By Michael Marley
PROMOTER BOB ARUM hosted a Media Conference Call Wednesday featuring Freddie Roach, Manny Pacquiao and the head of Top Rank.
I asked Pacquiao if he consciously wants to perform better against Sugar Shane Mosley on May 7 than Floyd Mayweather Jr. did in breezing to a UD12 against him last May.
"I think so, I think this is what I will do...for that and to give a good show."
FREDDIE ROACH:
"He is really motivated for Shane Mosley. He is just in great shape, this might be the best training camp we have ever had.
"Manny has achieved things that will never be repeated like winning eight titles in eight divisions. He
"(On Naazim Richardson) He is a very good trainer, he knows how to get to his fighters. He is a very, very good trainer and I respect him a lot. That's why I expect Shane to be at his best.
"I don't he gets hit on purpose. Nobody likes to get hit but Manny lets his hands go and leaves himself open. We know Manny will throw a lot of combinations and Shane will come back. Manny has been motivated from Day One. From Day One, he has been on fire. We're up to 16 rounds per day on the mitts. That's the hardest part about Manny, slowing him down.
"Since Margarito fight, Manny had some down time. He was hungry for boxing, for his job. We started right off the bat not taking this guy lightly and working our ass off.
"We're 100 percent ready on our end. We're ready if Shane brings his best. We're looking at his best fights. We're ready for the best Shane Mosley out there.
"Shane is a tough guy, a durable guy. It would be a feather in Manny's cap to stop him when no one else has stopped Mosley. That other guy (Floyd Mayweather Jr. did not stop him. We're going to go for it and, if the knockout comes, it comes.
"The first five rounds are very critical. The way we go about attacking Shane, a lot of thought has gone into that. We're not just going to walk into the fire where Shane can just counterpunch.
"I think all fights should end in knockouts.
"We've had great sparring (mentions Rashad Holloway, Karim Mayfield, David Rodela, Shawn Porter).
MANNY PACQUIAO:
"(Re Floyd Mayweather) It's hard to judge him, I don't really know if he don't want to fight me or not, it's really hard to judge...
It's a big honor to me and to my family.
"Shane Mosley is still strong, he can still move like he is 29 or 30 years old. He is bigger than me and stronger and he is a former pound for pound champion.
"(Busy with activitities outside boxing) I like to do a lot of things in my life, to motivate myself. I am hapy and enjoying the things (singing), I'm very happy at what I am doing.
"On the Margarito fight, it's you know...it's kind of fight this with Mosley is better because he is fast, has good speed and power. Mosley throws a lot of punches and it is good for us to show a good fight.
"I have trained hard for this fight.
"We are ready to fight. I can adjust right away in the ring whatever his style is.
"I can fight anybody.
"We're not really focused for the knockout, we just work hard and if the knockout comes, it comes. But we have prepared ourself for 12 rounds. If the knockout comes, we're excited for that. I'm more concerned about (what kind of) fight or performance we can give to the fans.
"I'm just excited to get back to the ring.
"I rested totally after the Margarito fight. I focused totally on my job (Congressman from Sarangani).
"I'm hungry, excited, motivated because I missed boxing.