Pacquiao respects Mosley

LAS VEGAS – Manny Pacquiao has been installed as the odds-on favourite for his WBO welterweight title defence against Shane Mosley but the Filipino has taken great pains not to underestimate his American challenger.

While Pacquiao is already acknowledged as one of the best offensive fighters of all time, he said on Wednesday he had not prepared for a fight in such intense fashion since he took on 10-times world champion Oscar De La Hoya three years ago.’I have trained hard for this fight,’ Pacquiao, who has a career record of 52-3-2 with 38 knockouts, told a packed news conference at the MGM Grand’s Hollywood Theater. ‘I am in 100 percent condition. You know why?’Because I never underestimate Mosley. Mosley is a good fighter. Do you think he’s old? He’s not old. He moves like a 32-year-old, a 31-year-old. His hand speed and foot speed is still strong.’Mosley, a four-times world champion in three weight divisions, is a boxing veteran at 39 and many critics believe he is a shadow of the man who twice beat De La Hoya.Yet it has often been said that styles make fights and Pacquiao knows full well that his American opponent, an agile and highly intelligent boxer, loves to attack.’Mosley is not that easy (an) opponent,’ the 32-year-old Filipino, who was smartly dressed in a black suit and white dress shirt, said of their showdown tomorrow.’He is a good fighter. He is strong, he throws a lot of punches and he moves fast. He is the kind of fighter you can’t under-estimate.’Asked by reporters when he had last felt a similar level of concern preparing for a bout, Pacquiao replied: ‘The De La Hoya fight. De La Hoya throws a lot of punches, moves fast and is bigger and taller.’Pacquiao, moving up two weight classes for his first fight at welterweight, stunned De La Hoya with an eighth-round TKO in their non-title fight in Las Vegas in December 2008.- Nampa-Reuters

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.

The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.