GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines?World boxing pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao is not taking American boxer Shane Mosley lightly.
Pacquiao said Mosley has speed and experience and he needs to train hard for their May 7 fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The boxing superstar said the fight was 95 percent on.
Speaking to reporters before leaving Thursday with his entire family on an extended trip to Boracay, Japan and Australia, Pacquiao said promoter Bob Arum was ironing out ?some little details to finalize? the fight with Mosley.
To stress how good a fighter Mosley was, Pacquiao said that was precisely why he picked May 7 over the other preferred date, April 16.
?I chose May 7 so I have more than enough time to prepare,? he said. ?This is not an easy fight. I need at least eight weeks to train for the Mosley fight.?
As to where the eight-week training will be conducted, Pacquiao said he would have to speak to his coach, Freddie Roach, after the holidays. But he added he will start ?some light training? after his long vacation.
On Thursday, the whole Pacquiao family flew on a private plane to Boracay, where they will be spending Christmas.
They will stay in Boracay for a week. Afterwards, the whole family will fly to Japan for a week-long vacation then to Australia for another week of relaxation and fun.
?We need to take a longer vacation to make the kids happy. Their father had been busy for the past months, pero sulit kasi medyo mahaba ang bakasyon namin kasama siya [but it is well worth it because we?ll be spending long vacation with him],? said Jinkee, Pacquiao?s wife.
