Welcome to Fightful's coverage of Manny Pacquiao vs. Adrien Broner. Pacquiao returns to the United States for the first time since 2016 to face Broner in the main event of a pay-per-view bout in Las Vegas. We'll be give you results and extensive recaps of the entire card, which features three title fights, all of which have big ramifications for the future of the welterweight, light heavyweight and bantamweight divisions.
You can join in the discussion and give your picks for tonight's card on our Disqus board at the bottom of the page. Below is the main card for the event, taking place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena:
- Manny Pacquiao defeated Adrien Broner by unanimous decision (117-111, 116-112, 116-112) to retain the WBA "Regular" Welterweight title
- Marcus Browne defeated Badou Jack by unanimous decision (117-110, 116-111, 119-108) to win the Interim WBA Light Heavyweight title and become the mandatory challenger to the WBC Light Heavyweight title
- Nordine Oubaali defeated Rau'Shee Warren by unanimous decision (115-113, 116-112, 117-111) to win the WBC Bantamweight title
- Hugo Ruiz defeated Alberto Guevara (100-89, 99-90, 99-90): Featherweight Bout
Alberto Guevara vs. Hugo Ruiz: Featherweight Bout: Guevara entered the fight as a last-second replacement because Interim WBA featherweight titleholder Jhack Tepora was more than five pounds over the 126-pound limit and was pulled off the card. Ruiz started off well, landing a knockdown in the first round, but would not really create any pressure to look for the knockout. Ruiz outbox Guevara throughout the entire fight, but Guevara did land some decent counter punches to throw Ruiz off-balance, there wasn't a single round in which Guevara could confidently say he won. Ruiz slowed down his pace as the fight wore on and it started to become a glorified sparring session, not looking for the knockout and cruising to a very easy unanimous decision victory.
Official Result: Hugo Ruiz defeated Alberto Guevara (100-89, 99-90, 99-90)
Rau'Shee Warren vs. Nordine Oubaali: Vacant WBC Bantamweight title: Oubaali opened things up by swinging for the fences at some moments early in the fight. Warren's best punches early in the fight came from counter punching and utilizing the left hand and the check right hook. Warren hits a big left-right combination that stunned Oubaali, but did not capitalize on any bigger punches. At times, Oubaali abandons the jab for more power punches, but has little success connecting on those big shots. Oubaali does get in on Warren in the fifth round, feinting the left hand and connecting on a right hook. Warren becomes hesitant to let his hands go throughout the middle rounds, allowing Oubaali to take control of the fight. Oubaali lands a flurry of punches in the seventh round that hurts Warren and is starting to look like he would run away with the fight. Warren eventually gets to throw more punches in the last couple of rounds, but it is a little too late for that as Oubaali wins the WBC Bantamweight title and must now face interim champion Takuma Inoue.
Official Result: Nordine Oubaali defeated Rau'Shee Warren by unanimous decision (115-113, 116-112, 117-111) to win the WBC Bantamweight title
Badou Jack vs. Marcus Browne: Vacant Interim WBA Light Heavyweight title/WBC Light Heavyweight title eliminator: The story of the fight was a clash of heads in the seventh round that saw Jack suffer a horrendous cut. This bout should have been stopped around the ninth or 10th round. Browne dominated from the start, overpowering Jack with vicious hooks to the side of the head. Jack's gameplan appeared to be to outbox Browne and look towards landing the jab to the body. Jack was able to get the jab to land, but nothing actually hurt Browne. Jack started to lunge forward whenever Browne was against the ropes and a lot of clinching took place in the middle rounds. Browne was the stronger puncher and dominated the entire fight. Jack was able to show exceptional toughness by going the distance, but barring a late knockout, it looked like Browne was going to win one way or another once the clash of heads occurred. Browne is not only the Interim WBA champion at 175 pounds but also the mandatory challenger to the WBC title. In the post-fight interview, Browne chose to call out Teddy Atlas, who trains WBC titleholder Oleksandr Gvozdyk, who won his title in early December 2017.
Official Result: Marcus Browne defeated Badou Jack by unanimous decision (117-110, 116-111, 119-108) to win the Interim WBA Light Heavyweight title and become the mandatory challenger to the WBC Light Heavyweight title
Manny Pacquiao (c) vs. Adrien Broner: WBA "Regular" Welterweight title: From the start, Pacquiao looked to attack the body and outland Broner, who mostly stuck to defense and counter-punching. Pacquiao came out from the start like a jackrabbit, throwing several dozens of punches per round. Pacquiao continued to work the body as the fight progressed, but his best punches came from his jab, throwing Broner off-balance in a couple of rounds. Broner gets a couple of good counter hooks in, causing Pacquiao's right eye to swell up a little bit, but it hardly does anything to affect him. The pro-Pacquiao crowd lifted the Filipino champion in some of the rounds as Pacquiao wanted to give a big performance in Las Vegas. Broner barely hurt Pacquiao throughout the entire fight and Pacquiao did not slow down even in the last few rounds. After the fight, Pacquiao said he wants the rematch against Floyd Mayweather and Mayweather did not give a response when the cameras were on him. Regardless, Pacquiao showed that he is still one of the best welterweights in the world even at 40 years old.
Official Result: Manny Pacquiao defeated Adrien Broner by unanimous decision (117-111, 116-112, 116-112) to retain the WBA "Regular" Welterweight title
