By Jenna J & Geoffrey Ciani, Eastside Boxing
This week’s 119th edition of On the Ropes Boxing Radio (brought to you by CWH Promotions) featured an exclusive interview with the reigning Pound-for-Pound King Manny Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs) who is scheduled to face former three division champion Sugar Shane Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs) on May 7 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao spoke about his upcoming fight with Mosley and other aspects of his career and the current boxing landscape. Here is a complete transcript from that interview:
JENNA J: We are proud to introduce a man who really doesn’t need any introduction at all. He is an eight division world champion. He is the one and only Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao! Hey Manny! Are you on the line with us right now?
MANNY PACQUIAO: Yeah, hi.
JENNA: Well you’re a man who’s always in high demand. How’s your day been going so far?
PACQUIAO: Good, good, good! I just finished my training.
JENNA: Excellent. Well you have a very big fight against Sugar Shane Mosley on May 7. How have your preparations been going?
PACQUIAO: I’m excited for the fight and my preparation is good. You know my training is good and I’m excited.
JENNA: Now Shane Mosley is a terrific puncher. Do you believe he is the most dangerous fighter that you have ever been set to step in the ring with and do you think with so many people heavily favoring you that you can at all underestimate him? ?
PACQUIAO: 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.
JENNA: Alright now you’ll be defending your WBO welterweight belt for the second time. Do you think welterweight is your natural division?
PACQUIAO: Actually my natural division is 140. I’m weighing right now 143-144 without reducing and our without limited eating, but I can fight at 147.
JENNA: Now is Freddie Roach working on anything different in this camp to fight someone with the speed that Shane Mosley has?
PACQUIAO: Yeah, 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.
JENNA: Okay well Manny, moving away from boxing for a second, back in February you actually had a chance to meet President Barack Obama. What was that whole experience like for you and what did you two guys talk about?
PACQUIAO: Well it was a big honor for me to meet with the President of the United States and to go to the White House. We just talked about the basketball thing and boxing. He’s a good guy. He’s nice.
JENNA: Alright now Manny, when your boxing career is over do you think you can have as big of an impact in the political arena as you did in the boxing arena?
PACQUIAO: I can tell you right now after my boxing career I’m going to focus on my political career because I love to serve people.
JENNA: Well Manny we’re on the phone with my Co-Host and Producer Geoff Ciani.
GEOFFREY CIANI: Hi Manny, it’s a pleasure to speak with you?
PACQUIAO: Hi. How are you?
CIANI: I’m great, thanks. Manny, I wanted to ask you when you first made it big on the scene when you beat Barrera you were known as just a fighter with a big left hand but you also developed a strong right hand around the time of the second Morales fight. How did you go about making your right hand as good?
PACQUIAO: Yeah, that’s a good question. You know before I was only focusing on my left hand and I was wondering what I could do to improve my right hand.
CIANI: Okay, now the last guy to beat you is Morales and he has a fight coming up this weekend against Marcos Maidana. I was wondering what you think of that fight and I was also wondering what you think or Morales coming back?
PACQUIAO: Oh? He’s comeback? He’s comeback to fight?
CIANI: Yes, this will be his fourth comeback fight this weekend.
PACQUIAO: Oh! Good luck to him. I hope he can win.
CIANI: Now Manny most people know you as a professional boxer and a congressman but what are some of the other things you most enjoy doing?
PACQUIAO: Acting and playing basketball.
CIANI: Manny, because you are fighting Sugar Shane Mosley, people are bound to compare the way you performed against him with the way that Mayweather did. Do you feel any extra pressure to outdo Mayweather’s performance?
PACQUIAO: I’m not comparing my abilities to anybody, but I trained hard for this fight to make people happy and to give a good show May 7. I will do my best.
JENNA: Manny we just have a few more questions before we let you off the line. In this fight with Shane Mosley what things do you think he does in the ring that can pose you the biggest threat?
PACQUIAO: Well he’s throwing a lot of punches and he fights on his toes and it’s going to be an exciting fight.
JENNA: Okay Manny, people often wonder how long you can balance your boxing career with y our political obligations. In your honest opinion, how long do you think that you can continue to fight?
PACQUIAO: A couple of more years and then I will focus on serving the people.
JENNA: Speaking of the people, you have millions of fans from all around the world especially in the Philippines. Is there anything you want to say to those people?
PACQUIAO: I want to thank everybody. I want to thank all the fans, the boxing fans, and all of the different Filipino people and all who are supporting me. I just wanted to say thank you and I hope you still pray for me on May 7 and I would like to dedicate this fight to the Filipino people and all of the victims of the tsunami in Japan.
JENNA: Alright Manny, well it’s been fantastic finally having a chance to speak to you. I wish you all the best of luck in your upcoming fight on May 7.
PACQUIAO: Alright thank you, have a nice day.
CIANI: Thanks Manny. Good luck.
PACQUIAO: Alright thank you.
Source: eastsideboxing.com
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