Pacquiao won't allow an upset

“I’m not going to let that happen.”

This was how World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao reacted on statement attributed to challenger “Sugar” Shane Mosley saying the latter will knock him out in their title bout set May 7 (May 8 in Manila) in Las Vegas.


Pacquiao, who, reportedly, nearly knocked down a sparring partner last Thursday, admitted Mosley, a three-division champion, will be one of his toughest opponent in his career, but added quickly, he’s ready for any type of fight.

“Mosley will come to win, there’s no question about that. A win against me will be big for his career, but I am not going to let that happen. I have been preparing for any type of fight,” he answered when told about Mosley’s prediction made last week in interview with media men.

“Alam naman natin na hindi ganung kabagal si Mosley gaya ni Margarito. May bilis siya, may lakas at magulang din kasi dating kampeon. Pero hindi talaga ako makapapayag na mapatulog niya gaya ng prediksyon niya,” he averred.

“By the way, nasabi ko ito sa isang nag-interview sa akin. I am dedicating nga pala this coming fight, siyempre sa lahat ng ating mga kababayan. Iniaalay ko rin ito sa lahats ng nagging biktima ng nakaraang tsunami sa Japan, “the world’s pound-for-pound king said.

“Nakakaawa ang nangyari sa kanila at may nadamay pang ilang Pilipino. Dapat lamang na damayan natin sila,’ Pacquiao, known for his kind-heartedness, said.

The Filipino ring idol reiterated everything in his training has been going according to plan and he is nearing his fighting form early than he had been in his previous fight with Mexican Antonio Margarito November last year.

“ We’re focusing on speed and head movement side-to-side for this fight because we know Mosley is not that slow so that’s why we’ll apply some techniques that we can use in the fight.
Strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza himself attested to this saying proof of his ward’s being close to being ready was his nearly docking a youthful mate in a sparring session last Thursday.

“Yeah, Manny really pushing himself through his training regimen he almost knock down his sparring partner,” Ariza revealed although he refused to name the guy so as not to ruin his career.

“The kid Manny was sparring was acting a little cocky and was thinking he was doing pretty good,” Ariza said.” Buboy (assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez), ordered Manny to turn the heat on and he lit this kid up with a barrage of combination that sent him back on the ropes, saving him from going down.”
Ariza didn’t say, too, whether the sparring mate was a regular sparring partner or a walk in, which is a normal occurrence at Wild Card Gym.

“That really impressed us all. Freddie, myself, Buboy and several onlookers admitted top the close door session,” he said

Source: PhilBoxing.com