Lem Satterfield
LAS VEGAS -- Nevada State Athletic Commission director, Keith Kizer, is ecstatic about the return of eight-division titlist, Manny Pacquiao, to Las Vegas, where he will defend his WBO welterweight belt against five-time champion, Shane Mosley, at the MGM Grand Hotel on Saturday night.
The 32-year-old Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs) won his last two decisions, respectively, over Joshua Clottey and Antonio Margarito at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in March of 2010 and November of 2010, this after having fought numerous times in the gambling city.
The 39-year-old Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs) sandwiched a January of 2009, ninth-round knockout victory over Margarito and September's draw with Sergio Mora -- each of which was at the Staples Center in Los Angeles -- around last May's loss to Floyd Mayweather that took place at the MGM Grand.
"I'm very glad that both of these guys are back in Vegas. Shane has fought two of his last three fights at the very least were out in Caliifornia, and, of course, Manny fought his last two fights in Texas," said Kizer.
"Both of these guys have fought some great fights here, some have been wins, and some have been losses, but it's great to have them both here," said Kizer. "This is just incredible. It's good for the world of boxing, it's good for the people of Nevada, and I love it too."
Pacquiao is 9-1-1, with seven knockouts in Las Vegas, and Mosley is 9-3, with five stoppage.
Among Pacquiao's biggest wins in Las Vegas are those over Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Marco Antonio Barrera, a decision win and a draw with Juan Manuel Marquez, and two stoppage of Erik Morales. Mosley defeated De La Hoya in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao-Mosley is sold out.
"I know that the fight with Morales that was at the Thomas & Mack, there was a major crowd. The gate wasn't necessarily any bigger than this one will be, but the number of people in the audience was around 16-, or, 17,000," said Kizer.
"That will be a lot more than tomorrow night, but that's just because of the capacity of the area," said Kizer. "This is definitely not the only fight where Manny's attracted a ton of people to the arena."