BOXING

• Mayweather-Mosley officially on for May 1

  
  

  Las Vegas, NV (Sports Network) - The welterweight bout between Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. and "Sugar" Shane Mosley has officially been set for May 1 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, it was announced Wednesday.

  Mayweather's signing a contract for the fight Wednesday -- the first between the two -- set the wheels in motion to put a messy canceled mega-fight with Manny Pacquiao behind him.

  The sticking point that led to the fight being called off was Pacquiao's refusal to adhere to Olympic-style blood testing, something both Mosley and Mayweather have agreed to have in place.

  "This one is definitely for the fans as I wasn't going to waste anyone's time with a meaningless tune-up bout and asked to fight Shane immediately," said Mayweather alluding to his search for another opponent.

  "I have said ever since I came back to the sport that I only wanted to fight the best. I think Shane is one of the best, but come May 1, he still won't be great enough to beat me." The 32-year-old Mayweather (40-0-0, 25 KOs), who retired for nearly two years from 2007-09, has just one fight since his return to boxing - a unanimous decision over Juan Manuel Marquez in September.

  "I have always wanted to fight Floyd and now it is finally coming true," said Mosley, who signed his side of the deal last Friday in Las Vegas.

  "I am already in great shape and ready to show everyone on May 1 that I am stronger, faster and better than he is.

  I will have no problem beating him." Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs) is coming off a TKO of Antonio Margarito in January 2009 in which he captured the welterweight world title for a third time. The 38- year-old came into the bout already holding four world titles in three divisions.

  Since the Mayweather-Pacquiao bout was called off, Pacquiao went on to schedule Joshua Clottey for a WBO welterweight title fight on March 13. It's expected that the winner of the Mayweather-Mosley fight will challenge for Pacquiao's title should he retain it against Clottey.

  02/03 17:56:36 ET