Shane Mosley: I'm Definitely Campaigning to Fight Manny Pacquiao

After Manny Pacquiao destroyed Ricky Hatton on Saturday night, most of the post-fight talk centered on the likelihood of Pacquiao fighting the winner of the July 18 fight between Floyd Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez. But Shane Mosley, the top welterweight in the world, thinks he should be Pacquiao's next opponent.

"I'm definitely campaigning for a fight with Manny Pacquiao," Mosley said in an interview with inthiscornertv.com. "That would be a great fight the world wants to see. He's definitely No. 1 pound for pound right now, I'm the No. 1 welterweight right now and I've been pound-for-pound before, so let's get it on. ... I'll be ready."

But will Pacquiao be ready for Mosley? Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, says that Pacquiao's next fight will be whatever makes for the biggest fight for the most money. Roach added that if Mosley wants that fight, he'll have to lose a few pounds, because Pacquiao doesn't want to move all the way up to 147.

My own opinion is that Pacquiao vs. Mayweather needs to happen, and I'll be a little disappointed if Pacquiao's next opponent is anyone other than Mayweather. But it's not Pacquiao's fault that Mayweather chose to book Marquez first, and if Pacquiao decides he doesn't want to wait around for the next two and a half months to see how Mayweather vs. Marquez turns out, who can blame him?

And if that's Pacquiao's decision, I think Mosley is probably the opponent who makes the most sense. He's a well-known, marketable boxer who's coming off a big win over Antonio Margarito, and his style should make for an interesting fight with Pacquiao. If the next opponent for Pacquiao isn't Mayweather, it should be Mosley.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

5-05-2009 @ 1:50PM

o0soul said...

I too would be disappointed if Pacs next fight isn't against Mayweather. Still, schedules are as such and I can't say I don't blame Floyd for going at Marquez first. Pac and Marquez are fairly equal and many an analyst thinks Marquez won both of those fights. A guy coming off a 19 month layoff needs a tune-up. If most would agree that Marquez is the lesser to Pac then I suppose he would suffice. But man, Marquez is one hell of a "tune-up".

5-05-2009 @ 6:20PM

dinohealth said...

Anybody that knows anything about boxing, will know that Hatton was an over-hyped bum that did not belong in there! No smart right-handed boxer would jab and walk right into the power of a southpaw every time he throws a punch. The media must think boxing fans have an IQ of 25 to believe all this hype for the future Mayweather fight! No one buys this crap anymore!

5-06-2009 @ 2:01AM

Sonny Calderon said...

Marquez hitting the canvas 3 times against the Pacman, both fights were majority decisions for Pacman, which analysts were you talking about?

5-05-2009 @ 2:57PM

retrojoke said...

Mayweather is a wuss. He didnt fight Cotto when the fight was to be announced. He specifically said- i quote " i will not let this sport retire me" in response to the challenge. I wouldnt be surprised if he tries to ride his fame out vs cheap/past their prime opponents for another 2-3 years.

5-06-2009 @ 5:02PM

William D. Mack said...

Mayweather is not a joke the man has beatin the best. Cotto proved that he was not a worthy opponent by losing to a lesser fighter.

5-05-2009 @ 7:12PM

SECTORSCORP 2007 said...

I think with all the B.S, politicing boasting about who should get what percentage of the pursue, and not wanting to go up or make someone come down to your weight to aside, SHANE MOSELEY is the likely opponent for THE PACMAN...to be considered great and pound for pound you take those risk to move up in weight class to take on the lineage "real" champion in the division. I understand that no one wants to risk a guarantee pay day...but a brief history if i could...in 1981 with a showdown with THOMAS HEARNS on the horizon and millions on the table, June of that year SUGAR RAY LEONARD moved up to Jr. Middleweight and fought the WBC Champion Ayule Kalule and fought a hard tough fight and earned a TKO...and three months later in September he met "hitman" and unified the WBA title with his WBC Welterweight titles. That is what GREAT fighters do...they fight like champions with the heart of a warrior...and Manny in my mind is a true warrior and so is Moseley....but it will be like i said, promoters...conflict of interest, no one wanting to do the right thing and give the public what they really want...over the years there have been fights that need to be made, but money...ego...and other things of lesser magnitude never got the table set...

5-23-2009 @ 11:32AM

god72father said...

What has more magnitude then money? Sure the fans want to see the best figthers against each other but this is business and busines must come first.

5-05-2009 @ 8:03PM

Alex said...

Doesn't people ever get scared of Manny? The way he's been rushing along hall of fame prospects into retiring or thinking of retiring with his fists should instill fear in anyone with the proper mindset...and now it's Shane's turn... because gayweather, who by the way is a runner and not a fighter who bores people into running after him, should have stayed retired....that way Manny don't push him into it again...in 1 round!

5-05-2009 @ 9:52PM

jon said...

The safer opponent for Manny would be Mayweather and his fragile fist. I think the Pacman has a much tougher time against Mosley if that fight is fought within the next year or so. But still he has skyrocketed and way to go Pacman!

5-06-2009 @ 5:05PM

I agree Mosley will go toe to toe with him and probably win, or hurt him.

5-06-2009 @ 5:07PM

Mayweather does have 25 knockouts by the way. I don't think that's fragile having knocked out 25 grown men.

5-05-2009 @ 10:12PM

accacruz said...

pacman should retire now he beaten all the greats thats enough...just run for presidency in the philippines next.

5-07-2009 @ 8:49AM

Life of Music said...

Pac-man proved saturday that he is the best pound-for-pound in the world. It never fails that when a fighter destroys another fighter, the beaten fighter is washed up, or needs to retire. When Lacey lost to Calzaghe, everyone said that Lacey needed to retire. Are you serious? Hatton fought the same way against Mayweather and it took 10 rounds to do what Pac-Man did in 2. If they fight, Pac-Man will beat Mayweather.

5-07-2009 @ 10:15AM

bobetj7 said...

Maywether lost to Castillo in the first fight. Watch it and you'll see the blueprint in beating him...

5-07-2009 @ 6:04PM

g said...

Any clown can talk about fighting and of course there's a bias with regards to who you like, however, all those boxers mentioned above are very good at what they do, so why not wait until the fights are made and PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS.... especially those anti-Mayweather.

5-10-2009 @ 7:35AM

Bernard said...

Mayweather wanted to be retired and still be on top. The boxing world still wants to see him fight. I think Mayweather will win his fight against Juan Manuel Marquez, setting up a potential match against Pacman. As far as a match against Shane Mosely, Pacman will have to step his game up quickly if he is to challenge Mosely. I think that the winner of the Mayweather-Pacman Fight should take on Mosely afterwards.