No wonder, they offered different views on the outcome of the Pacquiao-Mosley showdown for the World Boxing Organization welterweight crown on May 7 in Las Vegas.

Moorer, a former world light heavyweight and heavyweight champion who once worked as Freddie Roach’s chief assistant at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, picked the Filipino pound-for-pound king to beat American and three-time world champion Mosley.

“It is really hard to go against Manny because I was in his camp (against Ricky Hatton) and I saw him train,” Moorer, best remembered for knocking out his first 26 opponents, told BoxingScene.com’s Ryan Burton on Wednesday.

“I don’t see anyone that can compete with that. He is a different type of fighter... he fights the way we used to train. He has that work ethic.”

Moorer said Pacquiao will beat Mosley because he will unleash punches from various angles.

Hopkins, a former undisputed world middleweight champion best remembered for his remark, “African-American fighting style can beat Pacquiao,” warned boxing observers not to count Mosley out in the fight.

“I think that Shane has always been great when he’s had to prove that he’s not done,” Hopkins told On the Ropes Boxing Radio Show Wednesday.

“Anybody that thinks Shane Mosley doesn’t have an opportunity to win against Pacquiao is a fool.”

Discarding the 7-1 betting odds favoring Pacquiao, Hopkins cited instances when the clear underdogs (Buster Douglas and Hasim Rahman) whipped the huge favorites (Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis).

Hopkins, a partner of Oscar De La Hoya in the Golden Boy Promotions, reminded fight fans that Pacquiao is also human and subject to fall, especially with the “praises and glory” being heaped upon him.

Roy Luarca, Phil. Daily Inquirer