by Geoffrey Ciani (All Interviews Conducted by Jenna J and Geoffrey Ciani) – Ever since the mega bout between Manny Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs) and Shane Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs) was first announced guests from On the Ropes Boxing Radio have shared their views on this fight. In addition to Pacquiao and Mosley along with their respective trainers Freddie Roach and Nazim Richardson, On the Ropes gathered opinions from current starts like Bernard Hopkins and Sergio Martinez, to highly regarded trainers like Emanuel Steward and Ronnie Shields, to all-time greats like Larry Holmes and Pernell Whitaker. Here is what they had to say.
Manny Pacquiao
Episode 119
“Well I consider this one of my toughest opponents because Mosley is not that slow. He can move fast and he has good hand speed and foot speed and he’s a former pound-for-pound so I never underestimate Mosley.”
Shane Mosley
Episode 119
“You know I always go for the knockout so I’m going for the knockout. I’m going to be at my best and train hard and make sure that when I fight Manny Pacquiao it’s going to be a night that nobody is going to forget.”
Freddie Roach
Episode 114
“Well you know I’m not a fortune teller of course, but I will have my guy ready and we’ll have a great game plan. I’ve been studying Mosley tapes. I know Shane very well. Again, the way we watch the tapes we go over his best fights and his worst fights and we’ll come up with a perfect game plan and we’ll take care of business.”
Nazim Richardson
Episode 122
“The only reason we’re coming down there is for the buffet at the MGM. If the buffet is not there we’re not even coming. I don’t know. We’re fighting. We’re in camp. I got a grandson home that’s adorable that I’d love to be with on the floor right now with, with his gloves hitting me all upside the head. But we’re away from all of that because we believe Shane Mosley can beat Manny Pacquiao. So this is what we’ve come for and this is what we’ve trained for and I feel like if he stays to the game plan that we have, I feel as though not only can we beat him but we can surprise everybody by the way we beat him.”
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King Kong Agbeko
Episode 117
“Boxing is boxing. You know it’s kind of unpredictable. They are both training to come and win and boxing always comes up with surprises. I believe in Manny. I believe in Sugar Shane. So you can never tell. The ring will decide. When they get into the ring they will have the outcome so when they get into the ring we will know the winner.”
Devon Alexander
Episode 109
“It will be a good fight. It will be a good fight but I think Shane’s reflexes and his quickness is gone right about now. You’re just going to see in the fight. I think Pacquiao is going to be too elusive for him and too fast and he’s going to be moving too much for him for him to catch him, just like Floyd did.”
Chris Arreola
Episode 121
“I don’t think Pacquiao’s going to steamroll Mosley. I think he’s going to beat him but steamroll? No, and if he does then it even adds more to his legacy because nobody has stopped Sugar Shane Mosley. So if he can accomplish that it’s just going to add to his legacy. People are going to try and say he’s old, or he’s this and that. Regardless, Pacquiao stopped Mosley and no one else stopped him if he does that.”
Al Bernstein
Episode 123
“Well you know I don’t like making predictions when I’m announcing fight so I won’t say definitely but obviously Manny Pacquiao is the favorite for good reason. If the fight goes to a decision it will likely go to Pacquiao and I think if Mosley’s going to win this fight it’s going to be probably by a stoppage or because he hurts Pacquiao early in the fight.”
Timothy Bradley
Episode 115
“I looked at it and said Shane was going to get blown out of the water and this and this. Then I really looked at Shane’s style and what he brings to the table. Regardless of age I’m looking at skill level. I think Shane is the bigger guy. He’s quick. He’s not faster than Manny don’t get me wrong, but I think that his skill level and his ability to survive, Shane is going to be tough to knockout, man. Shane doesn’t really get knocked out. Vernon Forrest put him on the canvas, but he didn’t knock him out you know, and Shane’s been fighting at this weight for a very long time. As far as skill-wise, speed, and just the smartness that Shane brings to the table I think is going to give Manny some problems. If Shane has good legs in this fight I think he’ll be alright, man. He can sit back and pot shot from the outside, and use, move his defense, and give Manny some problems.”
