"I'm going to dissect him and take care of business!"

GL: How has your first camp with Freddie Roach been? "It's more than I expected. We've been working great together. We adjusted from the first day we met. His style of doing mitts and my style of fighting, we clicked the first day so getting acclimated to his form of doing the mitts was never a problem. We got through that hurdle and since then we've just been working really hard."

GL: Everyone knows about the sparring with Shane Mosley, can you elaborate on what that's been like?

Oscar De La Hoya: "Shane Mosley just arrived in Puerto Rico and we're actually going to start sparring ten rounds tomorrow. Shane is going to be our main guy to help us out. This to me is an honor. For an elite champion like him to come and help me it's a please and it's vice-versa because at the same time I'll be helping him out for his future fights."

GL: Floyd said a lot of the right things to get this fight, most of which were said on BoxingTalk, but once this press tour got started, before then even, at the Super Bowl weekend, he has been doing everything in his power to irk you and get under your skin. Does that surprise you?

ODLH: "No it doesn't surprise me. He already said what he had to say to get under my skin. Everything he says now is in one ear out the other. Now I laugh about it. He's done his job to motivate me to train hard and be in the best shape I can ever be in. Everything else is icing on the cake.

GL: Did you expect Mayweather Sr to end up on the other side of the dais once you announced that you were using Freddie Roach for this fight?

ODLH: "To tell you the truth I didn't expect it, but I had a hunch. Then I said to myself, this can't be real, this can't be true. From what I hear Sr. isn't even allowed to talk in Mayweather's camp because his uncle is dictating what's going on in training camp. Floyd Jr obviously doesn't have his act together and that's why he's got so many people around him. I kind of assumed that if Floyd Mayweather Sr would try and take control, that everyone around Floyd Jr would not allow it to happen. Floyd Sr is  professional and when it comes down to training he gets down to business and Floyd Jr can't handle that."

GL: Although he had trained you the past several years, did seeing them together again kind of confirm some of the paranoia you might have felt using him to train you to beat up his son?

ODLH: "When I fight all of my opponents and the trainers with them do whatever they can to win fights and to beat me. Having Floyd Sr and everyone around Floyd Jr I expected all of that. The fight is getting closer and closer and he's getting more and more nervous and that's what happens when you present yourself on such a big stage when you're fighting me. It's a whole different ballgame and he's trying to do whatever he can to hide behind all of those people he has around him."

GL: Do you think that fighting you under the brightest lights he's ever fought under will have a negtive impact on Mayweather's performance?

ODLH: "Well it could be a spectacular performance or he could be like a deer in front of headlights. It all depends on how he's able to control himself. With me on the other end it's my job to take him out of his game and we have a few things in store for him that will make it very difficult for him to go the distance."

GL: The last time we spoke you made it clear that this fight will not go the distance. You said you're not only going to win, you're going to knock Floyd out. What will be the difference maker in this fight that leads to that happening?

ODLH: "Absolutely. I want to make it the most entertaining spectacle that boxing has ever seen. It's the type of fight that I desire, that I want, that I need. That's why I'm training as hard as I can. Floyd Mayweather Jr can obviously present a lot of difficulties in the ring. I have been studying him and I'm ready to dissect him and take care of business. I want to make this fight as special as everyone has been dreaming."

GL: Mayweather has been doing a lot of talking about fighting toe to toe. Are you taking him literally or do you think that's smoke and mirrors?

ODLH: "He can go toe to toe with me, absolutely.Why not? He obviously believes in his ability and he feels strong and fast and he feels he can stay in front of me, so why not? That's what will make it a hell of a fight. Nobody wants to see him running for twelve rounds, people want to see some action, so it's up to Mayweather to make it a good fight. I know I am, I'm going to be applying pressure like there's no tomorrow. I'm not going to put pressure like Baldomir did, or like Gatti or Castillo tried. It's a whole different type of pressure I'm working on make sure I capitalize on his mistakes."

GL: It sounds like the Golden Boy doesn't plan on taking too many backwards steps on May 5.

ODLH: "No. The only backwards step I'll be taking is when I go back to my corner in between rounds. This fight is going to be a war."

GL: Changing gears for a moment, Boxingtalk recently reported that Marco Antonio Barrera is strongly considering retirement. What can you tell us about that?

ODLH: "The only thing I can say is, as a fighter when you've been in such a war you sometimes let emotions talk for you. Obviously Marco Antonio Barrera needs to spend some time with his family, regroup his thoughts and then we'll be talking. We feel that Marco Antonio Barrera has as many fights as he wants left in him. He looked sensational in his last fight. Obviously it was a tough fight, anytime you're fighting Juan Manuel Marquez it's not going to be easy for anyone."

GL: The only fight that matters at 130 right now is Pacquiao-Marquez II. Will that fight ever happen or will the ongoing lack of Golden Boy-Top Rank co-promotions continue?

ODLH: "We obviously want to make the best fights out there for the fans. Unfortunately we're in litigation with Top Rank, which I can't talk about, but the truth will prevail and it's just a matter of time. The boxing public will have to wait just a little bit until we win and then the boxing fans can see the fight. In the meantime, we're going to be making the fights with Marquez's, Guzman's, Valero's and Barrera's of the world. When you have guys like that who are exciting guys that people love to watch fighting, people just need to be patient so they can see all of these fighters face the Manny Pacquiao's of the world once the truth prevails."

GL: In your opinion, does beating the best pound for pound fighter in the world make you the best pound for pound fighter in the world?

ODLH: "I don't know. I think at this point, I'm taking it one fight at a time. I think that Mayweather's abilities speak for themselves. Me beating Mayweather should obviously get me closer to the top of the list or on top of the list. But it's a matter of what the public thinks and what the people think. If they want to put me in the top ten that would be nice too, but for now I'll just be content with knocking this guy out."

GL: Is there anything you'd like to say in closing?

ODLH: "We're looking forward to having a hard, tough fight. We're preparing 100% and we're looking forward to making this a great show. On my end I know I will be fighting my heart out. Mayweather will be in great shape like he always is, but we'll be prepared for anything he tries to do. The clock is ticking and we're less than a month away so get ready."

M

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