Floyd Mayweather Jr. says he 'would love the [Manny] Pacquiao fight to happen' -- Los Angeles Times

By Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times

For the first time since he walked off the post-fight news conference stage in May 2010, Floyd Mayweather Jr. addressed an assemblage of reporters Tuesday in New York and said what boxing fans want to hear.

"I would love the [Manny] Pacquiao fight to happen," Mayweather Jr. told The Times in a telephone interview after meeting with the New York contingent. "We take one guy at a time. Now, it's Victor Ortiz.

Pacquiao's next as long as he agrees to the testing, [U.S. Anti-Doping Agency] testing. Victor Ortiz has agreed to do it. So did [May 2010 foe] Shane Mosley. I'm also testing. I'll show I'm clean, and that boxing is clean."

The 34-year-old Mayweather (41-0, 25 knockouts) and Ventura's 24-year-old Ortiz (29-2-2, 22 KOs) will tangle for Ortiz's World Boxing Council welterweight belt Sept. 17 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The pair will appear Wednesdayat downtown's L.A. Live at 8 p.m. for a public news conference.

Odds at Las Vegas sports books opened Tuesday with Mayweather as more than a 7-to-1 favorite over the taller southpaw. HBO pay per view will televise the bout and bring back its "24/7" series Aug. 27.

Since his last fight, Mayweather has been beset by legal challenges, including a multi-felony domestic violence episode involving the mother of his three children that has the boxer scheduled to return to Clark County (Nev.) court Oct. 20. But Mayweather said his three children live with him at his home in Las Vegas and he downplayed the severity of the alleged crimes.

"I'm in the hurt business, in a contact sport, so when something like this happens, people want to assume the worst. I'm automatically assumed guilty," Mayweather said.

"My thing is to focus on my job. Someone can go to trial, but you can't let it lose your focus on your key. I got to do what I do. Boxing is what pays my bills."

Mayweather said he's not expecting his skills to show ring rust despite a 16-plus month layoff that included a third failed negotiation to seal a Pacquiao fight, with the sides bitterly split on the drug-testing protocol.

"There's ups and downs with boxing, layoffs are part of the sport and they can either help or hurt a guy," Mayweather said. "In my case, I think it'll help. My fitness is great. I'm playing basketball, keeping my weight at 147 right now and getting my body stretched out in massages. I'm ready to go."

Mayweather said he opted to return to the ring after sitting ringside at Ortiz's thrilling decision triumph over previously unbeaten Andre Berto in April — when both fighters were knocked down twice in the bout.

"I really missed that atmosphere," he said.

Now Mayweather is focused on beating Ortiz, and then setting up the super-fight against Pacquiao that the world wants in 2012.

"How do I deal with that? Execute the game plan given to me," Mayweather said. "I can go outside, counter punch … this sport's all about being a great student and good listener. That's who I am."

lance.pugmire@latimes.com
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Source: latimes.com