Kell Brook
Episode 111
“I think his work rate and coming forward to Mosley, he’s not getting any younger Mosley. He’s been in a lot of hard fights. He hasn’t looked that good in his last couple of fights and I believe that he can do a better job on him than Mayweather did. I believe that he can get the stoppage later on.”
Dereck Chisora
Episode 109
“To be honest with you, him and Sugar Shane Mosley, he’s a good fighter but it’s an embarrassment for Sugar Shane Mosley to try and get in there. I don’t know why he’s trying to get in there. Sugar Shane Mosley was great back like ten years ago, not now. He should leave the game to the younger boys and just hang up his gloves and just be a promoter. Manny Pacquiao is a people’s champion. There are few people like that. The last person who was a people’s champ was Muhammad Ali. Manny Pacquiaao is a people’s champ. He’s a very calm guy. He doesn’t show off. He loves his training. He loves what he does for his country, and there are few people like that. People’s champs like that, they’re born once every ten years, basically. I don’t think Shane Mosley should take that fight.”
Vic Darchinyan
Episode 121
“I think Shane Mosley still has speed. This is going to be very difficult for Pacquiao. I think Pacquiao will come over and show that he’s more aggressive because in every fight he is showing that he wants to destroy his opponent. He’s aggressive, he’s going inside, and he does his job. I like Pacquiao’s style and aggressiveness! I can tell you that Manny Pacquiao is much better now. Pacquiao before was using only his left. He wanted to land the left. Now he’s using his right and using his jab and hooks and that’s why he can take control of his opponents. I still think it’s going to be a good fight. Shane Mosley is 39-40. People think he is old but he is going to give a very good fight to Pacquiao.”
Andre Dirrell
Episode 117
“I love Shane Mosley, man! I’ve always followed his career. He’s a great fighter but we all know he’s at the end of his road. The fact alone of being matched up with Pacquiao at t his point in his career is just a blessing in itself. I believe that’s just a payday or a fight for him to make an exit. It wouldn’t surprise me if Shane went the whole twelve rounds with Pacquiao, but logically I don’t see that happening with as hard as Pacquiao works and as much as he throws. After watching Floyd beat Shane the way he did, then Pac-Man is going to make that look so much more easier. I can see him stopping him, but if he doesn’t I wouldn’t be surprised but he’s supposed to get stopped in that fight in my eyes.”
Buster Douglas
Episode 119
“I really like that Manny Pacquiao. I think he’s a great fighter and I really enjoy watching him work. He really has it all together. Mosley is a crafty veteran and he is going to come to fight and I look for that to be an exciting fight. I think it’s going to go deep into the rounds, too. If it’s a stoppage it’s going to be like in the eleventh or twelfth round, but it’s going to be a great fight because Mosley is going to bring it! He’s up for the challenge I know. Just from watching his past experience he can put up some great fights. So he’s going to be ready to fight. Don’t sleep on Mosley!”
Robert Guerrero
Episode 120
“You can never count Shane out. I mean I’ve been in the gym with him. I’ve sparred with him. He’s just one of those tremendous athletes that just pull them out of the bag. He just pulls them out of the bag. It’s like everybody was counting him out when he fought Margarito and he came out and he just shocked the world. You had seen Saturday night with Morales who everybody was counting him out and he came back in spectacular fashion and showed the world he had something left. I think this is a fight where Shane is going to come out and show he still has something in the tank. I think he’s going to be ready for this fight. I think he’s going to be ready and this is his opportunity to pull out that last big trick.”
Matthew Hatton
Episode 114
“You know Shane Mosley has always been one of my favorite fighters. He’s a great fighter to watch. He’s taken on all comers and he’s been in some great fights. I think he’s showing a few signs of wear and tear and again I expect it to be a good fight. Shane obviously has got tremendous power and he’s produced some fabulous performances in his career, but unfortunately I can only see one winner and that’s Pacquiao for sure.”
