Mosley eyes Pacquiao’s P4P crown – even at catch weight

MANILA, Philippines – The sweepstakes for Manny Pacquiao’s October 17 outing heats up as WBA welterweight champ Sugar Shane Mosley appears serious to battle the current pound-for-pound king. To sweeten his bid, Mosley even declared his willingness to agree on a catch weight below his fighting weight of 147 lbs. "I want it to be known that I want to fight Pacquiao and I want to fight him now," Mosley was quoted in a report by QTV’s Balitanghali. “I'm willing to meet at a catch weight to make that happen. I know this is what Freddie Roach wants as well, as he has previously stated this to press. I am the best fighter in boxing and I am ready to reclaim the title of No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter," he added. The weight issue has been the foremost consideration for a possible Pacquiao-Mosely fight as the camp of the reigning light-welterweight holder from General Santos City would insist on a catch weight in-between 140 and 147. Mosley, who’s coming off a TKO of Antonio Margarito last February, has not fought under 147-lbs since defending his lightweight (135 lbs) title for the last time in 1999, according to ESPN’s Dan Rafael. Pacquiao had earlier expressed readiness to take on anyone among the likely opponents – Mosley, comebacking Floyd Mayweather, Jr, Juan Manuel Marquez, or Miguel Cotto – for as long the fight terms (re: purse split and weight) are agreed upon. “Wala akong uurungang laban at wala akong pipiliing sagupaan, basta nagkakaisa ang aking koponan sa pagpili ng katunggali at maayos ang usapin sa laban, wala akong uurungan," Pacquiao wrote in his recent “Kumbinasyon" column for Abante and Philboxing. Pacquiao had fought once before at 147-lbs, in a winning performance against now retired Oscar De La Hoya, but his camp would not want him to fight big boys like Mosley and Cotto at their most comfortable divisions. – GMANews.TV