World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley thinks Manny Pacquiao will get a better deal if he decides to get in the ring with him instead of World Boxing Organization (WBO) champ Miguel Cotto.
“A fight with me will make more money. I know there have been numbers going on out there like Cotto making 5 or 6 million and Manny making 10, 11 or 12. But in a fight with me, he will make more money,” Mosley said in an interview with boxing analyst Julius Stecker.
Mosley said he could not see how a Pacquiao-Cotto fight would be much bigger than a match with him especially after the Puerto Rican’s split decision win over Clottey.
He said a Pacquiao-Cotto match up is not exactly what fight fans would like to see.
“And why fight Cotto? He almost lost to Joshua Clottey. It was a fight that he easily could have lost. Cotto ran around the ring in the last few rounds. The fight with Cotto is not the best fight for boxing or fight fans, or Manny Pacquiao fans,” said Mosley.
Mosley has reportedly offered a 40-60 revenue share favoring Pacquiao just to get the Filipino to fight him.
Aside from the higher revenue cut, Mosley has also offered to meet Pacquiao at the 144-pound catch weight.
“I am trying to make the fight happen. I threw a bone out to Pacquiao saying I would fight him at 144. I am the Welterweight Champion of the World, Cotto isn’t. I am the former Pound for Pound champion, Cotto isn’t. Pacquiao is the pound for pound champion. We should be fighting. [Top Rank promoter] Bob Arum is not letting this happen,” said the WBA champion.
Arum is strongly pushing for a fight between Cotto and Pacquiao who are both under his promotional outfit. However, fight fans will have to wait until November 14 for the fight to materialize. Arum said they have given Cotto some time to let the cut that he sustained against Clottey heal.
“Even if you look at Cotto’s gash, do you think it will heal in time? It might just open up again if he fights Pacquiao. The fans need to know that the best and biggest fight in boxing right now is with me,” said Mosley.
He added that their “similarities” would make the fight more interesting for the fans.
"Manny and me are the same. We will fight anybody…That is what I do, I am a fighter. I fought guys nobody would fight, Vernon Forrest, and Winky Wright. That is the same with Manny,” said Mosley.
The WBA champion, who recently demolished Cotto beater Antonio Margarito, said Pacquiao should weigh things carefully if he’s thinking about his legacy for the sport.
“Do the right thing, Manny. Fight the best fight for the fans, and the best fight for your legacy. You have nothing to lose by fighting me. There will be more prestige in fighting me then Cotto. I will enhance your legacy. Whatever Bob Arum money can offer you, I can offer more and then some,” he said.
Source: abs-cbnnews.com
Sunday, June 21, 2009
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