Shane Mosley on Manny Pacquiao: 'I Could End It Quick'

Over the course of a profession that began 18 years ago on Friday, three-division, five-time titlist, Shane Mosley, has lost twice each and battled to one draw against taller fighters with piston-like jabs and solid defensive skills.

But the 5-foot-9, Mosley (46-6-1, 39 knockouts) won't be facing such a rival on May 7 at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, when the 39-year-old attempts to take the WBO welterweight (147 pounds) belt from the nearly 5-7, 32-year-old eight-division titlist Manny Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs) in a Showtime pay per view televised, Top Rank Promotions clash.

"I don't think that it's going to go the distance. I don't think that this is the type of fight that is going to go the distance. I could end it quick. I'm not a betting man. I don't like to bet. But I'm definitely sure that I won't be on the losing end of the stick," said Mosley.

"I think that it should be somewhat even, because there's two fighters, and we're even. We're two, similar types of fighters," said Mosley. "We like to battle, and we like to get into great fights. He's a little smaller than me, but he throws punches probably a little more rapidly than I do. My punches are a little bit heavier."

Mosley made his observations and his proclamations during Thursday's jam-packed, standing-room-only press conference at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Calif., where he and Pacquiao were mobbed by some 300 or so media members in Los Angeles.

Their appearance is part in the first stop of a four-city, promotional tour sponsored that will include Las Vegas, New York, and, Washington, D.C., respectively, on Saturday, Monday, and, Tuesday, and Mosley is soaking up the atmosphere as he enters the twilight of his illustrious career.





"I would estimate about five. Four or five" more fights left, said Mosley. "Maybe including this fight. I think this fight, and then, a rematch, and then a rematch with everybody else that I've lost to."

A winner of 13 straight fights with nine stoppages during that run, Pacquiao last loss was by a unanimous decision to Erik Morales in March of 2005.

But the Filipino super star has since stopped eight opponents, including four consecutively -- a spree comprised knockouts over David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto, respectively, in nine, eight, two, and, 12 rounds.

Pacquaio's winning streak also includes having twice avenged the loss to Morales, whom he stopped in 10, and, three rounds, in January and November 2006.

Nicknamed the Mexecutioner, Pacquiao's run also boasts 12-round triumphs over Mexican legends Juan Manuel Marquez and Marco Antonio Barrera, as well as an eighth-round knockout of previously unbeaten Jorge Solis.

But former undisputed middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins has reiterated comments from November when he asserted that Pacquiao never has faced a top-notch African-American boxer, with which Top Rank CEO, Bob Arum, agreed.

Hopkins contends that while Pacquiao has beaten non-American black fighters such as Joshua Clottey of Ghana and Lehlohonolo Ledwaba of South Africa, he has not faced the styles and skills of American-born black counter parts such as Floyd Mayweather, Zab Judah or Mosley.



"It's their opinion that the African American style is the style that's going to beat him. But if it is, then it's my style," said Mosley.

"I'm just saying that because everybody fights differently, even if we have different rhythms, it's their style," said Mosley. "Styles make the fights. And in this particular fight, we're two guys that are engaging. I think that I have what it takes to get the job done."

A congressman in his native, Sarangani Province of the Philippines, Pacquiao shares three opponents in common with Mosley.

Pacquiao is coming off of a Nov. 13, unanimous decision victory over ex-titlist Antonio Margarito (38-7, 27 KOs), which earned the Filipino super star the WBC's vacant junior middleweight (154 pounds) belt that Pacquiao has since vacated.

Mosley scored a January 2009, ninth-round knockout over Margarito, this, after having been unanimously decisioned in July of 2007 in his failed bid to earn the WBA welterweight crown from Cotto (35-2, 28 KOs), whom Pacquiao dethroned as WBO 147-pound king by 12th-round stoppage in November of 2009.

Pacquiao also debuted as a welterweight with a December, 2008, eighth-round knockout of De La Hoya, whom Mosley decisioned for WBC welterweight belt in June of 2000, and, yet again, in September of 2003 to add the WBC's junior middleweight title to the WBA 154-pound crown that he already owned.

"I've always had big fights on the Bob Arum cards and with Top Rank. It first started with Oscar, and then Margarito, and now, this one," said Mosley.



"This is great. I'm very happy to be a part of this fight, and this promotion," said Mosley, "and I'm very thankful that Manny Pacquiao actually took the offer to fight me and to allow me show myself once again."

Other than Cotto and six-time titlist Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs), who unanimously decisioned Mosley in May, Mosley's only troubles have come against taller boxers with good defensive skills.

Mosley was unbeaten before twice losing his WBC welterweight belt to the late, 6-foot tall, Vernon Forrest (41-3, 29 KOs) in January and July of 2002, and, also suffered back-to-back decision losses in March and November of 2004 to the nearly 5-11 southpaw Winky Wright (51-5-1, 25 KOs) when Mosley was dethroned as WBA and WBC junior middleweight champ.

In September, Mosley battled to a junior middleweight draw with 6-foot, ex-champion Sergio Mora (21-2-2, six KOs), a man who has split bouts with Forrest, who floored Mosley for the only time in the latter's career in their initial fight.

Unlike Mora, said the 5-9 Mosley, the nearly 5-7 Pacquiao will be standing right in front of him.

"I really don't have any concerns, because Pacquiao is who is is. You know, he's a fighter. He's a warrior. He's coming to fight. You know what's going to happen. I can still throw a lot of punches, especially when I don't have to chase anybody," said Mosley.

"It's not like when I have to chase a guy around the ring, trying to get shots off. I mean, this guy is going to be right there with me. I mean, he's going to move a little bit here and there," said Mosley. "But mostly, he's going to punch with me and we're going to exchange. That's what fight fans want to see. Fight fans want to see people exchanging and people fighting."