Robert Helenius
Episode 116
“Pacquiao’s one of a kind like any legend, like Muhammad Ali or Joe Frazier or anybody. Manny Pacquiao is an icon in boxing. He’s coming forward. He can do everything in boxing. He’s really, really good. I like his style”
Bobby Hitz
Episode 117
“Shane Mosley is the type of fighter that you never know which Shane’s going to show up. I’ll tell you on any given night he’s a dangerous guy. Manny is just in that stay busy mode right now until he can et that mega fight. I mean, my gosh how many weight classes is he going to continue to move up? Maybe he’ll be fighting Klitschko next after this. Who knows?”
Larry Holmes
Episode 122
“These guys are starting to recycle fighters like Pacquiao and Mosley and Mayweather and whatever. Those are the names that people recognize that could be making good money, but they’re talking crazy. Like I understand that Mayweather is trying to talk to the man who built the Dallas football stadium and how he wants $100 million for a fight with Pacquiao. Pacquiao wants $100 million if he gets past Mosley. Mosley wants $100 million and these guys are just talking right out of their hat. They’re not really talking seriously because if they were they’d have to be more reasonable on how much money they should get and how much money it’s worth. To me those fights with Pacquiao and Mayweather are not worth $100 million!”
Bernard Hopkins
Episode 112
“I think that Shane Mosley has always been great when he’s had to prove that he’s not done. Anybody that thinks that Shane Mosley doesn’t have an opportunity to win this fight is a damn fool. I mean how many times do we have to be fooled? It’s not what Shane actually needs to do 101%, near perfect, it’s not perfect to win this fight. It’s how Pacquiao. It’s where his head is at. See people, we got this thing about building human beings up like they are Gods! At any given time, including me, are subjected somehow to take a person lightly if we don’t check ourselves as we go through that waiting period of getting ready for the next guy. After awhile it can become old. It can become boring. You learn how to put the poker face on. You learn how to say the right things. You learn how to even change your hair every now and then to look different. But at the end of the day, there is always that room for what? Tyson and Buster Douglas! I can name ten more. It was one of the greatest upsets of all time. Yeah, I can give you nine more. I already gave you one. So when a person says to me does this person have a shot, and then I look at a guy Shane who fought to the level of the competition. It was a fight he couldn’t win if he knocked the guy out or if he went the distance. Why? Because these guys were good guys, they were competitors, they were good guys, but they weren’t superstars. So a superstar or a former superstar or a living legend, he gets up for the same people or the same guy in a way that he has to look at the man in the mirror. And when you look at a superstar going up against a guy who’s been there and done that, and is now in this category called “legend”, you get up for these things. It reminds me of a funny, funny saying that I said many, many times and I’m going to keep it clean. There’s another version of it that’s X, but I’m going to keep it clean. Do I get up better for a pretty girl or is it a letdown for me when I see somebody that’s not as pretty as the other one, because I believe that in some situations there is no ugly or pretty but it’s a situation. Do I get up for a pretty girl? Forget personality! We’re talking about looks right now. Or do I get down, so you can understand the philosophy, do I get down for the other side of the opposite of pretty? Do I get down when I see the choices that I have? So Shane will get up for this fight. It’s up to him to win it because I tell people over and over and over again. You’re not the first one that’s getting this. I already put it out there ya’ll. So don’t be upset if you see another internet interview with the same thing. You’re like oh he said that to us. Yeah, I did say this already. It’s not what Shane’s supposed not do or do. They already made what’s going to happen. The Gods of this world already said this is going to happen, this is going to happen, this is going to happen, and they got that opinion, but I call them Gods of this world. I take it to the extreme, the dictators, the know-it-before-it-happens guys. You look at Pacquiao. He’s pretty busy. I love his hair style. You like at Justin Bieber or Bruce Lee, either one you can