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Mayweather-Mosley Pre-Fight Breakdown

On September 19th Floyd Mayweather’s successful return to the ring was interrupted by a welterweight champion who commanded the respect of the boxing world by demanding Mayweather face him. The best move for Mayweather at the time seemed naturally to be taking on Manny Pacquiao. I don’t think I need to go into how Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fell apart, but it’s clear that if one man benefited from the debacle it was Shane Mosley. Mosley will have an opportunity to grab his largest pay day to date, and grab the boxing world’s respect by taking on the best in the sport on May 1. Here is a breakdown of what looks to be the toughest bout of both fighters’ careers.

Mayweather
40-0 (25 KO’s)
Age: 33
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
Notable wins: Juan Manuel Marquez, Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya, Zab Judah, Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo

Shane Mosley
46-5 (39 ko’s)
Age: 38
Hometown: Pomona, California
Notable wins: Oscar De La Hoya 2x, Fernando Vargas, Antonio Margarito, Ricardo Mayorga
Notable losses: Winky Wright (twice), Vernon Forrest (twice), Miguel Cotto
Speed/Athleticism

This fight is nothing short of comparing a Ferrari to a Lamborghini. I don’t care that both fighters are well into their 30’s both men are capable of blinding combination, and both have solid reputations as gym rats. Mosley at his peak is one of the fastest fighters of my lifetime pound for pound, and he showed the world he isn’t slowing down when he dismantled Antonio Margarito in 2009.

Floyd’s hands on the pads are a sight to be seen, and at this point in his life he probably is faster than Shane, but athletically I think Mosley may have more tools. Strength and speed are a deadly combination and I think Mosley still has a world of both. It’s not often I’d give another man the edge over Mayweather in this category but I think Shane at his own weight is the guy to take it.
Advantage: Mosley by razor thin margin

Matt’s Take: Mosley-Mayweather was always a fantasy match up amongst fight fans, especially as the latter rose to the top of pound for pound lists. Shane was always one of the few men who could match him athletically. Both had lightning fast hands and were elite natural athletes. The two are arguably the most gifted fighters in the last 15 years with all due respects to Roy Jones Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. As of their last bout, both had their athleticism and speed in tact. Unfortunately for Mosley, 39, his last bout was almost a year and a half ago.

By watching HBO’s award winning 24/7 series, it is evident that Shane has aged considerably since we saw him demolish disgraced Antonio Margarito in January 09 and fighters don’t improve athletically in their late 30’s. This gives me every reason to believe that there will be SOME repercussions on fight night, especially considering who will be standing across the ring from him.

Whether you like it or not, Mayweather has shown few (if any) signs of slowing down. The snappy jab and famed shoulder roll were intact when he fought Marquez, so without serious aging issues or injuries, expect his elite athleticism to be full in effect.

Advantage: Mayweather

Power
If there is one category Shane takes the cake in its power. The fight is at 147, where Mosley has dropped some major names. A Dazzling left hook that stretched both Vargas, and Mayorga is an image that stands out when weighing Shane’s power, and that’s a weapon Floyd will have to look out for.

Mayweather is not known for his power. Despite knocking out Ricky Hatton, and putting Marquez on the canvas Mayweather probably won’t be banking on knocking Mosley out. I’m not saying he doesn’t have the ability, but with his prowess Mayweather’s best bet is aiming for a 12 round outclassing of his foe.

Advantage: Mosley

Matt’s Take: Even if my observation about Mosley’s aging is correct, anybody that knows boxing will tell you that the last thing a fighter loses is his power; just ask Michael Moorer, who was knocked out by a 45 year old George Foreman. From lightweight to junior middleweight, Sugar Shane exemplifies what “Pound for Pound” punching power.

He has the ability to finish a fight with either hand and his last two bouts ended in dramatic knockouts, putting both Ricardo Mayorga and Margarito to sleep impressively. Against Mayweather, Mosley must use his biggest advantage if he hopes to be victorious; power.

The majority of Mayweather’s offense is jabs and counter shots, giving him little opportunity to knockout a naturally bigger opponent. Mayweather’s two knockouts above 140 lbs came against blown up (perhaps literally in Ricky Hatton’s case) opponents. He was unable to hurt Carlos Baldomir, Zab Judah or Oscar De La Hoya and deep down, the six division champion knows this category isn’t one he takes the nod in.

Advantage: Mosley

Defense/Chin

Mayweather’s best weapon is his own defense. When he is in the zone he is virtually un-hittable. Mayweather’s patented shoulder roll defense has been giving opponents headaches for years and that will be Mosley’s egg to crack on May 1.

