Monday afternoon at a media luncheon at Chelsea Piers in New York City, pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KO?s) and former three division world champ Sugar Shane Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KO?s) stood before the press to discuss their forthcoming welterweight title fight May 7th in Las Vegas.
Also on hand, amongst others, Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach, Mosley trainer Naazim Richardson and event promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank Inc. From the moment the fight was announced, there had been criticism of the bout from some members of the boxing press and fans feeling that the 39 year old Mosley would be no match for the prime Pacquiao. Most of the criticism stems from Mosley?s last two bouts, against Floyd Mayweather and Sergio Mora, in which he lost a lopsided decision and struggled to a draw respectively. All the while, Pacquiao has won 13 consecutive fights dating back to 2005.
Coach Roach disagrees and said, ?He?ll have a good game plan going in. He does have speed and power. Is he what he once was? Maybe not because he?s getting older and we can?t get away from age. But my job is to get Manny ready for what they put in front of me and I got to expect him to be at his best.
Mosley trainer Richardson looks forward to the bout and said, ?You?ve got to like this matchup between these two because they bring so many of the same characteristics to each other. I saw Manny Pacquiao some years ago and I think Freddie does a phenomenal job with him and I think Manny Pacquiao is a phenomenal athlete. I?m proud that we have the privilege to solve the puzzle that is Manny Pacquiao, but I feel we have the athlete to do that.?
For Pacquiao, a win would set up a potential megafight with Floyd Mayweather this coming November if the two fighters camps could come to terms. For Mosley, an upset would make him an unlikely entrant into the pound for pound rankings again. Odds for the fight opened up with Mosley being a 7 to 1 underdog.
Note: Watch Video to see the sights & sounds of the Pacquiao ? Mosley NYC Press Conference.