pick. There are some changes going on. So with all of these things, I remember Lennox Lewis. He went out to do the movie before he fought Rahman the first time. Go ahead Bernard, keep preaching. I can go on. Remember I said I can name nine more? I gave you one, now I gave you two. So we’re at eight now. Depending on how long we stay on the phone I’m going to give you all eight. See, because I tell people that Bernard Hopkins is softly, and I really believe that some people hate people, but I believe I’m softly hating. I’m putting a little fancy title on the first name, but because of my thinking and because of what I know and because of what I don’t take and stand for, I speak what it is and I just put out the strategy, if you can find it in that maze or puzzle in my thinking. You all forgot about the reason other than is what Pacqiuiao doesn’t do. It’s what Pacquiao has been doing. It’s where his head is at. You know Pacquiao’s human in case anybody forgot. I believe that he wipes his butt the same way we do. So any human being is subjected to fall under these things called “praises and glory”. So not even putting in who ya’ll forgot. I didn’t forget. We’ll get back to that, I didn’t forget. If he has a guy that I call “grasshopper”, here’s a guy that if you remember the kung fu movie about the student and the teacher, here’s a guy behind talent. There is always somebody that has wisdom and knowledge and understanding and that guy doesn’t get the credit and responsibility of looking out for the fighter when he recognized, not only in my situation but in Shane Mosley’s situation, he recognized that if he didn’t speak up that this fight or life in a battle could be taken not just because of the sport that he’s into, but because of the illegal hand-wrapping of certain individuals. So when you have that mind behind the dots and the T’s are crossed and you have the teacher who’s not giving ass-kissing praises, but he’s giving techniques and skills and setting the stage up late at night where you have to wake him up and turn the TV off because he fell asleep watching TV, not the soap operas.”
Marco Huck
Episode 118
“Well what a great and fantastic match. I think Pacquiao is such an outstanding athlete. He’s an outstanding and a superb boxer and it will be a great fight.”
Glen Johnson
Episode 118
“Well Pacquiao is my favorite fighter. I’m a huge fan and I’m also a huge fan of Mosley. I’m sure Mosley is not the Mosley that he was a few years ago. That happens to everybody. It might not be the fight that the fans want to see obviously, but I’m excited for Sugar Shane, for him to work as hard as he did in boxing and give us so many fabulous boxing matches and great fights and everything. For him to be where he’s at now in his career and to get this huge payday and this big fight on this big stage to kind of close his career out if he wants to. I’m extremely happy for him. It might not be the treat that the fans and myself want, but on the other hand I really have to look at the best scenario and I’m extremely happy for this fight and for Sugar Shane as well.”
Zab Judah
Episode 110
“I mean hey, it’s a boxing match. The man who works the hardest, the man with the better skills, it’s going to pay off. Pacquiao-Mosley is definitely going to be a good fight.”
Michael Katsidis
Episode 118
“You cannot count Mosley out. You cannot count him out. I don’t think that Pacquiao has ever fought a mover, and I’ve said this before that I believe Mayweather. Look when I pick the winner of a fight I don’t pick it based on favoritism. I just say my belief in boxing. I don’t believe Pacquiao has fought a mover such as Mayweather before. Whether Mayweather is still up to the standard with Pacquiao now with all of the personal issues he has going on, but I don’t believe he’s fought a mover as such. You know you look at the fight when Mayweather fought against Mosley, Mosley was smart enough to catch the guy in the second and almost had him out of there. Then you put Mosley in with someone like Pacquiao who moves nowhere near in the way that Mayweather moves. I think this is a very, very dangerous one to look at for Pacquiao. You never can count Mosley out. A lot of people say of course he’s getting older, but he’s still got that fighter instinct, he’s still very intelligent, and he still can pull it out. Freddie’s not stupid. Freddie’s very intelligent and Pacquiao’s very intelligent so they’re going to be aware that Mosley’s will be looking for that big one, but never count Mosley out. That’s the way I look at this fight.”
