MANILA, Philippines – “Sugar” Shane Mosley of the United States said he is ready to take on 7-division world champion Manny Pacquiao, unlike his May 1 opponent, American Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

In an interview with Anthony “Duljoman” Andales of PhilBoxing.com, Mosley reacted to speculations that the Pacquiao-Mayweather bout was cancelled because the American was afraid to suffer his first loss at the hands of the pound-for-pound king.

“I don’t know if he’s a coward or not but what I know for this fight? He was forced to fight me. Aside from Manny, this is the only big money for him out there. If he’s afraid to fight Manny I’m not,” he said.

Mosley went on to say that he is aiming to defeat Mayweather so he could challenge the Filipino boxing sensation.

“Beating him [Mayweather] will put me to where I wanna be placed in my career. That’s why, I’ll beat Floyd, then hopefully Manny will fight me.”

The Americans will slug it out on May 1 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, the venue of the botched Pacquiao-Mayweather bout.

MANILA, Philippines – Manny Pacquiao will likely fight in September if he loses in the elections on May 10, according to Top Rank promoter Bob Arum.

Arum said in an interview with BoxingTalks.com’s G. Leon that Pacquiao is expected to resume training for a fight sometime in September if he loses against Roy Chiongbian for the lone congressional seat of Sarangani province.

But if the 7-division champ and reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight king is triumphant in his 2nd attempt to become a member of Congress, Arum said the fight will be moved later this year.
“If he wins the election, he[’ll] probably fight in November, and if he loses the election, he fights in September,” said Arum.

In Pacquiao’s first attempt at politics in 2007, he lost to South Cotabato Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio.
This time around, he's up against the politically-influential Chiongbians of Sarangani, the home province of his wife, Jinkee.

Although observers are unsure about Pacquiao’s political pursuit, Arum said he is certain about one thing: “Manny Pacquiao is definitely fighting again this year."

MANILA, Philippines – Veteran fighter Gerry Peñalosa said a match featuring Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley would be better instead of the blockbuster clash between the pound-for-pound king and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. 

“The fight would surely be blazing with the exchange of hard punches from two boxers who have made boxing viewing exciting for everyone,” he said in his April 11 "Fearless" column on PhilBoxing.com.
But he refused to give his prediction on Mosley vs Pacquiao: “Should it happen… I wonder who would I pick as winner? Let’s reserve that thought some other time.”

Peñalosa, meantime, wrote that he thinks Mosley would get the better of Mayweather on May 1 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“He is a very active boxer and a good puncher. He can outbox, outrun and outpunch any legitimate welterweight even in his age of 38 because he’s got a very physique and in a tip top shape,” he noted.
He also cited that Mosley is hard-working, confident and passionate.

“If Mosley can outscore and land heavy punch on Mayweather in the first four rounds, then the game is set for Mosley because Mayweather will be forced to get in a head-on fight with him and won’t be running around so that he can get high percentage punches to cope with the point deficit.”

Peñalosa echoed what Pacquiao and Boxing Analyst earlier predicted that Mosley would prevail.
However, Pacquiao and Peñalosa’s trainer, Freddie Roach, picked Mayweather.

“It seems almost everybody is putting their bets on Mayweather. Mayweather is a cocky boxer, he puts his foot where his mouth is but his undefeated boxing record is surely something that one cannot overlook,” noted Peñalosa.
Peñalosa, who lost his Pinoy Power 3 bout in February, is set to give his official statement on his care plans.
The 37-year-old Filipino was defeated by Puerto Rican Eric “Little Hands of Steel” Morel by split decision at the Las Vegas Hilton.

Source: ABS-CBN News

MANILA, Philippines – It seems like another boxing champion is setting his sights on challenging pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao, just like Floyd Mayweather, Jr., Shane Mosley, Antonio Margarito and Erik Morales.

World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion Andre Berto, who successfully defended his title on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) against Puerto Rican Carlos Quintana, said Pacquiao has not faced a boxer like him.

“It would be a great showdown because he (Pacquiao) has never had to deal with my type of speed and power combined,” Berto said in an Examiner.com article by Vivek Wallace.

