Manny Pacquiao proved against Adrien Broner that he still has a lot to offer boxing. Photo: AP
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https://scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/2182900/what-next-resurgent-manny-pacquiao-filipino-clear-he-wants-face-floyd Boxing
What next for resurgent Manny Pacquiao? Filipino is clear; he wants to face Floyd Mayweather again
- After disposing of Adrien Broner, Filipino is clear that he wants Mayweather rematch
Manny Pacquiao celebrates after defeating Adrien Broner, but now he wants Floyd Mayweather again. Photo: AFP
Enough with the imitator, Manny Pacquiao seemed to say in his convincing victory over Adrien Broner on Saturday night at MGM Grand. Bring on the real thing: Floyd Mayweather Jnr.
In a display of power in which he proved to be a faster puncher than a foe 11 years his junior, Pacquiao retained his World Boxing Association secondary welterweight belt with judges delivering him a unanimous-decision victory. The scores were 117-112, 116-112 and 116-112 for Pacquiao in his first fight as a 40-year-old.
With the retired Mayweather watching his protege Broner from ringside, Pacquiao, in his 70th pro fight, kept the former four-division champion backpedalling, pounding him with body shots and flurries that hurt Broner, especially in the seventh and ninth rounds.
Pacquiao said he wants a rematch with Mayweather, who turns 42 next month, if the 50-0 fighter will come out of retirement. When ringside interviewer Jim Gray asked Mayweather if he will meet that challenge, Mayweather offered no reply.
Pacquiao is enjoying a career turnaround after uninspiring efforts that left many believing his career was nearing an end.
“I don’t believe my career is over,” Pacquiao said. “I proved it in my last fight against (Lucas Matthysse) and now proved it again. The Manny Pacquiao journey still continues.”
Floyd Mayweather is still a very public figure in the sport, despite his ‘retirement’. Photo: USA Today
Mayweather, whose last outing was a farce of an exhibition bout against a Japanese kickboxer, might have refused the entreaties of Gray, but surely there will now be a clamour among the fighting public to see the 50-0 legend fight Pacquiao again.
The Filipino was less reticent.
“Tell him to come back to the ring and then we will fight,” Pacquiao said.
“I’m willing to fight if he’s willing to come back in boxing.”
Additional reporting: Reuters