Amir Khan
Episode 114
“Well you know I think if you look at it on paper you might think that he could have a chance, but if you look at how Shane’s last fight went it’s going to be a bit of a tough one for him because Manny is a very explosive fighter. He likes to work hard. He throws a lot of punches. He likes to stay busy. Will Shane Mosley stay with that pace? I don’t think he will with the age and the tough wars he’s had in his previous fights. But who knows? In boxing one punch could change a fight. I know Shane’s got the power to knock anyone out, so Manny has to be careful for the first couple of rounds because Shane is going to come out strong first just to catch Manny and put him on his back foot. Like I said, if he hits anyone clean he will knock him out but if it goes past five or six rounds I think the fight is on Manny’s side.”
Andy Lee
Episode 112
“With Pacquiao, he’s a phenomenal fighter. He’s the best fighter, between him and Floyd, of our generation that we’ve seen. But he’s always going up against these big guys and when I was just looking at some of the photos on the internet, Mosley is so much bigger than him that it’s hard to count him out, but it’s hard to bet against Pacquiao. Pacquiao is so quick and time is ticking on Mosley at the moment. So I think it will be a good fight. With these older experienced fighters you can never count them out, like Hopkins. With that much experience and that much and much quality you could never count them out. I think it will be a good fight but I think Manny Pacquiao will win.”
Paulie Malignaggi
Episode 119
“I think Shane, people are writing him off a bit too much. He’s coming off of two lackluster performances, but you have to understand who they were up against. Now is Shane in his prime? No! He’s 40 years old. He’s definitely not in his prime, but Shane is a guy who’s still a dangerous threat #1. #2 he’s coming off fights where he’s not going to look good against the opponents he fought. He fought Floyd Mayweather who is essentially the best at taking away what you do and making you look basically like your hands are tied behind your back which he did to Shane at a certain point. He just took away what Shane did best, but Floyd is a master boxer and that’s what he specializes in. He’s a defensive fighter. He takes away what you do best more than anything else. Sergio Mora is a guy who I don’t believe it’s possible to look good against one way or another. He has a confusing style, he’s very awkward, he’s successful at what he does, he knows how to do things his way, and nobody looks good fighting Sergio Mora. You can’t tell me one guy who looked good fighting Sergio Mora. I mean Vernon Forrest in the rematch with Sergio beat him just with a jab. He basically kept it simple because he knew this guy was so complicated and so awkward to fight. So I don’t blame Shane for that performance either. Now yeah, Shane I’ll admit he is not in his prime, but at the same time Manny Pacquiao is a guy who is successful by running through you or running over you so to speak. You know and I don’t believe Shane Mosley is the kind of guy you could just run through that easily. Do you got to favor Pacquiao? Absolutely you got to favor Pacquiao! He’s a favorite in the fight right now and rightfully so based on what he’s been doing. But I don’t see Pacquiao as the kind of guy who takes anything away from you or scientifically beats you. Pacquiao just gets in there and runs right through you. He throws a lot of punches, he has an intense amount of energy, an intense style, and basically he runs through them. I don’t see that happening with Shane that easily. You got to kind of outthink Shane. You can’t just run through him. I don’t think he’s going to let you do that unless age has caught up to him that bad. Still, besides the Mayweather and Mora fights where they have styles that don’t make you look good, Shane is not going to let Manny just run right through him. You got top favor Manny but I think it’s a good fight. I think it’s a better fight than Marquez III. I think Pacquiao-Marquez III is a waste of time! Pacquiao has totally outgrown the weight class and Marquez is not on his level at this point anymore. He’s a talented fighter but at his own weight. I think Mosley is the most dangerous guy outside of Floyd Mayweather that Manny Pacquiao can face right now unless you expect Pacquiao to move up in weight again, which realistically how many weight classes do you want the guy to move up? I mean there are 17 weight classes in boxing and he’s been through 10 of them already.”
Sergio Martinez
Episode 113
“I feel that Mosley is not the fighter that he used to be. Mosley was a great fighter and champion as well, but Pacquiao is great champion. The thing with Pacquiao is it’s not a very dangerous fight for him. It just so happens that Pacquiao is always fighting the not-so-dangerous type of fights and fighters.”
