'Pacman can deal Floyd Jr's 1st loss'

MANILA, Philippines - Lennox Lewis, the former three-time heavyweight champion of the world, can only think of two men who can inflict Floyd Mayweather Jr. his first loss in the ring.

One of them happens to be Manny Pacquiao. The other, Shane Mosley.

Lewis, in a recent chat with boxing chronicler Michael Marley, gave his brief thoughts on the projected showdown betweeen Mayweather and Pacquiao, the former and reigning pound-for-pound champions.

Now 44, Lennox, who juggled the world heavyweight crowns for almost 10 years starting in 2003, said Pacquiao has a chance of beating Mayweather in what is being billed as the greatest fight of the century.

“I’d say that Manny is one of two guys who have a chance to beat Floyd,” the pride of England, who fought at 6-feet-5 and 250 pounds, told Marley during the Juan Diaz-Paulie Malignaggi fight in Chicago.

He said it’s only Pacquiao, now the hottest fighter out there, and Mosley, also a champion at 147 lb, who stand a chance against Mayweather, undefeated in 40 fights and back to reclaim his old crown.

Lewis, however, did not really say if Pacquiao would come out victorious if and when his fight with Mayweather, set March 13 at a still unspecified venue, takes place.

Lewis, who defeated Ridick Bowe for the heavyweight gold in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, said Mayweather is just too fast, too sharp and too elusive to lose that “zero” in his fight record.

“It is amazing how fast Mayweather is, it really is. It should be a great thing for boxing when he and Pacquiao fight,” said Lewis, one of the very few men who ever knocked Mike Tyson out in the ring.

It sounds like he’s putting his money on Floyd.