WATCH: Pacquiao says Mayweather is afraid of losing

MANILA, Philippines – After posting a series of tweets on what he intends to do when he squares off with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the ring, Manny Pacquiao took another shot at the unbeaten American boxer on national television.

In an interview with Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith on ESPN’s “First Take” show, the 36-year-old Pacquiao stressed that Mayweather kept on turning down a bout against him because he is afraid of tasting his first-ever career defeat.

“He is afraid of losing,” he said while he laughed at Smith, a known Mayweather advocate who was surprised when he heard the statement coming out from Pacquiao’s mouth.

There had been numerous dialogues between Pacquiao and Mayweather in the past, but for several reasons, the talks always collapsed.

The first negotiations in 2009 fell through after Mayweather demanded Pacquiao to go through random blood testing up to the official weigh-in, which was initially turned down by the Filipino boxing icon.

Mayweather offered Pacquiao $40 million for the bout in 2012, but the reigning pound-for-pound king reportedly refused to give the latter a share of the pay-per-view revenue, which was deemed unfair by the renowned Pinoy southpaw.

Both camps finally sealed the deal last month, staging the long-awaited encounter on May 2 (May 3 in PH) at the 16,800-seater MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Even though odds are in favor of Mayweather, Pacquiao pointed out that he is not bothered about Mayweather’s style of fighting, asserting that his speed would play a pivotal role.

“Floyd has a good hand speed, but his feet are not the same as his hand speed. I have a quick hand speed and good footwork. It’s a combination, one of my advantages,” he stated.

Pacquiao’s busy pace was one of the key factors of his success in boxing, capturing 12 world titles in eight different weight classes.

In spite of his opponent’s distinctive and effective brand of defensive guile, Pacquiao believes that he has the edge in terms of punching power over Mayweather.

“I don’t think so. I tell you that [Miguel] Cotto and Antonio Margarito hit [harder than him]. [I don’t have to worry about it.] This is boxing. This is about who threw a lot of punches and connect the punches. He has good defense, but I have a very good plan,” he disclosed.

Pacquiao also affirmed Freddie Roach’s previous declaration that boxing’s only eight-division world champion wanted the fight more than Mayweather.

“I really wanted this fight to prove that Manny Pacquiao can easily beat the undefeated,” he quipped. 

– Rappler.com