Pacquiao, nangakong patutulugin si Broner

MAHIGIT walong taon ang pinaghintay ng boxing fans bago mulingnagpamalas ng knockout win si eight-division world titlist Manny Pacquiao nang pabagsakin si Argentinian Lucas Matthysse sa ikapitong round ng kanilang laban noong Hulyo 15 sa Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Ngayon, muling nanganko ang fighting Senador ng isa pang KO win laban kay four-division world champion Adrien Broner.

Maglalaban sina Pacquiao at Broner sa Enero 19 sa MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada sa United States sa Showtime payper-view bout na tatampukan din ng pagdedepensa ni interim WBA featherweight champion Jhack Tepora ng Pilipinas laban two-division titlist Hugo Ruiz ng Mexico.

“I am not making a prediction, but my goal is to knock out Broner,” sabi ni Pacquiao kay BoxingScene.com writer Keith Idec. “I am looking for a knockout against Broner. I have to maximize the opportunity. I forgot how much fun winning a fight by knockout was until I stopped Lucas Matthysse 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?”

Hamak na mas bata si Broner kay Pacquiao sa edad na 29 at hindi pa napapatigil sa ibabaw ng ring pero dalawang beses napabagsak ni dating WBA welterweight champion Marcos Maidana ng Argentina may limang taon na ang nakararaan kaya matibay ang mga panga nito.

“I have nothing personal against Adrien Broner,” dagdag ni Pacquiao. “This fight is strictly business. He is fun. He makes me laugh. He knows how to sell himself and to sell a fight.”

May rekord si Pacquiao 60-7-2 na may 39 pagwawagi sa knockouts samantalang si Broner ay may kartadang 33-3-1 a may 24 panalo sa knockouts.