Earlier today inside of the media center inside the MGM Grand, the undercard press conference for this Saturday’s Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley bout was held. The Pacquiao-Mosley card is highlighted by come backing former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik facing off with unbeaten puncher Alfonso Lopez, a WBO junior featherweight title clash between champions Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. and fan-favorite Jorge Arce, as well as showcases by Mike Alvarado against Ray Narh and Jose Benavidez Jr and Rodel Mayol.
Also in the building was unbeaten junior lightweight contender and local standout Diego Magdaleno, who co-headlines a show the night before at the Mandalay Bay along with featherweight hopeful Bernabe Concepcion, who is looking to bounce back from a July loss to Juan Manuel Lopez. Magdaleno has been on quite the terror, stopping his last three opponents after scoring only three knockouts in his prior fifteen fights, and could be founding sparring with Benavidez Jr. earlier this week at Barry’s Boxing right off of the strip.
<--- Slideshow: An inside look at the final undercard presser including shots of Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., Kelly Pavlik, Antonio Tarver, Bob Arum, Freddie Roach, Jorge Arce, Jose Benavidez Jr., Bob Arum, Naazim Richardson and several others Advertisement
Prior to the presser the center was host to a roundtable discussion with Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach and Mosley’s coach, the always quotable Naazim Richardson. Throughout the whole lead up to this Saturday’s fight it has seemed to be Roach and Richardson who have delivered the best sound bytes, as Pacquiao and Mosley have been extremely cordial to one another.
Pacquiao-Mosley is by far the biggest event of 2011 thus far and the MGM Grand Garden Arena is completely sold out. If successful, the Filipino star very well could be eyeing a third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez later this year.
Chris Robinson is based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. He can be reached at [email protected]
