Boxer Manny Pacquiao flexes for the camera during a media workout at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood on April 20, 2011
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Especially if Pacquiao isn't as fit as he can be. The Filipino seemed to coast through his last two matches. In the run-up to his last rumble, against Antonio Margarito in November, the Pac-Man trained through a debilitating foot injury and took side trips to confer with the President of the Philippines, campaign for Nevada Senator Harry Reid and go off on numerous other nonboxing escapades. Despite the distractions and not being "in Manny shape" (as his fans call his optimum form), Pacquiao rattled the Mexican, who is five inches taller, with dozens of powerful blows, breaking the man's orbital bone. Pacquiao took some vicious shots to the ribs, however, and after the fight he was not his usual jovial self. Perhaps stung by his own mortality, Pacquiao seems to be training for Saturday's fight with more focus. Mosley is certainly a more threatening opponent than his previous two challengers.
About Mosley, Pacquiao says, "He's big. He throws a power punch. I'm not going to underestimate my opponent." Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer, says he has never seen the Filipino work so hard. "There were no distractions," he says. "No politics, no acting, no singing. He has been very focused, because he knows this isn't an easy fight." Pacquiao — who is famous in boxing for having dozens of people in his entourage, many with dubious duties like holding exercise mats or making sure the Gatorade has the right water-to-powder mixture — did have a meet and greet with President Barack Obama in February, but for the most part there haven't been many sideline activities.
To be sure, there is the ever increasing coverage and celebrity visits to the gym where he trains. Two weeks ago, Don Rickles stopped by the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood to crack jokes and say hello to the champ; and Leon Gast, the Academy Award–winning director of the Ali-Foreman documentary When We Were Kings, is making a similar film about Pacquiao. Still, the ever present Filipino journalistic entourage, which follow his every move, has been given little drama to report. The biggest news? In the past few weeks Pacquiao signed an endorsement deal to be the face of a broccoli distributor and released a single of the soft-rock classic "Sometimes When We Touch," making an appearance on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! to promote it.
So what's going to happen in the ring? Pacquiao, in the prime of his boxing career, will most likely bring his usual aggressive strategy and hyperkinetic energy, relentlessly attacking his opponent at complex angles. Mosley will probably try and get in close, avoid Pacquiao's punishing left hand (one sparring partner has described it as similar to getting hit by a baseball bat) and attempt to beat Pacquiao to the punch. If that doesn't work, he will try and contain Pacquiao's six-punch combinations by clenching him or using his superior size to keep Pacquiao at arm's length.
Most boxing observers — and oddsmakers — believe Mosley won't be able to deal with Pacquiao's speed and rapid change of direction. Roach, a man not given to hyperbole, expects Mosley to get knocked out. And in the end, there will always be a Mayweather subtext. Mayweather beat Mosley in their fight but wasn't able to knock him out. "If Manny can be the first person in the world to knock out Shane Mosley, it will show the world that Manny is better than the other guy," says Roach.