Broner to Pacquiao: Forget Mayweather

MANILA, Philippines – Adrien Broner said Manny Pacquiao is making a terrible mistake thinking of a rematch with Floyd Mayweather ahead of their January 19 clash.

"He ain't fighting Floyd. He's fighting me,” said Broner in New York where he and Pacquiao faced the media at the Gotham Hall.

Pacquiao was asked about the possibility of a rematch with Mayweather, and the Filipino senator responded positively.

Broner took it as Pacquiao taking him lightly.

"He's gotta get past me first. I’m gonna beat your ass. You worry about Floyd, he’s already beat you brother,” he said.

Pacquiao, dressed in an elegant gray suit, smiled from where he sat. The event was streamed live on YouTube past midnight Monday (Manila time), drawing close to 6,000 viewers.

Earlier, in his turn at the microphone, Pacquiao said he chose to fight the 29-year-old Broner because he’s a “top-caliber fighter.”

Pacquiao, who won the WBA welterweight crown with a TKO win over Lucas Matthysse last July, knows he’s taking a risk facing the ex-champion.

“I chose Broner because we can have a good fight and entertain the fans. Adrien is a top caliber fighter and a good boxer. We cannot underestimate him,” he said.

From New York, the two boxers will head to Los Angeles for the second and last stop of the press tour. Then it’s time to train.

Pacquiao will do the first half of his training in the Philippines, and then the other half in the United States, under Buboy Fernandez and Freddie Roach.

The celebrated trainer will be back in the fold as training supervisor.

“[Roach] can rest and just watch the training, and instruct the training, strategy-wise, advice some techniques like that,” said Pacquiao.

Broner came to the press conference dressed like a rapper. He said he "didn't come here for the check" but the chance to become a legend of his own.

“[Expletive] the money. I know when I win this fight, there is more money to come. Excuse my language but this ain’t Nickelodeon, this is pay-per-view,” he said.

Broner, cocky inside and outside the ring, had seen Pacquiao being knocked out, and thinks it can be done again.

“I’m not worried about what Manny does. He has to worry about what I’m doing.  I have three losses and he has eight. But he has been knocked out three times so we know he can go to sleep,” he said.

“He doesn’t need Nyquil (cold medicine) for that, and I have the power to do it,” said Broner, who’s 33-3-1 but never been knocked out.

Pacquiao is 60-7-2 with three knockout defeats.

“I’m here to knock him out. I feel like a bum trying to fight for a sandwich,” said Broner, who knows what Pacquiao has achieved in the sport.

Yet, he doesn’t really seem to care.

Broner doesn’t even know how to spell Pacquiao’s name.