By Keith Idec

Manny Pacquiao hadn’t knocked out an opponent in 8½ years before he stopped Lucas Matthysse on July 15.

The powerful Filipino southpaw hopes that seventh-round technical knockout was just the beginning of a completely opposite streak. The 40-year-old Pacquiao wants nothing more than to become the first fighter to knock out Adrien Broner when they fight for Pacquiao’s WBA world welterweight title January 19 in Las Vegas.

“I am not making a prediction, but my goal is to knock out Broner,” Pacquiao said during a training session this week at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California. “I am looking for a knockout against Broner. I have to maximize the opportunity. I forgot how much fun winning a fight by knockout was until I stopped Lucas Matthysse last summer to win the WBA welterweight title. It felt great to win that way and the fans loved it, too, so why not try for it again?”

Broner, 29, has three losses, one draw and a no-contest on his record, but the Cincinnati native never has lost by knockout. His chin consistently has been one of his greatest strengths throughout his 10 years as a pro.

Marcos Maidana dropped Broner twice, once apiece in the second and eighth rounds, during their welterweight title fight five years ago. Broner exhibited resilience and toughness in that fight, however, by getting off the canvas both times and making Maidana fight for 12 hard rounds.

Argentina’s Maidana won that December 2013 bout by unanimous decision at Alamodome in San Antonio.

Pacquiao pointed out that his desire to knock out Broner is strictly business, not due to anything away from boxing.

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

Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KOs) will make the first defense of the WBA world 147-pound title he won from Matthysse (39-5, 36 KOs, 1 NC) when he encounters Broner (33-3-1, 24 KOs, 1 NC). Showtime will distribute Pacquiao-Broner two weeks from Saturday night as the main event of a four-fight pay-per-view telecast from MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.