Senator Manny Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KOs), boxer laureate and the sweet science’s only eight-division world champion, has a goal. That goal is to knock out his next opponent.
Cincinnati’s Adrien “The Problem” Broner (33-3-1, 24 KOs) is in the opposite corner when they collide on Saturday, January 19, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Presented by Premier Boxing Champions, the Pacquiao vs. Broner WBA welterweight world championship.
The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“I am not making a prediction but my goal is to knock out Broner,” said Manny as he was wrapping his hands before starting a rigorous workout. The workout included 12 rounds of hitting the mitts with world-famous Freddie Roach, at Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club.
“I am looking for a knockout against Broner. Therefore, I’ll be looking to maximize the opportunity.
“I forgot how much fun winning a fight by knockout was until I stopped Lucas Matthyssee last summer to win the WBA welterweight title. It felt great to win that way and the fans loved it too, so why not try for it again?
“I have nothing personal against Adrien Broner. This fight is strictly business. He is fun and he makes me laugh. He knows how to sell himself and to sell a fight.”
A three-time Fighter of the Year. Also the Boxing Writers Association of America’s reigning Fighter of the Decade, Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KOs) hails from Sarangani Province in the Philippines. He is the only sitting Congressman and Senator to win a world title.
After serving two terms as Congressman, ‘Pacman’ was elected to a Philippine Senate seat in May 2016. As a result, he captured over 16 million votes nationally.
Pacquiao’s boxing resume features victories over at least seven current and future Hall of Famers. Including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, and Juan Manuel Marquez.
In his last fight, with Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duerte and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad in attendance, Pacquaio, 39, regained the welterweight title for a fourth time with a vintage performance on July 15 at Axiata Arena in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia. Pacquiao knocked out defending WBA champion Lucas Matthyssee in the seventh round.
Cincinnati’s Broner (33-3-1, 24 KOs) is a former four-division world title holder. He’s certainly one of boxing’s most popular and colorful personalities.
The brash and outspoken 29-year-old has faced some of boxing’s best en route to winning titles at 130, 135, 140 and 147 pounds. Including Mikey Garcia, Paulie Malignaggi and Shawn Porter.
Broner, who will face his 10th world champion in Pacquiao. He scored a draw in his last fight in April on SHOWTIME against former two-division world champion Jessie Vargas.
