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With Saturday’s big fight night looming between Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather Jr at the MGM Casino in Las Vegas, NV,, the combatants took time out from their busy schedules to meet the media once again.
Floyd Mayweather: “It’s been a tremendous camp. Roger [Mayweather] has done a tremendous job getting me ready for a fight of this magnitude. I know what it takes, hard work and dedication, prayers and belief in a good team.
“I believe in loyalty. I am loyal to my team. I have been with the same team from beginning to the end. Be smart, be sharp and fight hard. May the best man win. I am pretty sure that Shane feels deep in his heart and deep in his soul he is going to win.
“It doesn’t stop May 1. Mayweather Promtions is the past, present, future of sports and entertainment, period. HBO, we will be family forever. If you put in the hard work, you get great results. Once I get in the ring, I get great results.
“I just happen to be an athlete that’s God gifted. There are some athletes that are just different, like Kobe, Lebron, Kevin Garnett and then there are athletes who are just talented.
“I’m pretty sure Shane is in good shape. I don’t think he is in better shape than me. Whatever weight class I’m at is the hot weight class.
“What’s so crazy is that when I started fighting at welterweight, I made the world pay attention to the small man.
“I brought USADA in to keep the sport on an even playing field. Everyone knows this is done for the betterment of the sport. After I get blood taken, I’ll go in and box 12 or 13 rounds, no problem whatsoever.
“My trainers have been with me for 40 fights. I didn’t wait for the biggest fight of my career to get a new trainer. I’m the biggest thing, because numbers don’t lie. The proof is in the pudding, I take less punishment, I land the highest percentage and I work the hardest.
“As far as drawing power and superstardom, me and Shane are not on the same level. My father taught me my defense and no one can break through it. I just know if a punch is coming, I can feel it. And I know what my opponent’s going to do.”
Shane Mosley: “I have to thank God for this match up. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in a big fight like this. I’m excited. I’m happy. We have three more days.
“Like Roger [Mayweather] said, we can have dinner afterwards. We can have a big party. There’s no love lost. None of you guys would be here if it weren’t for two great fighters getting it on.
“I have to thank my father for giving me life, for bringing me to the gym when I was such a young guy and staying with me through the hard times. He had to go to work, my mom had to go to work. I am very thankful to be in this position and have a great fight.
“I hope Mayweather is ready for this. This will be one of the great fights of this decade or maybe even history. It’s going to be a great fight.
“I’m very thankful to be in this position and have this opportunity. I’ve put everything I have into this fight. It’s going to be one, if not the biggest fight of the decade, even of all history.
“This has been a great camp. We’ve had a brotherhood. I don’t think his comments have any bearing on me. I’m a competitor so I want to go out there and do what I do.
“I’m gonna win this fight by being Shane Mosley. Oscar was successful with the jab. His arms are almost as long as mine. So I think the jab will be important.
“The plan is to be Sugar Shane Mosley. To be the best in the ring. I think there’s a resurgence in boxing. We’re putting boxing back on the map.
“You can expect a lot of speed and a lot of aggression. The key is going to be speed and power. I’m in the best shape of my life and I’m not worried about ring rust.
“I always predict a knock out. We are going to make a magnificent fight. Margarito threw one thousand punches in his fight before me. People said I was too old to keep up with him.
“I think when you’re going through stuff in your life, there are a lot of reasons you bring people into your camp and they start to change things. I’m in a better place now. I’ve wanted a big fight for a long time.
“There are different ways to break through his defense. In this equation, I have the long arms and the speed too. This is a great fight. When we fight again, that would also be great. I have an obligation to Mayweather for fighting me. He chose to fight me first.
“I am happy we have three more days to figure out who is the best.”
