GL: Congratulations, the fight is done. Give us some thoughts, and tell us what we can expect to see from you. The fight is on May 1st, right? "Yes May 1st, like I said, it's going to be explosive. I'm looking to knock people out, I'm going to do my thing."
GL: This is a fight that you made it crystal clear you want. Now that it's here, how do you feel about it happening?
Shane Mosley: I feel great for myself, and for the fans. They're going to come to see a man who came to fight. After I finish with Floyd Mayweather, then I can go ahead and get Pacquiao. I'm looking to get everybody in position.
GL: What was the hold up in getting the fight done? After Berto pulled out, the Mayweather fight was announced at almost the same time. What was the hold up that took so long for this fight to get done? It seemed like an easy close.
SM: I think they were trying to wait and see if Pacquiao was going to take that blood test, but he didn't want to take that blood test. I told him I would take a blood test, as long as he takes the same one.
GL: Pacquiao-Mayweather was already dead by the time that Berto pulled out of his fight with you. What was the delay, was it a money issue? Were they waiting for Berto to get his situation straight? Why did we wait an extra week or so?
SM: No, it wasn't a money issue at all. With Berto, the earthquake in Haiti really messed him up. He couldn't really function with the fight, he couldn't train or anything. I think it was a blessing in disguise for him, because he didn't have the right mentality before the earthquake happened. He was feeling nervous and scared, he was really in above his head with this. I thought he wasn't ready for it, and I could see it.
GL: Obviously, it might be viewed as a blessing in disguise with you, since not having the fight with Berto is leading to a mega-fight with you and Mayweather. With that being said, you haven't fought in a year...
SM: (interrupting) The difference with me is I that I keep training, and working out, and getting myself together. I've been training really for the Mayweather or the Pacquiao fight, I wasn't really training for Berto. Like I said, I was looking to get through him. I'm not worried about not fighting for a year, because I be in the gym working and training.
GL: So, you're not dissapointed at all that you lost a January 30th date? Do you think you should have been fighting on January 30th?
SM: No, I would have fought on January 30th, if Berto could have, but it didn't matter to me. I already did the work and everything. I don't need to get in the ring and show that I can fight, I had a year off with Margarito and look what happened. I just dusted him off.
GL: So, you have no doubt that a 16 month layoff is not going to prevent you from performing at your best.
SM: Absolutely not, I have no doubt that I'm going to be at my best and be sharp for the fight. I have no doubt about that. I've been fighting for years and years, I'll be good.
GL: You're already a Hall of Famer...
SM: I think that if anything Mayweather is going to be a little rusty, because he fought a smaller guy in Juan Manuel Marquez, a lighter guy. It's kind of like fools gold, you win a fight, and you feel like you did something. He fought a small guy, now he's going to fight somebody his size, and it's going to be a totally different story. I'm ready to go, I've been training for it for a while, for a long time.
GL: What's going to be the biggest difference in this fight, that leads to you getting your hand raised?
SM: The difference maker is going to be Floyd fighting a real fighter, a fighter he can't really get away from.
GL: Are you trying to say that he hasn't been fighting real fighters for quite some time now?
SM: He does fight guys that can box, just like he can. He doesn't fight guys that can fight him and can hit him. A gut that is just as fight as him, and that's going to be the difference, he doesn't like guys that are as fast as him.
GL: Is Mayweather going the distance?
SM: I'm trying to knock him out, so hopefully he doesn't. If he can weather the storm, then that's good. I go for knockouts.
GL: There is going to be random testing for this fight. How do you feel about that?
SM: I feel great, I'm happy about it. I love it. I'm happy about getting random testing, because I want the world to know. They keep bringing this stuff up since 2003, they can random test me anytime they want to, and that's it. I feel great about that, as long as he gets the same test, then we're great. I'm cool with that.
Gl: Is there any rematch clause?
SM: There's supposed to be a rematch clause, if he wants the rematch. That's cool.
GL: An immediate rematch?
SM: Yeah, he gets a rematch. He's getting the champion's purse.
GL: How has the deal been structured, is it a straight percentage across the board? Or is it a situation where you're getting a fee and something off of the back end?
SM: I get a certain amount of money, and I get something too off of the back end. I keep probably about $15 million, it's pretty good.
GL: What's your expectation for this fight on PPV?
SM: I think it's going to do really well, everybody is going to want to see it. It's a real fight, and after that I'm fighting Pacquiao. Mayweather didn't want to fight him without drug testing, or whatever. Pacquiao can do what he wants to do, and we can fight.
GL: Do you favor Pacquiao over Clottey?
SM: It's not for sure. I think Pacquiao, because he's more hungry, and he's going to do the right combinations and punches to win the fight. I would pick Pacquiao over Clottey because of that, but not because of his strength or anything like that. He's probably going to outwork Clottey. Clottey is going to block a lot of shots, and sit and wait, maybe. You never know.
GL: Where are you going to be training for the fight, Big Bear?
SM: Of course.
GL: Closing thoughts.
SM: It finally has come. In 2010, it's like I told you, it's going to be very explosive, it's going to be very nice. I can't wait to get my teeth in it, it's cool.
Source: boxingtalk.com
