Pacquiao ready for Broner in Las Vegas return

LOS ANGELES, California: Manny Pacquiao is aiming to offer fresh evidence that life begins at 40 when the Filipino veteran takes on Adrien Broner on Saturday in his first fight in Las Vegas for more than two years.

Pacquiao, who celebrated his 40th birthday last month with a lavish birthday party in the Philippines, defends his WBA regular welterweight crown against Broner at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

It is the Filipino’s first bout on US soil since a unanimous decision win over Jessie Vargas in the Nevada boxing and gaming capital in November 2016.Since then, Pacquiao’s career has followed an uncertain trajectory, with a shock defeat to Australia’s Jeff Horn in Brisbane in 2017 followed by a year-long absence from the ring.

Pacquiao (60-4-2, 39 knockouts) made a triumphant return in Kuala Lumpur last July, scoring his first knockout win in six years with a seventh-round stoppage of Argentina’s Lucas Matthysse.That impressive return paved the way for Saturday’s bout with the 29-year-old Broner, who boasts 33 wins, 24 by knockout in his 38-fight career.

While Pacquiao insists he is looking no further than Saturday’s contest against Broner, many observers view the fight as a stepping stone towards a possible rematch with Floyd Mayweather following their money-spinning 2015 superfight.“My plan is one at a time,” Pacquiao told AFP. “I cannot say about the future until January 19. After that we’ll have a press conference. Leave it as a question mark for now.”