LAS VEGAS // Shane Mosley said a victory over WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao this weekend would be his biggest ever despite a glittering career that includes world titles in three weight classes.
Manny Pacquiao: The lead-up to the fight between Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley
Last Updated: May 5, 2010
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Mosley has yet to be knocked out during his professional career, but he knows that despite a record of 46-6-1 with 39 knockouts, including two victories over fellow American Oscar De La Hoya, he will be a heavy underdog against the Filipino Pacquiao.
"That would be the best victory at this time," Mosley said ahead of Sunday morning's fight at the MGM Grand. "If I fight Pacquiao and beat him, there will probably have to be another one, because people won't believe it."
The 39-year-old Mosley's record is a pedestrian 8-6-1 since the end of 2001 and his last fight in Las Vegas was a comprehensive points defeat to fellow American Floyd Mayweather a year ago.
In that fight, Mosley rocked Mayweather badly in the second round but could not capitalise and lost every round after. But he insisted the difference in styles between the two makes the Mayweather fight meaningless when evaluating this contest.
"Mayweather doesn't throw a lot of punches, but he throws them at the right time," he said. "Manny throws more punches and he throws them at any time. That style I believe is going to be more suitable to me."
Pacquiao, 52-3-2 with 38 knockouts, who has won world titles in eight weight divisions, agreed that dismissing Mosley's chances was a mistake.
"It's unfair to him," Pacquiao said, adding that Mosley has "good hand speed, good foot speed, and of course he's strong. You cannot underestimate Mosley."
Mosley pointed to his upset victories over De La Hoya in 2000 and 2003, and his dominant knockout of Mexico's Antonio Margarito in 2009, as evidence that he has frequently put on his best performances in the face of doubt.
"A lot of the times people count me out, I tend to become victorious. So, maybe it's not a good idea to count me out," the American said.
While Pacquiao is already acknowledged as one of the best offensive fighters of all time, he said he had not prepared for a fight in such intense fashion since he took on De La Hoya three years ago.
"I have trained hard for this fight," Pacquiao said. "I am in 100 per cent condition. You know why?
"Because I never underestimate Mosley. Mosley is a good fighter. Do you think he's old? He's not old. He moves like a 32-year-old, a 31-year-old. His hand speed and foot speed is still strong."
Many believe Mosley he is a shadow of the man who twice beat De La Hoya.
Yet it has often been said that styles make fights and Pacquiao knows full well that his American opponent, an agile and highly intelligent boxer, loves to attack.
"Mosley is not that easy [an] opponent," Pacquiao said. "He is a good fighter. He is strong, he throws a lot of punches and he moves fast. He is the kind of fighter you can't underestimate."
Asked by reporters when he had last felt a similar level of concern preparing for a bout, Pacquiao replied: "The De La Hoya fight. De La Hoya throws a lot of punches, moves fast, and is bigger and taller."
Pacquiao, moving up two weight classes for his first fight at welterweight, stunned De La Hoya with an eighth-round technical knockout in their non-title fight at Las Vegas in December 2008.
That victory confirmed the Filipino's pedigree and he has since won a further four fights, most recently an eighth world title in an unprecedented eighth weight class against Margarito last November.
Last week, Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach said his fighter had never prepared better for a bout, and he emphasised the point during Wednesday's news conference.
"We know we're in a tough fight," the bespectacled Roach said. "We respect Shane and his camp. They have a great team. But we are 100 per cent ready."
