Interview with Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao

Posted on | April 12, 2011 | No Comments

by John Martinez
Boxscore News
April 12, 2011

“I have something I want to say. I am not afraid of anyone. I am a fighter; I am not a business man; I’m a fighter. I hope everyone understands this and on May 7 in (Las) Vegas, Shane Mosley will know this,” barked a usually subdued Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao.

What Manny is referencing of course is his next assignment in the ring. He will put his WBO welterweight title on the line against the former multi-divisional world champion, “Sugar” Shane Mosley, at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas on May 7th.

In a departure from his usual PPV events, this title fight will broadcast live on SHOWTIME NETWORK PPV as opposed to HBO PPV, or as it should now be called, “the house that Manny built.”

“I understand Mosley said I don’t have defense at all. But this isn’t true,” said Pacquiao.

“I want you to write this, please. Tell everyone I do have defense I just rather fight. I don’t want to dance and run – I want to fight,” he said.

“Well that’s interesting because Shane (Mosley) told me that is how he classifies you as, a fighter, not a boxer,” I replied.

Boxing fans and critics alike are not hyped for this fight. As a matter of fact, the general consensus amongst the masses is that Mosley will get his wish and see the bright lights from his view on the center stage all-be-it from laying on his back looking up from the canvass.

“I hear people say this will be an easy fight for me, but I know myself it won’t be,” said Manny.

“People don’t understand that he has really fast hands and feet. They talk about his age (39), but he doesn’t fight like his age. He is a very good boxer and athlete. He can move alot. but I dont think that is what he will do.”

“Something people need to look at is the right hand of Mosley. He has been able to knock real good fighters out with his right hand.”

“We are concerned enough about his speed and power that we have worked on different techniques to try and counter his big right hand.”

“I see Shane fighting me. I said it before and I believe it now, boxing is about hitting and getting hit. It’s not about running. It’s about giving and taking hits and giving hits is something I do real well and I know that once we hit each other, we will stand and fight,” said Pacquiao.

“People write and say things all the time about this fight,. They say Shane is old and didn’t look good the last few times in his fights’, but I say, look at (Erik) Morales. he fought ( this past Saturday against Marcos Maidana) and I saw it. He did very good. Ring legends are born and they come out for the big fights when they aren’t feeling pressure to win because they are the underdog – they fight harder,” he said.

“Shane will be like Morales when we fight. I know I will be dealing with the vintage Shane Mosley, not the one that people talk about now.”

“I know that I have to be very fast and very strong against him. I will start fast and end fast, but I am not looking to knock out Mosley. I think that would be a mistake to train for that and to say these things because if I trained for a knock out against (Antonio) Margarito I believe that I probably would’ve lost.” He continued, “If I tried knocking out Margarito, then I would’ve thrown all my power and been too busy too early, but what if Margarito didnt fall/ then I would’ve been too tired to put up much of a fight later in the rounds and that is why I won’t look for the knock out against Mosley. He is just too dangerous and strong and big for me to focus on winning like that against him.”

Despite what Manny says, one must consider the last few fights Mosley has been involved in.

In his last outing, Mosley fought to a draw against a former reality television contestant (Sergio Mora) and prior to that, he was shut out by the undefeated, welterweight semi-retired Floyd “Money” ‘Mayweather in what many scribes thought would be a serious test for the Michigan phenom, but ended up being “easy work” for the often outspoken Mayweather.

So why Shane Mosley? Why not a rubbermatch with WBO/WBA light weight king, Juan Manuel Marquez? Marquez shares the public’s demand for a third fight with the Filipino bomber. In their two clashes against one another, Marquez got dropped three times in the first round only to rally back from an almost assured devastating stoppage to garner a draw against Pacquiao.

Then, in their highly anticipated rematch, Marquez would see himself lose a close decision to his rival. Ever since that last fight, Marquez has campaigned vigorously for a third stanza against his nemesis.

“Well, to answer your question, Shane only fights the best like I do. He is a legend. and I really want to fight Floyd Mayweather but it is obvious that he wants no part of me because he is ducking every way to fight me so that is why I am fighting Shane now,” said Pacquiao.

“I don’t pick my opponent. Freddie (Roach, Manny’s trainer) and Bob Arum (Manny’s promoter) show me fighters and then they tell me how much money I can make fighting each one. After that, they usually decide for me. So it is really up to them who I fight, not me.”

As Manny sets his sights on Mosley, I could not help but ask him what the future holds after May 7?

With the build, strength, and southpaw stance mirrored by amateur standout, Regis Prograis, Manny could easily slide back down to junior welterweight for the likes of WBO/WBC junior welterweight titlist Timothy Bradley or WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan in a super fight.

“I’m not thinking of Bradley and I would never fight Amir Khan because he and I are good friends and he will find his own way to superstardom without me. Amir is going to be the greatest fighter of his era. A fight between Amir and me will never happen,” said Manny.

“But I can say that I know I can make 135 pounds right now. I walk around weighing 142 when I’m not training so I can drop down to 135 and fight there.”

So does that mean fans can expect to see a much desired fight with Manny Pacquiao’s stalker, Juan Manuel Marquez?

“I can make 135 pounds. I know he is there. Who else is at 135 pounds?” he asked.

Along with shunning a fight with Bradley or Khan but teasing fight fans with a possible interest in Marquez, Pacquiao confirmed to this scribe his willingness to meet boxing’s newest star, Sergio Martinez.

“I will fight him; I am not afraid of Martinez. I will fight him, but we must meet at a catchweight around 150 (lbs). This would be a very good fight, but I have to protect myself too. I can not gain too much weight for this and my opponent can not be too big for me either.”

Manny Pacquiao, the congressman, fighter, humanitarian, and people’s champion.

How does he stay humble and at what price has he contemplated quitting, if ever?

Never quit and always dare to be great is his motto.

“Boxing has its ups and downs. I fight to be the best. The fight that I think of alot is the first fight I had with Marco Barrera in San Antonio. I was an underdog and I was fighting my first big fight in the U.S. and no one paid attention to me. After that fight, everyone knew me.”

“I want to be great. I don’t want to just try. I want and expect to be great in everything. I talk about putting on a good show for fans but its not just my fans. It’s all of boxing’s fans because I know they spend their money and deserve to be entertained. ”

“I do what I do for the people. Not just Manny Pacquiao fans but every fan of boxing. I win because they are in the ring with me.”