By Lem Satterfield
During a recent interview, Kevin Cunningham, the manager and trainer of WBC junior welterweight titlist Devon Alexander, gave his opinion on the ongoing debate regarding WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao and the fact that he's never fought an African American boxer with a "slick style" of fighting. Pacquiao defends his title against Shane Mosley on May 7 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Former two-division champion Bernard Hopkins has been the most vocal figure on the subject. Both Hopkins and Top Rank CEO, Bob Arum, believe that Mosley represents the first dangerous top-notch African-American boxer that Pacquiao has ever faced. Cunningham agrees that Pacquiao has never faced a top African American boxer, but he also says it's not the fighter's fault.
"Well, Manny Pacquiao hasn't. I mean, he really hasn't. What African American fighter has Manny Pacquiao fought? So, I mean, I think that it's a valid statement. But at the same time, I don't hold that against Manny Pacquiao, I mean, he's fighting whoever they're putting in front of him. So, you have to give him credit for that," Cunningham said.
"And he's destroying everyone that they do put in front of him. So, you know, that's something you have to say for him. I mean, there is some validity to the fact that he hasn't fought a talented, young African American fighter."
At the same time, Cunningham doesn't believe Mosley, at 39-years-old, is a satisfactory opponent to end this ongoing debate.
"I'm happy for Shane Mosley to get the fight. But, you know, even with Mosley, Pacquiao is not fighting a top African American fighter who is in his prime. So that still leaves an asterisk over the notion that Manny Pacquiao hasn't fought a top African American," Cunningham said.
Lem Satterfield is the boxing editor at AOL FanHouse and the news editor at BoxingScene.com. To read more from Lem Satterfield, go to AOL FanHouse by Clicking Here .
