweatherPacquiao http://t.co/YdjwL0fSkP pic.twitter.com/wEsXSgxcNH
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 21, 2015