Pacquiao: “My Goal Is To Knock Out Broner”

By: Sean Crose

“My goal is to knock out Broner” Manny Pacquiao says in the leadup to his January 19th Pay Per View throwdown with the notorious Adrien Broner. “I have to maximize the opportunity,” he adds. “I forgot how much fun winning a fight by knockout was until I stopped Lucas Matthyssee last summer to win the WBA welterweight title.” Pacquiao, 60-7-2, certainly looked impressive in his destruction of the aging Matthysse several months back. “It felt great to win that way,” he continues, “and the fans loved it too, so why not try for it again?”

Broner, 33-3-1, will be facing Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for Pacquiao’s WBA welterweight title belt. Noted as one of boxing’s true bad boys, Broner was off to a brilliant start until a loss to Marcos Maidana in 2013 began to derail his career. Although still popular, Broner is running out of chances to live up to his once stellar reputation. Legal problems, along with further losses to Shawn Porter and Mikey Garcia have only managed to diminish the Cincinnati native’s star. “I have nothing personal against Adrien Broner,” says Pacquiao. “This fight is strictly business. He is fun. He makes me laugh. He knows how to sell himself and to sell a fight.”

Broner also knows how to box and box well – something Pacquiao is sure to keep in mind. Having re-teamed with famed trainer Freddie Roach, his regimen for the Broner fight has perhaps been creating something of a buzz. “He runs like a deer,” strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune says. “No one can keep up with him. That’s the secret to his success — his work ethic and his stamina. He has the strongest foundation of any fighter with whom I’ve worked. His legs and calves still generate more power and speed than younger fighters.”

“I think experience has made Manny a better fighter,” Roach says. “He still trains harder than anyone. I like Broner as a fighter. I think he has excellent boxing skills. But Broner has never faced anyone like Manny. Broner will be mentally exhausted within four rounds and physically spent within six. It will be impossible for Broner to keep pace with the Manny Pacquiao of this training camp.”

Pacquiao’s regime is said to consist of five mile runs, 12 rounds of mitt work, 12 round of sparring, bag work and 1,000 sets of situps. Pacquiao-Broner will air live on Showtime Pay Per View.