Manny Pacquiao won't dance around Mosley

There was a point late in Manny Pacquiao's lopsided decision over Antonio Margarito last November where the 5-foot-6 1/2 powerhouse looked to referee Laurence Cole to stop the carnage and spare Margarito more punishment. Pacquiao weighed only 144 1/2 pounds while winning the WBC 154-pound title and gave away six pounds and four inches in height to his opponent, but Margarito's face was a bloody mess when it ended.

Now Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs) is preparing to defend his WBO welterweight title May 7 against Shane Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs). If there is any intrigue in a fight the Filipino is heavily favored to win, it lies in whether he can become the first to stop Mosley and how this fight will compare to Mosley's 12-round loss a year ago to Floyd Mayweather Jr.

This much is virtually guaranteed -- there will be far more action than in Mosley's loss to Mayweather, who was stunned by a two-punch combination in the second round and proceeded to box and dance the night away. Pacquiao's action style won't permit that, which is why Mosley believes he has a better chance to score.

Pacquiao took his share of punches from Margarito, and there's a greater risk against the more highly skilled Mosley. "When you like to exchange, you put yourself in harm's way," said Freddie Roach, who trains Pacquiao. "That's why he's the most exciting fighter in the world. I'm not going to take that away from him. It would be a feather in Manny's cap to stop Shane when the other guy [Mayweather] couldn't. I think all fights should end in a knockout, so, I'm looking for a knockout."

Of course, that's easier for Roach to say than it is for Pacquiao to achieve. His past two fights have gone the distance, and Pacquiao said he trains for 12 rounds because he doesn't want to underestimate any opponent.

But 411 of the 474 punches he landed against Margarito were power punches, according to CompuBox Inc., and he's well aware of his strength. "I worked hard for that fight," Pacquiao said of the Margarito bout. "God gave me power."

Asked if he believes that power has scared Mayweather into avoiding him, Pacquiao said, "It's hard to judge him. I don't know the reason."

Pacquiao just knows he wants to look better against Mosley than Mayweather did, even though his boxing skills clearly were superior. "Yeah," said Pacquiao, "that's what I always want to do is give a good fight."