Saturday, February 6, 2010

Pacquiao interested in unification bout against Mosley

Pacquiao vs ClotteyBy Esteban Garduno: World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao is reportedly interested in fighting a unification bout against WBA welterweight champion Shane Mosley in July, according to the Manila Times. Pacquiao believes that Mosley will beat Mayweather on May 1st, the Times reports. It’s unknown, however, whether Pacquiao will be interested in fighting a unification bout against Mayweather if he beats Mosley in their fight.

Pacquiao recently failed to negotiate a fight with Mayweather because of random blood tests that Mayweather wanted both fighters to take. Pacquiao was willing to accept the random blood tests, but didn’t want them to take place any nearer than 24 days before the fight because he felt that they might weaken him. Mosley, for his part, has agreed to take the random blood tests and isn’t actively resisting Mayweather with the testing.

Pacquiao thinks that Mosley will be putting a lot of pressure on Mayweather in his fight, saying to the Boxinghistorian “Shane like [me] will force pressure on Floyd for every minute of every round.” This is probably true, but Mosley generally does well against more stationary fighters and struggles against opponents that move a lot around the ring.

Mayweather tends to move a great deal, and Mosley may fight it tough to get his shots in if Mayweather isn’t there for him to hit or grab. The same thing applies for Pacquiao. If you look at his opponents for the past two years, with the exception of Juan Manuel Marquez, Pacquiao has been fed fighters with little movement that come straight at him making it easy for Pacquiao to dominate them with his speed. Pacquiao hasn’t been put in with fighters with good movement like Mayweather, Mosley and Timothy Bradley or ones that throw a lot of punches likes Paul Williams.

Pacquiao will be facing Joshua Clottey on March 13th, a fighter that tailor made for Pacquiao in the same mode as Hatton and Miguel Cotto. It’s a good case of match making by Pacquiao’s promotional company Top Rank and his trainer Freddie Roach. Clottey is a beatable fighter, at 32, who has serious problems with his work rate, stamina and his power. This is a fight that Pacquiao can win at welterweight. I can’t say the same things for Pacquiao’s chances against Mosley, Mayweather and Williams. I think all three of them will beat Pacquiao if given the chance.

Source: boxingnews24.com

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