Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley are humble, respectful fighters the vast majority of boxing fans seem to like.
Both have become bigger stars by beating Oscar De La Hoya. Pacquiao and Mosley also laid brutal beatings on Antonio Margarito the besmirched former welterweight champion won?t soon forget.
The similarities seemingly end there entering Pacquiao?s welterweight title fight against Mosley on Saturday night in Las Vegas (Showtime Pay-Per-View, 9 p.m., $54.95).
Pacquiao, 32, is in his physical prime, regarded as one of the top two pound-for-pound boxers in the world. Mosley, 39, is considered too old to compete at this elite level anymore, nearly a decade removed from when the former three-division champion was considered one of the sport?s top three, pound-for-pound.
In fact, Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs) widely is viewed as a heavy favorite approaching their 12-round fight that most media members and fans figure an easy Pacquiao victory. They?ve taken to debating whether Pacquiao can become the first fighter to knock out Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs, one NC).
“We?re not focused for the knockout,” the typically polite Pacquiao said. “All we do is work hard, and if the knockout comes, it comes. We?ve prepared ourselves for fighting 12 rounds.”
Mosley?s granite chin has been one of his greatest assets during an 18-year pro career in which all of his losses have been 12-round decisions. The late Vernon Forrest (twice), Ronald “Winky” Wright (twice), Miguel Cotto and Floyd Mayweather Jr. all outpointed Mosley, but Mosley hasn?t come close to getting knocked out since his first fight against Forrest.
Mosley got knocked down in the second round of that January 2002 fight in The Theater at Madison Square Garden, but finished it on his feet.
“Shane?s a tough guy, a very durable guy,” said Freddie Roach, Pacquiao?s trainer. “It would be incredible for Manny to be the first one to stop him and just prove to the world how much better he is than that guy [Mayweather] who couldn?t [knock him out].
“I think Manny will fight at a fast pace. I don?t know if [Mosley will] be prepared to fight at that pace, but we?re going to force the action and we?re going to go for it this time. If [the knockout] comes, it comes. I think Manny is definitely the guy to do it.”
Mosley is a huge underdog because his previous two performances indicated he?s not the same man who demolished Margarito in a January 2009 fight in Los Angeles.
He badly hurt Mayweather during the second round a year ago in Las Vegas, but Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs) overcame the most serious trouble of his career to soundly defeat Mosley over 12 rounds. Four months later, Mosley settled for a draw with Sergio Mora (22-2-2, six KOs), who won the first season of “The Contender.”
Mosley smiles when reminded of those two fights, as if he knows he has one last terrific performance left in his aging body.
“I don?t care that people are saying I?m an underdog,” Mosley said. “What matters is what happens in the ring.”
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