Pacquiao seeks impressive win over Mosley

Manny Pacquiao (L) and Shane Mosley Filipino pugilist Manny Pacquiao, hungrier than ever to fight after serving as a congressman, wants a more impressive victory over American veteran Shane Mosley next week than unbeaten rival Floyd Mayweather managed a year ago. Pacquiao, 52-3 with two drawn and 38 knockouts, will defend his World Boxing Organization welterweight title on May 7 against 39-year-old American Mosley, who is 46-6 with one drawn and 39 knockouts and has never been knocked out. "If the knockout comes it comes," Pacquiao said Wednesday. "I'm very focused, not for knockout, but to work hard. We're preparing for 12 rounds. If I am looking for a knockout or underestimating my opponent, it could affect me."

Pacquiao, a 32-year-old southpaw who has won his past 13 fights over six years, said one of his goals is to produce a more impressive victory over Mosley than Mayweather's unanimous decision last May. "That's what I want to do," Pacquiao said.

Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer, says every fight should end with a knockout and he would love "Pac-Man" to produce his first early stoppage since flattening Britain's Ricky Hatton two years ago by dropping Mosley.
"If Manny can be the first one to stop him it would be a feather in his cap," Roach said. "It would be incredible. It would just prove how much better he is than that other guy that couldn't stop him (Mayweather)."  Mayweather has not fought since and Pacquiao said he would never take such a break without retiring from the sport. He said he thinks Mayweather wants age to weaken his punching power. "I don't know if he wants to fight me or what the reason is, if he's waiting for me to get old," Pacquiao said. "I'm just waiting for that time."

Fight fans hope for such a showdown but Mayweather faces a hearing Thursday on a domestic battery case that could result in 34 years behind bars. Roach said Pacquiao has had the best start of a training camp that he has seen from the Asian superstar. "He is really motivated for Shane Mosley. This might be the best training camp we've ever had," Roach said. "He had some down time. He was hungry for boxing again. "From day one he has been on fire. We ran out of anywhere to go. I've had to hold him back." Pacquiao said duties as a congressman kept him from workouts and made him hungry for the gym while some pre-camp jabbing sessions jump-started his workout regimen. "I was hungry, excited, motivated to train hard," Pacquiao said. "I'm ready for the fight. I'm excited for this fight because Mosley throws a lot of punches. He's a good fighter and a champion also."

Pacquiao is set to record a song and appear on US television this week, tasks he sees as enjoyable rather than distractions. "I like to do a lot of things in my life, to motivate myself to train hard for this fight," Pacquiao said. "I'm happy with what I'm doing." Asked about reports that he has already been offered a deal to fight Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez later this year, Pacquiao avoided a direct answer but said, "I can fight anyone in the ring."

Marquez's only loss since a split-decision defeat at the hands of Pacquiao in 2008 came to Mayweather in 2009. Pacquiao is not taking Mosley lightly despite the US veteran being seven years older. "Shane Mosley is still strong. He moves like he's 29, 30 years old," said Pacquiao. "He's the kind of fighter you cannot underestimate. He's bigger than me and stronger and pound for pound he is still good." "Mosley he moves fast with footspeed and has power. It's what I want. It will be a good fight."