KO of Lucas Matthysse has Manny Pacquiao thirsting for a stoppage

Argentina’s Lucas Matthysse reacts after he was knocked down by Philippines’ Manny Pacquiao during their world welterweight boxing championship bout at Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur on July 15, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Mohd RASFAN

MANILA, Philippines–Now that he’s rediscovered the thrill of a knockout victory, Manny Pacquiao is looking at no less than stopping his fancy American foe Adrien Broner when they clash on Jan. 19 in Las Vegas.

“The fans loved it, so why not try for it again,” Pacquiao told philboxing.com after another gruelling workout in Hollywood that prompted his head trainer and best friend Buboy Fernandez to say that he has already reached 100 percent in shape.

Not that Pacquiao has a beef against the Broner, a rough and troubled former world champ who was just out on bail.

“I have nothing personal against Adrien Broner,” said the 40-year-old Pacquiao. This fight is strictly business. He makes me laugh. He knows how to sell himself and to sell a fight.”

Meantime, Broner appeared on All-Access, a three-part series produced just for the fight, that he had an epiphany to focus on boxing while sitting on a jail cell not long ago.

“”I made up my mind that day that if God let me out of here, I’m gonna box,” said the 29-year-old native of Cincinnati.

“And now I’m here fighting Pacquiao. I never thought in a million years I’d be here,” added Broner who vowed to get his career straightened up for the biggest fight of his career.

But he mustn’t get his hopes high.

Pacquiao said that after flooring Argentine tough guy Lucas Matthysse for the WBA welterweight title last July in Kuala Lumpur, he had developed a renewed hunger for sensational triumphs.

“I have to maximize the opportunity,” said Pacquiao. “I forgot how much fun winning a fight by knockout until I stopped (Mathysse). It felt great to win that way.”

For Pacquiao, it’s his glorious career coming in full circle as he will fighting at the MGM Grand Garden, the site of his sixth round KO of Lehlo Ledwaba in June 2001 which catapulted him into superstardom.

A spectacular win against Broner would raise the stocks for the planned rematch between him and Floyd Mayweather for the sequel of their 2015 mega-fight.