CEBUANO promoter Michael Aldeguer thinks Manny Pacquiao?s mega fight with Shane Mosley this Sunday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas could either become the easiest or most difficult battle of Pacquiao?s storied career.
Difficult because Aldeguer believes Mosley can pose a threat to Pacquiao because of his style, which he believes resembles that of Mexican star Juan Manuel Marquez?the boxer who gave Pacquiao two difficult fights in 2004 and in 2008.
?It can be the toughest fight for Manny because Mosley is the closest to Marquez,? Aldeguer told Sun.Star Cebu.
?Mosley is a versatile fighter. I?m not saying that Mosley can beat Manny because nobody can beat him.?
Out of all the boxers that the 32-year-old pound-for-pound king fought, Marquez is the only boxer that gave him problems, style-wise. In their first encounter, Marquez managed to salvage a controversial draw despite being sent to the canvass three times in the first round. Their second encounter was as competitive but Pacquiao was able to escape with a split decision win.
?For me, what people don?t realize is that this is a tough fight for Manny, style-wise. Pacquiao has problems with a counterpuncher-boxer,? said the ALA Promotions president.
On the other hand, Aldeguer also expects it to turn into an easy fight for the world?s best fighter because of the fact that Mosley is already way past his prime.
?The only thing that will hold Mosley back is that he?s 39 years old. Manny is beyond normal fighters. He is the Michael Jordan of boxing,? he said.
Aldeguer doesn?t expect Pacquiao to win by knockout but rather by decision because he believes that Mosley has a granite chin and he hasn?t been knocked out in his decorated 18-year career.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on May 04, 2011.
