VANCOUVER – Now that he is concluding his two-month training at the Wild Card gym in Hollywood, California that started in Baguio City in February this year, eight-time world champion Manny Pacquiao is being bedevilled by fears of a possible upset loss when he goes up against Sugar Shane Mosley for 12-round WBO welterweight title on May 7 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Humble as ever, Pacquiao (52-2-3, 38 KOs) refuses to slander his 39-year-old customer who once scored a stunning upset win over Oscar De La Hoya when the Golden Boy was at the prime of his career in the mid-90’s. Pacquiao continues to utilize diplomacy dealing with his ring rivals and has succeeded in befriending his foes after besting them one after the other. In a recent press statement, Pacquiao reiterates that he does not underestimate his aging rival from Los Angeles, California, who has been pilloried in media for being a “senior citizen” of world boxing. Although installed as solid pick to whip Mosley (46-5-1, 39 KOs), the Filipino ribcracker doesn’t gloat about his edge thus he avoids an ugly exchange of words with the black American.

Pacquiao has nothing to gain but everything to lose against Mosley who bids to defrock the 32-year-old congressman cum brawler and deny him the chance to tangle in a multi-million duel possibly against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in his farewell fight in November this year or March 2012. Mosley himself became his personal salesman ever since Pacquiao vanquished the stubborn Briton Ricky Hatton in two brutal rounds. In press conferences and official weigh ins, Mosley made his presence felt like he was part of the management team if not the entire show.

When Pacquiao finished off Miguel Angel Cotto, tortured Joshua Clottey and eviscerated Antonio Margarito, Mosley made sure he was in the hearing distance of Top Rank CEO Bob Arum who finally agreed to book him to face the most celebrated professional boxer in the world today. Mosley’s tactic paid off. When speculations were rife that Pacquiao would next fight Cotto in a rematch after bludgeoning Margarito in Arlington, Texas in November last year, his name emerged from the lottery signed the dotted lines of the Pacquiao deal shortly after announcing he was leaving the Golden Boy to join the Top Rank. Mosley actually hit two birds with one stone because his outfit, Sugar Shane, is co-promoter of the May 7 card along with MP Promotion and HBO which will televise the rumble “live” on a pay-per-view.

In the event of an upset loss (God forbids), Pacquiao may be forced to hang up his gloves and follow the advice of his mother, Aling Dionisia, to abandon the fight business for good. But if Pacquiao will again score a big victory at the expense of Mosley, both his fans and promoters (in plural form) will not stop from badgering him to continue fighting until he smashes the final nail on the coffin of Mayweather Jr. who remains clever and is playing his card very well, knowing that he is being pursued from pillar to post by Arum, et al hankering to pit him against Pacquiao.

At this early, Pacquiao has alreadyearned the respect of Mosley as they refused to used dirty words to promote their fisticuffs. They plan to fight clean, as well; and fans will get the kind of entertainment that they richly deserve when the two gladiators start to tear each other apart on May 7. See you again in Las Vegas!

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The plan of Top Rank to promote IBF/WBA champion Nonito Donaire Jr. on May 28 in Las Vegas, Nevada fizzled out anew as the Filipino-American sensation did not sign the contract with Bob Arum’s outfit. This development came after Top Rank managed to win Donaire back to its fold after winning in the legal fracas against Donaire’s former promoter, Golden Boy.

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