The two fighters comfortably made weight for their welterweight (147 pounds) main event Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Fighting senator Manny Pacquiao's storied career. Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KO)weighed in at 146, with Broner (33-3-1, 24 KO) a pound heavier at 146½.
The 40-year-old Pacquiao, (60-7-2, 39 KOs), claims he’s keenly aware of Broner's strategy, coming off July's title-winning, seventh-round TKO of Lucas Matthysse.
“I know Adrien Broner will wait for me and counter like Marquez did and they expect to do what Marquez did. I still have killer instinct, the fire in my eyes, the aggressiveness, speed and power," said Pacquiao.
"Adrien Broner moves fast and he’s a good boxer, but I’m prepared for that. [Marquez] will not happen again. I learned from the past. I have to correct my mistake. We are not worried.”
Planking is the term for lying down, face-first. That’s what happened to Pacquiao in December 2012, when he was knocked out by a single right from Juan Manuel Marquez.
Broner, (33-3-1, 24 KOs), says a similar fate awaits “Pacman” when they square off tomorrow night at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Showtime PPV (9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT).
Pacquiao will earn $10 million for putting his title on the line Saturday inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, while the challenger Broner will pocket $2.5 million. Both fighters, however, will also be compensated a percentage of the profits the PPV event ultimately brings in.
In the co-main event that's being contested for the WBA silver light heavyweight championship, Badou Jack will earn $500,000 while his opponent, Marcus Browne, comes away with $250,000 for leading everyone into the marquee fight of the evening on Saturday.
“Counter-punching will definitely play a big part against a left-hander like Pacquiao,” said Broner, 29, who is 6-0 with five knockouts against southpaws. “But we’ve got some more gifts to beat Pacquiao, and I will show that on January 19.”