No ‘Problem’ at 40: Pacquiao blanks Broner to defend title

LAS VEGAS — Manny Pacquiao just proved that at 40, he still has it.

Showcasing his hand speed and aggression, the Filipino icon again turned back time in his return to the world's boxing capital, shutting down Adrien Broner to defend his WBA welterweight title at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Saturday (Sunday Manila time).

Pacquiao won on all judges’ scorecards 117-111 and 116-112 (twice) over Broner, whose offense was nullified by the defending champion’s volume-punching. Philstar.com had it a shutout for the fighting senator, 120-108.

"At the age of 40, I can still give my best," he said right after the win. 

Pacquiao impressed the packed crowd that included Floyd Mayweather Jr., who showed up as expected. He had Broner fighting for dear life in the seventh and ninth rounds after pinning the challenger on the ropes with solid combinations.

But the knockout win Pacquiao vowed to deliver never came, which can be partly attributed to Broner's will to survive.

"I proved in my last fight against (Lucas) Matthysse and now I proved it again," 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," he added.

An enraged Broner, for his part, cried robbery and was met with boos from the 13,025-strong crowd.

“I beat him. Everybody out there knows I beat him.  I controlled the fight, he was missing.  I hit him clean more times. I beat him," insisted Broner, whose best moments came in the form of two-punch combinations and occasional counters that hardly had any effect on Pacquiao.

Broner, nicknamed "The Problem," even went as far as suggesting the fight might have been fixed to pave the way for a Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch.

"You know I beat that boy. They are trying to get that money with Pacquiao and Floyd," he continued.

With the win, Pacquiao’s record now stands at 61-7-2, with 39 KOs. Broner, meanwhile, fell to 33-3-1 (with 24 KOs).

Broner's three losses came at the hands of Marcos Maidana, Shawn Porter (who served as Pacquiao's sparring partner) and Mikey Garcia. He just wilts when facing topnotch competition.

Pacquiao happened to be his biggest one so far.