Ricardo Mayorga
Episode 111
“Honestly, my opinion and with what I know about boxing, it’s going to be a hard, hard fight for Pacquiao. My opinion on that is that maybe Mosley could knock Pacquiao out. Mosley has strength. He hits very hard and he moves quickly and he has a lot of experience. If I was to bet on that fight, I’d go with Sugar Shane Mosley. Mosley can knock him out in between the fifth and ninth round.”
Floyd Mayweather Sr.
Episode 105
“That fight is interesting to see but I will say this right here. Whatever it was that they caught in Margarito’s hands in the gloves, that was the thing that gave Shane the chance to beat Margarito’s ass, because they caught Margarito with the stuff in his gloves. So that gave Shane an advantage to do what he needed to do. It was not Margarito being bad, or not even him being bad at this point. I’m not even saying he was bad at that point. I’m pretty sure they were both on the same level. Shane beat up Margarito. He beat the hell out of him and stopped him, and then you see how my son beat Shane. Shane hit my son and hurt my son, because my son ain’t doing all the stuff everybody else is doing. So he hit my son and hurt my son. That’s what boxing is all about. When my son got hit, he got hurt. There ain’t nothing wrong with that because that’s the way boxing goes. After that one time he shook my son, all the rest of the punches came to Shane and that was the fight. Floyd was too slick, too clever, too smooth, and too smart.”
Roger Mayweather
Episode 120
“If Shane beats him that’s what’s supposed to happen. I thought De La Hoya would beat him but under the circumstances I see why he didn’t beat him now, but that’s beside the point. The point is Shane Mosley can beat him. They’ve already said. I heard them say it. ‘We’ll fight Shane, but Shane Mosley will have to take a test’. That’s what they said! How do all of these people have to take tests and you don’t take one yourself. That don’t even make sense! All these people taking the test that he’s fighting, but then he doesn’t take the damn test himself! Then when he fought Ricky Hatton and De La Hoya, he made them fight him at a catch weight anyway. He never fought De La Hoya at 147 pounds. He had to weigh in at like 144 pounds. Ricky Hatton weighed 140-something. He ain’t fought nobody at their regular weight. If you’re the welterweight champion you fight guys at welterweight, at 147. That’s what I know about boxing, but he ain’t never fought them guys at that weight. That’s what he says. That’s all I can tell you about what I know about Pacquiao. I don’t know much about him anyway. I don’t know much about him, but if he really wanted to fight for that kind of money that them guys are getting for that fight to happen then he’s got to take a test. Everybody is taking a test but you. Something has got to be wrong. You’re getting $100 million. That’s easy money to get because that fight is that big and there is interest to make that kind of money. This fight is bigger than De La Hoya and my nephew and that’s the highest grossing fight in history right now with over $300 million. Those guys will walk away with over $100 million each, at least! Remember, they’re already starting off the bid out at $50 million each anyway. So how in the world ain’t you going to get $100 million?”
Carlos Molina
Episode 118
“I think that Pacquiao is doing really good for the sport of boxing and I think that fight with Mosley is going to prove that Mayweather should step in there and fight Pacquiao. It’s going to be a tough fight though for Pacquiao, but I think he should take it.”
Ran Nakash
Episode 118
“Mosley is very dangerous, but I think t he momentum of Manny Pacquiao is good. For my opinion, the only man that can stop Manny Pacquiao is Floyd Mayweather, not Sugar Shane.”
Victor Ortiz
Episode 121
“Everyone’s got a chance, always! You got eight ounce gloves in there you got a chance. Now which way is the Pacquiao-Mosley fight going to go? I’m not a wizard. I can’t tell the future. I’m not a psychic but I can tell you it’s going to be a great fight.”
