A deal has been agreed between Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley, with the contract for their fight on May 7 set to be signed on Wednesday or Thursday.
Promoter Bob Arum has been thrashing out the terms of the deal and he confirmed Pacquiao had elected to defend his WBO welterweight crown against Mosley rather than Juan Manuel Marquez or Andre Berto.
“I thought Mosley was the best draw of the three and it would do the best business,” Arum told ESPN.com. “I think it’s a good fight. I feel that Shane is one of the toughest guys left out there right now. He didn’t get up for ‘The Contender’ guy [Mora], but he will get up for Manny Pacquiao.
“With Floyd (Mayweather), Shane had him in real bad trouble in the second round, so he’s capable of doing a really good fight with Manny and Manny knows that. It’s a difficult fight because Shane has speed and power.”
The MGM Grand in Las Vegas will play host to the fight and Mosley has vowed to put on a show and is quite happy to go in as the huge underdog.
“I know that they think I’m an old man and that Manny is going to beat me,” the 39-year-old told ESPN.com. “Let them think that. I still have power and speed. They thought I was done before I knocked out (Antonio) Margarito, too. So they can think whatever they want. I know what I can do.”
