Manny Pacquiao vs Adrien Broner result: Filipino retains world title and sets up Floyd Mayweather rematch

Forty years old, seventy fights down, but Manny Pacquiao brushed off the cobwebs with ease to defeat Adrien Broner by unanimous decision and retain his WBA welterweight world title in Las Vegas in the early hours of Sunday morning.

With Floyd Mayweather watching on from ringside, Pacquiao dominated his old foe’s former protégé, landing almost twice as many punches on his way to a 117-111, 116-112, 116-112 win on the scorecards which, if anything, deserved to be wider.

“The Manny Pacquiao journey will still continue,” Pacquiao said.

“At the age of 40 I can still give my best,” 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. ‘

Thrilled at making his return to the US after 18 months, the eight-weight world champion did start slightly rushed in the opening rounds, falling over his front foot as he attempted to blitz Broner in an early onslaught.

But, after steady jabs had chipped away at the American’s midriff, Pacquiao showed glimpses of his heyday as he found his range on a lethargic target.

Straight left-hands in the seventh and ninth rounds rocked Broner badly, and with his man aisling Pacquiao unleashed furious combinations on the ropes, cruelly deprived of a 40th career knockout by the bell.

In the final rounds, as he drifted into survival mode, ‘The Problem’ seemed content to suffer a points defeat but then bizarrely celebrated at the final bell and protested the judges’ decision.

“I beat him, everybody out there knows I beat him,” Broner said. “I clearly won the last seven rounds.”

Nevertheless, in front of a partisan crowd, Pacquiao was crowned the winner and insisted his fairy tale in the sport was far from over before inviting Floyd Mayweather to rematch him later in the year. However, whether that wish will be granted remains to be seen.