Peter Quillin
Episode 123
“Well I see myself Pacquiao not only because we’re in the same kind of camp but only because he’s been just showing his greatness by going out and performing against the top and the best out there and been looking good doing it. So I give him the edge on him because he has the momentum. As far as Mosley, he’s always been a deadly fighter and a fighter than can hurt you early and be dangerous at any time. All I question about him is his age. Will he be able to perform at that level and keep up with Pacquiao’s pace?”
Nazim Richardson
Episode 122
“The only reason we’re coming down there is for the buffet at the MGM. If the buffet is not there we’re not even coming. I don’t know. We’re fighting. We’re in camp. I got a grandson home that’s adorable that I’d love to be with on the floor right now with, with his gloves hitting me all upside the head. But we’re away from all of that because we believe Shane Mosley can beat Manny Pacquiao. So this is what we’ve come for and this is what we’ve trained for and I feel like if he stays to the game plan that we have, I feel as though not only can we beat him but we can surprise everybody by the way we beat him.”
Ronnie Shields
Episode 110
“Actually, I think that’s a good match-up. I really do. Styles make fights. Shane didn’t look the best against Mayweather because Mayweather is a counterpuncher. Shane needs somebody that’s going to throw punches back at him in order for him to make his style work. And you know what? Pacquiao throws a lot of punches so that’s going to play into Shane Mosley’s hands. Look, I don’t think it’s going to be a total wipeout like a lot of people are thinking. I do think Pacquiao is going to win the fight but I don’t think it’s going to be as easy as a lot of people think.”
Emanuel Steward
Episode 123
“Just myself it’s very difficult for me to see Shane beating him. I really can’t because Shane is not a puncher and he’s not really a boxer. Shane doesn’t really box. He’ll move around and he’ll like jingle his left hand and then he’ll jingle real loose-like and then he’ll explode with a bunch of flurries and then he gets back again and he rests again and he flurries again. So to beat Manny I think someone needs to box and try to make him get off balance a lot and use really good fundamental basics. That’s why Marquez always has given him and always will give a tough fight with Pacquiao because Marquez has such good basic balance. He made Manny get out of position a lot and he took advantage of it when he was out of position because of his fundamentals and basics being so sound. But that is not Shane. Shane would have to change and he’s not a big puncher. So I see him fighting a good competitive fight but I just don’t see him beating Manny Pacquiao. It’s hard for me to really even create an image in my mind, because he’s not the puncher, he’s not the boxer really. He’s a fighter! I see it being an exciting fight but I just don’t see him beating Manny.”
James Toney
Episode 113
“I’ve known him for fifteen years. He was a little dude and now he’s the best pound-for-pound fighter in today’s game. He goes to work hard in training. That’s how he finds that. The kid works hard and he does what he needs to do to be on top.”
Andre Ward
Episode 113
“I think with the exception of Floyd Mayweather, Mosley is probably the best move for Pacquiao. Bob Arum has been doing this a very long time and from my standpoint I haven’t seen Bob make too many mistakes. So I think he knows what he’s doing. Some people are going to like the matchup, some aren’t, but who else is he going to fight outside of Floyd Mayweather? I mean Margarito put up a gallant effort. He fell short, but I got excited about that fight. Some people didn’t like it because of his past and him getting licensed and things like that, but I was excited about the fight. I thought he could have pushed Pacquiao and give him a good fight and the same thing with Shane. You know you can argue that Shane’s done, Shane can’t pull the trigger, but they said the same thing before the Margarito fight and then look what Shane did. So that’s the beauty of boxing. You just never know.”
Sherman Williams
Episode 109
“Manny Pacquiao is a resilient fighter. He’s an extraordinary athlete and the way he carries himself inside the ring and outside of the ring makes him a really good ambassador, not just for his homeland country, but for the sport of boxing. He’s a great ambassador for the sport and I think the guy’s heart is like fire right now, and I think that anybody that goes in the ring with Manny Pacquiao should be prepared for a long night or a good beating.”
Pernell Whitaker
Episode 114
“Well I think I like Pacquiao the best out of all of them personally myself. He’s more consistent as a fighter fighting good in the ring competing. He’s the one that stands out.”
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