Former champ in town: Mosley to promote relief fund

MANILA, Philippines - Future Hall of Fame boxer Sugar Shane Mosley arrived in Manila from Los Angeles yesterday morning accompanied by lawyer Sydney Hall, business agent Germaine Gillies, publicist Mario Serrano and three others to promote a dinner event and a fight show for the benefit of typhoon Yolanda victims, tentatively in May.

English promoter Dennis Hobson was expected to fly in from London late yesterday to join the group in exploring local partnerships. Hobson will be the lead promoter for the fight show which may be headlined by a title bout sanctioned by the IBF (International Boxing Federation). His stable of fighters includes IBF bantamweight champion Stuart Hall and former WBA heavyweight titleholder David Haye. Hobson is credited for bringing Clinton Woods, Jamie McDonnell and Hall to world titles.

Gillies said she is negotiating a contract with a local TV network for the exclusive rights to a no-holds-barred interview with Mosley. Once the deal is settled, she said a press conference will be held to introduce Mosley to local media and announce the events for the “United Boxing Relief Fund,” a non-profit organization of boxing personalities harnessing their resources to provide aid to Southeast Asian communities ravaged by natural calamities.

“We hope to build a fund for the Yolanda victims as a priority because as I was born in Baguio and my mother is Filipina-Chinese-Spanish, the Philippines is close to my heart,” said Gillies. “Eventually, we intend to tour Singapore, Macau and other neighboring countries for the purpose of creating awareness of our fund. Beyond helping Yolanda victims, we hope to raise funds for whatever disaster might happen in the future. Hopefully, there will be no more Yolandas but if natural calamities come, we’ll be ready. We saw how it took years for New Orleans to recover from Hurricane Katrina. We realize without help, it might take even decades for Tacloban to rise again. We hope to be able to contribute in hastening the rehabilitation.”

Mosley is scheduled to leave Manila on Friday to work with his son Sugar Shane Jr. who is making his pro debut as a lightwelterweight, possibly in the Manny Pacquiao undercard at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 12. Mosley, Jr., 22, has a rich amateur background and is touted to be a future champion. Hall said he will try to persuade Mosley to stay until Sunday so he can attend the PSA Awards Night at the Manila Hotel on Saturday night.

Mosley, 42, will be the host for a fund-raising dinner event on the eve of the boxing show which Hall said may be at the Araneta Coliseum. Among the boxing legends to be invited for the dinner event are Mike Tyson and Roberto Duran. Active fighters like Robert Guerrero, Zab Judah and Amir Khan will also be in the guest list and Hall said they’ll come for sure if the schedule doesn’t conflict with fight commitments.

Hall said a Chinese superfeatherweight boxer will arrive from Beijing today to talk to Hobson as he is being tapped to fight in the Manila card. “We’re withholding his identity for the moment,” said Hall. “He’s in his 20s and I think he’s the next Manny Pacquiao. We’re excited to show him off in our boxing event.”

Hall said Mosley hopes to communicate with Pacquiao during his visit. “Shane would like to pay his respects,” said Hall. The talk with Pacquiao, however, will not involve an attempt to broker a fight against Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Hall said he is in contact with the Mayweather camp and confirmed signals that the undefeated fighter is open to a fight against Pacquiao but for money, not for charity.