Pacquiao unimpressed by Mayweather knocking out sparring mate

MANILA, Philippines – Eight-division boxing and current World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao is not impressed, neither is he losing sleep, over reports that his upcoming opponent Floyd Mayweather Jr. knocked out a sparring mate with a body shot.

“I hope the reports were true,” Pacquiao said via philboxing.com. “He should be aggressive during our fight so we can make the fans happy.”

Mayweather, 38 and undefeated in 47 bouts, last won a boxing match via KO when he took down Victor Ortiz in the fourth round of their September 17, 2011 fight at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.

“We all know how he fights,” Pacquiao said. In fact, his previous fights lulled me to sleep.”

Pacquiao says he respects the accomplishments of Mayweather, “but his previous fights bored me,” according to him. “I hope, this time, he would be man enough to take some risks. He should prove to the world that he’s a real and fearless fighter, not a runner.”

The two are scheduled for a blockbuster battle in the ring on May 2 at the MGM Grand Arena, but Pacman says the contest will live up to expectations only if Mayweather decides to exchange punches with him.

“The fight should live up to its billing. We owe this to the fans,” Pacquiao said. “They should get the kind of entertainment they want.”

“If the reports were true,” he added, “then it’s a welcome development. That’s what my camp wants – for him to become aggressive inside the ring.”

Pacquiao’s assistant trainer, Restituo Fernandez, says that if repots Floyd is looking to be more engaged in the fight is true, “then the fight is over.”

Fernandez believes the 12-round contest will end badly for the undefeated Mayweather if that is the case, but he still expects his fighter’s upcoming opponent to “play it safe.”

“I doubt if in Floyd’s case his trainer can teach an old dog new tricks. I believe that once he is hurt he would revert to his old fighting style.”

“All of his life as a boxer, Mayweather has not tasted defeat,” Fernandex explained. “Losing can be both humiliating and humbling depending on the fighter’s performance atop the ring. On our part, we view it as a normal part of a fighter’s life. For us, defeat has been a good learning experience.”

In 2012, Pacquiao suffered disappointing defeats to Timothy Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez – the latter a sixth round knockout.

“Those losses made him not just a great fighter but, above all, as a much better person,” Fernandez said about Pacquiao. – Rappler.com