Manny Pacquiao to face Shane Mosley next year

Eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao is set to face Shane Mosley in a defence of his WBO World Welterweight crown in May 2011, according to promoter Bob Arum.

Lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez and welterweight champion Andre Berto were also considered, but Arum’s first choice was Mosley, who lost out to Floyd Mayweather last year and could only draw with NBC’s The Contender winner Sergio Mora in September.

“I thought Mosley was the best draw of the three and it would do the best business," Arum told ESPN.com.

“I think it's a good fight. I feel that Shane is one of the toughest guys left out there right now. He didn't get up for 'The Contender' guy [Mora], but he will get up for Manny Pacquiao.

“With Floyd, Shane had him in real bad trouble in the second round, so he's capable of doing a really good fight with Manny and Manny knows that. It's a difficult fight because Shane has speed and power."

The MGM Grand in Las Vegas will host the fight at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds.

Mosley, 39, has previously held titles at lightweight, welterweight and junior middleweight, and told boxing website Fighthype.com: “Bob (Arum) is drawing up the contracts and I'll sign either Wednesday or Thursday.”

He added on ESPN.com: “I know that they think I'm an old man and that Manny is going to beat me. Let them think that.

“I still have power and speed. They thought I was done before I knocked out (Antonio) Margarito, too. So they can think whatever they want. I know what I can do.”

Pacquiao’s last fight was a defeat of Mexican Antonio Margarito in November, a fighter that Mosley himself defeated in 2009.