Mayweather wins but mum on Pacquiao
Source: Agencies |
May 3, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
FLOYD Mayweather Jr was reluctant to commit to a mega-fight with Filipino Manny Pacquiao after embellishing his unbeaten record by outclassing fellow American Shane Mosley in a welterweight bout on Saturday.
Boxing fans have savored the prospect of a Mayweather-Pacquiao showdown, if only to decide the mythical title of the world's best pound-for-pound fighter.
Mayweather had been expected to meet Pacquiao earlier this year until negotiations collapsed over the American's demand for random drug testing. Mosley then stepped in to take the Filipino's place.
"If Manny takes the (blood) test, we can make the fight happen," Mayweather told a news conference in Las Vegas after completing a unanimous points victory over Mosley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
"If he doesn't, we don't have a fight. If Manny Pacquaio wants to fight, it is not hard to find me.
"I'm not going out chasing fighters," added Mayweather, who surrendered his tag as the best pound-for-pound boxer to Pacquiao during a 21-month retirement from the sport that ended only in September.
"If the fans want to see that happen, I want to make it happen but we have to have a level playing field. If every athlete is clean in the sport of boxing, take the test."
On Saturday, watched by a crowd of around 16,000 that included Hollywood actors Will Smith and Leonardo DiCaprio and boxing greats Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, Mayweather resisted a furious early onslaught by Mosley. Widely regarded as the best defensive fighter of his generation, he then dominated 11 of the 12 rounds with his lightning hand speed and agile movement to improve his career record to 41-0 with 25 knockouts.
A 4-1 favorite, Mayweather was stunned by a flurry of punishing blows from Mosley in the second round.
However, the 33-year-old immediately regained control and he dictated the rest of the fight with his probing right hand, rock-solid defense and a series of telling combinations.
"I did what the fans came here to see," Mayweather said in a ringside interview. "I went toe-to-toe. That's not my style but I wanted to give them that kind of fight and I knew I could do it."
Asked how he had recovered from Mosley's early onslaught, Mayweather replied: "It's a contact sport and you're going to get hit.
"But when you get hit, you've got to suck it up and keep on fighting. And that's what I did."
The flamboyant American gained one-sided verdicts from all three judges - 119-109, 119-109 and 118-110.
WBA welterweight champion Mosley, who had not fought since a ninth-round TKO upset of feared Mexican slugger Antonio Margarito in January 2009, slipped to 46-6 with 39 knockouts.
Mayweather, who earned US$2,500 in his pro debut 14 years ago, was guaranteed US$22.5 million but probably will end up with much more once the final pay-per-view buys are added up. Mosley was guaranteed US$7 million, and also had a share in the TV revenues.
Boxing fans have savored the prospect of a Mayweather-Pacquiao showdown, if only to decide the mythical title of the world's best pound-for-pound fighter.
Mayweather had been expected to meet Pacquiao earlier this year until negotiations collapsed over the American's demand for random drug testing. Mosley then stepped in to take the Filipino's place.
"If Manny takes the (blood) test, we can make the fight happen," Mayweather told a news conference in Las Vegas after completing a unanimous points victory over Mosley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
"If he doesn't, we don't have a fight. If Manny Pacquaio wants to fight, it is not hard to find me.
"I'm not going out chasing fighters," added Mayweather, who surrendered his tag as the best pound-for-pound boxer to Pacquiao during a 21-month retirement from the sport that ended only in September.
"If the fans want to see that happen, I want to make it happen but we have to have a level playing field. If every athlete is clean in the sport of boxing, take the test."
On Saturday, watched by a crowd of around 16,000 that included Hollywood actors Will Smith and Leonardo DiCaprio and boxing greats Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, Mayweather resisted a furious early onslaught by Mosley. Widely regarded as the best defensive fighter of his generation, he then dominated 11 of the 12 rounds with his lightning hand speed and agile movement to improve his career record to 41-0 with 25 knockouts.
A 4-1 favorite, Mayweather was stunned by a flurry of punishing blows from Mosley in the second round.
However, the 33-year-old immediately regained control and he dictated the rest of the fight with his probing right hand, rock-solid defense and a series of telling combinations.
"I did what the fans came here to see," Mayweather said in a ringside interview. "I went toe-to-toe. That's not my style but I wanted to give them that kind of fight and I knew I could do it."
Asked how he had recovered from Mosley's early onslaught, Mayweather replied: "It's a contact sport and you're going to get hit.
"But when you get hit, you've got to suck it up and keep on fighting. And that's what I did."
The flamboyant American gained one-sided verdicts from all three judges - 119-109, 119-109 and 118-110.
WBA welterweight champion Mosley, who had not fought since a ninth-round TKO upset of feared Mexican slugger Antonio Margarito in January 2009, slipped to 46-6 with 39 knockouts.
Mayweather, who earned US$2,500 in his pro debut 14 years ago, was guaranteed US$22.5 million but probably will end up with much more once the final pay-per-view buys are added up. Mosley was guaranteed US$7 million, and also had a share in the TV revenues.
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