Pacquiao To Meet Mosley In April? We Hope They're Foolin'

Word is out. Manny Pacquiaos advisor Michael Koncz has been blabbing. Next up for Pacman will be veteran Shane Mosley, on April 16 in Las Vegas.

Koncz told a Filipino paper, the Bulletin, that the Congressman will glove up against the 39 year old Mosley, a fighter for whom retirement has loomed as a viable option, if not in his head, then in the eyes of those who have seen his skills diminish in the las year.

That sound you hear, loud, clear, is groans, from the TSS home office, and from many of your home bases.

Mosley, now 46-6-1, has looked like he jumped the shark, and the beast took a chunk out of his legs, and his lungs, in his last two outings. Yes, he did surprise Floyd Mayweather on May 1, buckling Money with a right. But other than ten seconds in the second round, Mosley looked Sugar free. He had no zip, no pop, no chance. He lost by scores of 119-109, 118-110 and 119-109. After, he told people he saw openings but just couldnt get off. Basically, he was describing an aged fighter. His September 18 fight against Sergio Mora is a candidate for snoozer of the year. It was draw, and again, Mosley saw openings, his brain told him to fire, but his gun stayed holstered.

He is 2-2-1 in his last five, with wins coming over Ricardo Mayorga and Antonio (A Disaster Without Plaster) Margarito and losses coming to Miguel Cotto, in a tight scrap way back in Nov. 2007, and Floyd.

Weve lobbied to see Pacman fight middleweight ace Sergio Martinez, and/or engage in a third tangle with Juan Manuel Marquez. We didnt lobby to see Manny fight Mosley, because to be frank, we see Mosley as having zero chance against the at-the-top-of-his-game Pacquiao. At 52-3-2, Pacmans hand speed, agility, confidence and power are major league, hall of fame stuff. Mosley has dropped to Triple A. Manny will make him look like a Little Leaguer.

We could be wrong. But we doubt we are. Heres hoping Koncz jumped the gun, that promoter Bob Arum pulls a switcheroo.

But lordy, at least there was some sliver of hope that Margarito had enough to test Pacman. Mosley could have the best training camp of his life, get Freddie Roach to corner him, and get Gale Van Hoy to judge the bout, and hed still be a 10 to 1 underdog.

Arum, I suppose, is doing his job, getting his fighter the most money for the least risk. But if Manny has a say in this, we hope he nixes the Mosley idea, and opts for a stiffer test. Because this match just leaves us sour.