Floyd Mayweather On Manny Pacquiao: 'I've Never Wanted To Win A Fight So Bad In My Life'

For the only time in the leadup to the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight on May 2 in Las Vegas, the two combatants convened Wednesday for a press conference in Los Angeles. Pacquiao and Mayweather were soft-spoken and looked spiffy in their suits and smiles, and the affair featured virtually no trash-talking from the two competitors. Forbes reportes.

Until, that is, Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, stepped to the podium for less than a minute.

“I love challenges,” Roach said. “This is the biggest challenge of my life. It’s finally in front of me. I’ve been looking forward to this for a long, long time. We are in the toughest fight of our life. We’re fighting the best fighter in the world, and we’re going to kick his a–.”

Then, he turned to look at Mayweather on the dais and said, “Good luck, Floyd” before walking back to his seat.

Other than that, the news conference was tame, featuring Pacquiao talking about his excitement for the opportunity, Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum giving the audience a lesson in Filipino history, and Mayweather speaking softly and a bit hesitantly.

But Mayweather (47-0, 26 knockouts) — whose team reportedly has been paying potential Pacquiao sparring partners not to work with the Pacquiao camp — attempted a mind game during his time at the podium.

“One thing I do know about any sport: when you lose, it’s in your mind,” Mayweather said. “If you lost once, it’s in your mind. If you lost twice, it’s in your mind.”

Clearly, Mayweather was referring to the fact that Pacquiao has lost five times in his career (against 57 wins and 38 knockouts).

“From day one, I was always taught to be a winner,” Mayweather continued. “No matter what, push yourself to the limit, stay focused and be the best you can be.”

It’s also about fighting the best, which Mayweather said is exactly what he’ll be doing May 2.

“Pacquiao is one of the best fighters of this era,” Mayweather said. “Our gameplan is just to be smart and take it one fight at a time, like all 47 fights. This is a fight that the world can’t miss. This is an unbelievable matchup, an action-packed fight. I’m in the gym right now, dedicating myself and pushing myself to the limit, because I’ve never wanted to win a fight so bad in my life. I’m sure he wants to win the same way I want to win.”

Pacquiao, though, isn’t sure Mayweather will be the toughest fight of his career. Earlier in the day on ESPN’s First Take show, Pacquiao said, “In my heart and my mind, I was more worried when I fought [Oscar] De La Hoya and [Miguel] Cotto than this fight. That’s in my heart.”

For the record, Pacquiao made De La Hoya quit after the eighth round in 2008 and finished off Cotto in the 12th in 2009.

Either way, somebody will win (unless, of course, there’s a draw). Here are three ways Mayweather will triumph, and here are three ways Pacquiao will do so.

But the most important facet of this fight is that, after six years of negotiations falling apart and drug testing plans being scuttled and Mayweather not offering Pacquiao enough money and boxing fans suffering disappointment after disappointment, the bout finally will happen.

“It’s been a long road,” Mayweather said. “But we’re here now.”