Manny Pacquiao beats Jessie Vargas by unanimous decision to claim the WBO welterweight title in front of the watching Floyd Mayweather

Manny Pacquiao still awaits his first knock-out victory for seven years.

But at coming up to 38 he turned the clock back to his vintage finest to win the 11th title of his phenomenal career.

Whether that will be enough to lure Floyd Mayweather out of retirement for another mega-bucks battle of the legends is unclear. Mr Money broke the habit of his professional lifetime by taking a seat at ringside to watch Pacquiao in action.

With a man this unpredictable it is difficult to calculate his considered reaction.

Pacquiao’s failure to finish off a much larger opponent, Jessie Vargas, who he beat to a pulp may give Mayweather an excuse to turn down the invitation.

Alternatively he may sense less danger and be tempted to bank another fortune.

If, say, next September they only made half as much money as in their first fight Mayweather would bank $110 milllion (£88m), Pacquiao $80 million (£64m).

But what Pacquiao has proved is that he can combine his two exacting roles – as a fighter and Filipino Senator – with dignity and success.

That resolved he has made it clear he will continue boxing next year – against Terence Crawford or whoever else his promoter Bob Arum puts in front of him.

Probably in the spring, perhaps then Mayweather next September.

Remarkably, he is almost the Manny of yore. A little more careful maybe – as he admits he needed to be against a much larger world champion.

But wiser and just as phenomenally fast.

Only the full-blown welterweight size of Vargas enabled him to survive to the end.

Pacquiao said: ‘I am so happy with my performance. I felt energised. I felt great in every round. I can only apologise to everyone that I did not knock him out as I wanted. But all you can do sensibly is your best to get the knock down every round.’

When and who will he fight next?

‘We’ll see.’

Mayweather? ‘We’ll see.’

Vargas thought he had been involved in ‘a close game of speed chess.’ But then the inside of his head must have been as fuddled as his face was battered.

Pacquiao knocked him down legitimately three times but referee Kenny Bayless only credited him with one 10-8 round.

And there were a couple of debatable calls which the crowd at the Thomas and Mack Center off the Las Vegas Strip cat-called.

But all that mattered in the end was that Pacquiao looked his old self and that the only eight-division champion in ring history has the belt which should always be round his waist.

During intervals in the three preceding world title fights there were huge roars in the arena as scenes of Pacquiao’s arrival and then of him praying and having his hands wrapped in the dressing lit up the giant screens.

Although Vargas lives in Vegas there was audibly a substantial Filipino majority in the near-20,000 crowd.

The origins of Vargas notwithstanding, many of the Mexicans present are also career-long fans of Pacquiao, who they regard as one of their own in terms of warrior spirit.

The surprise arrival of Mayweather at ringside – believed to be a first for him at a Pacquio fight – was also given a loud reception. But in his case it was a mixture of cheers and jeers.

It also stoked up the increasing speculation that he, too, might come out of retirement for an enriching rematch with Pacquiao.

If so, it was thought Mayweather was hoping to see an eye-catching KO triumph for the Pacman to generate a second mega-millions fight.

The two men doing the actual boxing this Saturday night came to the ring in an electrifying atmosphere which demonstrated that Pacquiao stlll sets the juices flowing in Sin City.

After a cautious opener, Vargas started the second briskly but was punished for every mistake, especially when he missed and swung off balance. When he was caught really off balance a trademark Pacquiao left dropped him for the eight count.

Vargas was finding it difficult to get through with telling punches despite his physical advantages. Another huge left from Pacquiao almost dropped him again, as did the ensuing right.The Pacman was opening up now and the crowd were on the feet. When Vargas touched down with gloves referee Bayless ruled it a slip.

Vargas was staring down the barrel at this point. He responded with one thudding straight right which stopped Pacuqiao in his tracks momentarily. It was the focal point . When landed in like manner it was enough to give him his first round on my card.

Pacquiao responded with stinging rights and lefts at the start of the fifth. Vargas enjoyed a flicker of success but was caught by a big left at the end of my first even round.

The crowd chanted ‘Let’s Go Manny’ but it was Vargas landing the heavier punches at the start of the sixth. That long right wa troubling Pacquiao and his surge to try to neuter the problem only exposed him to a shuddering left hand.

Pacquaio, sensing danger, stepped up the pace and thepower, opening the seventh by landing rights and lefts at will. Vargas, with his size, was able to take them but as more blows rained in on him Pacquiao regained the upper fist.

The seventh had produced the Pacman’s best boxing so fast. The eighth gave us the most exciting exchanges thus far. Vargas came back with a massive right of his own and then they went to war, with Pacquiao doing most of the damage.

Pacquiao became more clinical in the ninth, picking his shots as he set about the process of breaking Vargas down.

Pacquiao was desperate to land his first knock out in seven years but the sheer size of Vargas was keeping him in it. He was rocked by three picture book lefts . He took a flurry of pain and when he tried tro laugh it off was punished for his temerity by another lightning combination. Vargas meandered wearily back to his corner at the bell – as Pacquiao jogged to his.

Another burst of punches ended with Vargas sinking to his knees but as Pacquiao was leaning on him the referee spared him another count. When Bayless made the same decision shortly before the bell the crowd protested. Pacquiao had clearly landed the right to send him down on his hands.

The Vargas face was turning nto a swollen, reddened mess. The fight was gone for him, along wiith his welterweight title. The Pacman was putting on a show but that elusive knock down wouldn’t come. Again Jarvis went down. Again Mr Bayless said no knock-down. Again the crowd protested.

Vargas’ minor victory was in surviving the 12 rounds. Pacquiao now has his 11th world title.