LAS VEGAS — Under the glittering lights of the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao turned back the clock with a dominating unanimous decision over Adrien “The Problem” Broner, retaining his WBA welterweight strap in front of a sold-out crowd of 13,025 fight fans.

In his 70th professional bout and first as a 40-year-old, Pacquiao brought the heat early and never took his foot off the gas. He dictated the pace from the opening bell, overwhelming Broner with angles, speed, and pressure that the Cincinnati native simply couldn’t answer. The judges scored it 117-111, 116-112, and 116-112—all in favour of the Filipino icon.

Though Broner entered the ring ranked sixth by the WBA, he spent most of the night on the back foot, evading rather than engaging. His cautious style earned boos from the Vegas crowd and frustration from viewers hoping for a more competitive clash. CompuBox numbers confirmed the disparity—Pacquiao landed 112 of 568 punches to Broner’s career-low 50 out of 295.

The seventh and ninth rounds saw the most dramatic exchanges, with Pacquiao pinning Broner to the ropes and unleashing sharp combinations that had the challenger reeling. A thudding left hand in round nine nearly buckled Broner’s knees, but he managed to hang on.

Pacquiao’s reunion with famed trainer Freddie Roach added another layer of nostalgia to the bout. Roach, back in the corner after a hiatus, helped devise a strategy that let Pacquiao impose his will without reckless abandon. Meanwhile, Buboy Fernandez managed the pads and physical conditioning throughout camp, ensuring Pacquiao arrived in peak form.

Broner, despite claiming he won in his post-fight interview, offered little to convince the judges—or the crowd. By the championship rounds, he was in retreat mode, hoping to survive rather than steal the fight.

With Floyd Mayweather watching ringside and speculation of a potential rematch swirling, Pacquiao made his case without needing to say a word. This was a statement—40 years old, still elite, still dangerous.

Whether Mayweather takes the bait remains to be seen. But on this January night in Las Vegas, there was no question: the legend lives on, and his fists still do the talking.