“Some of his opponents had one or the other, but you could make an argument that I'd be the first with that kind of mix,” the Haitian American added.

Berto's promoter, Lou DiBella, also confirmed that his ward is keen on fighting the Filipino boxing superstar. He said that Pacquiao is “absolutely on the radar if he decides to take the fight.”

Berto retained his WBC title after scoring an 8th round technical knockout victory at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida.

Most sensible match-up

The 26-year-old Berto (26-0, with 20 KOs) is the second undefeated fighter to challenge Pacquiao (51-3-2, with 38 knockouts) after Mayweather (40-0, with 25 KOs).

He represented Haiti in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

According to a sports journalist, Berto’s victory over Quintana paved the way for him to challenge the 7-division world champion.

Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated explained, “On paper it makes a lot of sense. It would unify two titles -- Pacquiao is the WBO title-holder -- and pitting Pacquiao against another power puncher would remove the stench attached to him and his promoter, Bob Arum, after last month's overpriced sparring session with Joshua Clottey.”

The Haitian-American was supposed to face Mosley of the US last January but he pulled out after the devastating Haiti earthquake, which affected his family.

Mosley went on to forge a May 1 fight with fellow American Mayweather, whom Pacquiao was supposed to fight last March 13. Their mega fight did not push through because they disagreed on the drug testing protocol. Pacquiao, meantime, retained his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title after defeating Clottey of Ghana via unanimous decision last March.

Mannix noted that Pacquiao’s camp would have to wait for the outcome of the Mayweather vs Mosley match.

“But if Mosley wins -- which would trigger a rematch clause with Mayweather -- or if negotiations with Mayweather crumble, Berto has earned a spot at the top of the list,” he noted. – With reports from Examiner.com and Sports Illustrated

MANILA, Philippines – Outspoken American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. has acknowledged that his opponent Shane Mosley is a talented boxer, but the former pound-for-pound king considers himself gifted.

In a report posted on LATimes.com, Mayweather said he is not worried by Mosley’s abilities inside the ring.

"Nothing bothers me. I got nothing to worry about. There's a way to beat him. He wants to rush me? He'll get clipped," he told LATimes.com‘s Lance Pugmire.

He even made fun of Mosley, the reigning World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight champ.

"[He] punches with his eyes closed," said Mayweather, adding that his opponent is distracted by divorce proceedings and has been acting differently, citing Mosley's new arm tattoo and "nose job."

"Shane's talented. I'm gifted," said the boxer, who is considered as the best next opponent for Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao.

‘Shane is Floyd’s toughest fight’
Mayweather’s handlers, however, have a different view of Mosley.

"This guy's bigger than [Juan Manuel] Marquez, was a good amateur like Floyd, has good hand speed and power," said Mawyeather’s trainer and uncle Roger Mayweather.

"I still say [if] we get him in the middle of the ring, we'll get him. There ain't a more skilled fighter in the middle of the ring than my nephew. But Mosley is among the elite my nephew's ever faced… probably the No. 1 guy as far as skill level," he added.

Mosley won the WBA crown by pummeling Antonio Margarito in January 2009. Last September, Mosley stepped into the ring and called for Mayweather after the latter’s lopsided win over Marquez.

"He's fighting one of the best fighters out there, and knows he has to be in the shape of his life," Mayweather’s assistant trainer Nate Jones said.


Source: abs-cbnNEWS.com

Don't Miss guys to Watch Mayweather vs Mosley Fight.

 

Antonio Margarito, the former welterweight champion whose career was tarnished by a glove-loading scandal early last year, has been added to the list of possible Manny Pacquiao opponents late this year.

Top Rank chief Bob Arum yesterday signified his intention to pit Margarito against the Filipino icon if the pound-for-pound champion fails to strike a deal with the winner of the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Shane Mosley fight on May 1 in Las Vegas.

Top Rank filed an application in Texas to put Margarito on the undercard of Pacquiao’s victory over Joshua Clottey in Cowboys Stadium last month, but Arum said he ran out of time to work its approval, according to an AP report.