The category is defense and chin, Mosley showed the world he has a chin when he fought Miguel Cotto in 2007, but it’s hard to make up ground in this category on one of this era’s great defensive fighters. Floyd’s elusiveness could very well end up being the storyline Saturday night and with that said this category belongs to him.
Advantage: Mayweather

Matt’s Take: Mayweather’s defensive abilities rank alongside fighters such as Willie Pep and Pernell Whitaker as the greatest ever. His tremendous movement, aforementioned reflexes and shifty shoulder roll are yet to fail him. This has helped him steer clear of danger throughout his career and he has rarely been hit flush.

Mosley’s chin is amongst the best and he was only dropped twice in his 52 fight career while standing up to punchers like Fernando Vargas, Ricardo Mayorga, Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto. He is usually found standing directly in front of his opponent but tremendous ring awareness and staying on his toes help him avoid punches. Defensively, he is no Mayweather, but is adequate.

Advantage: Mayweather

Heart
If there is one thing we don’t know about Floyd its how would he react when he’s under fire. Mayweather’s defense is so remarkable he has not honestly been in a firefight and hasn’t had an opportunity to show the world his heart. Mosley on the other hand has shown a number of different sides, including brawler. His fight with Cotto should serve as a prime example of what the man is willing and able to go through.

It’s hard to fathom one fighter losing a category based on his excellence in another but that is exactly what is happening right now. Shane Mosley wins the heart category by default, because it’s an asset Floyd has never had to use.
Advantage: Mosley

Matt’s Take: Mayweather’s only true test under pressure was in his first fight with Jose Luis Castillo. Many considered his antics unsatisfactory due to his inability to deal with adversity down the stretch. Outside of a few rough rounds against Castillo, his exceptional skills have cleared him free of anything more than an in fight hand injury. He has never been completely knocked off his feet as a pro, yet to bleed and outside of being briefly buzzed by Demarcus Corley many years ago, hasn’t had to fight in danger. Mayweather deserves the world of credit for being able to avoid danger all these years, but at the same time, his heart remains a big question mark.

Mosley has never backed down in a fight. His ability to take shots and keep on coming is a major attribution to his heart. He stood directly in front of some of boxing’s best and is yet to be phased. Being able to overcome distractions from a nasty, well publicized divorce prior to dominating Margarito also earns him major kudos.

Advantage: Mosley
Experience

Both have taken part in highly publicized fights, and shared the ring with only the best over the past five years. Mosley has tasted victory and defeat, whereas Mayweather has seen only success. When a fight of this magnitude goes down, I almost feel like experience goes out the window.

When you have stared down Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao and even Ricky Hatton you’ve peaked. Both Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather have fought on the biggest possible stage over the course of their careers and both have been to this dance before. Neither fighter’s experience will make a difference come May 1.

Advantage: Draw

Matt’s Take: Simply put, Mayweather and Mosley, two of boxing’s top fighters in the last 15 years, have fought some of the biggest names to get to the top. Collectively they have faced Oscar De La Hoya (three times), Winky Wright (twice), Vernon Forrest (twice), Fernando Vargas (twice), Jose Luis Castillo (twice), Miguel Cotto, Diego Corrales, Ricky Hatton, Arturo Gatti, Antonio Margarito, Zab Judah and Juan Manuel Marquez. If this were chess, it would be a stalemate.

Advantage: Draw

Verdict

Shane Mosley is one of the greatest fighters of this era, and possibly of all time, but on May 1 he will face a fighter that is in that same category, and five years younger. Mayweather opponents are almost automatically labeled underdogs, but I don’t think there has been one as live as Mosley. Live as he may be, Shane is still an underdog.

If Floyd brings his A game I don’t feel like anyone in the world can beat him, and if you expect anything less than his a game for this bout you are mistaken. I see Floyd showing up in one of the toughest fights of his career and coming out on top again. Mosley will make it a war, and probably get the respect he’s sought in what may be one of his final appearances. Mayweather meanwhile will pick up a major victory and some heavy negotiating leverage for a bout with Manny Pacquiao.
Mayweather UD

Matt’s Take: Mayweather has plenty of advantages. His body is fresher. He is younger. His last bout was more recent than Mosley’s. But something tells me Sugar Shane is going to pull out one for the ages. This bout has been proposed for years and a victory moves either fighter up on the all time pound for pound list. With the huge fight just days away, Mosley is humble as always, while Mayweather is cocky as ever. Physically, Mayweather has plenty of reasons to be, as he looks to be in perfect form, but there is one major x-factor Sugar Shane has that Floyd doesn’t; Nazim Richardson.
Richardson has long been boxing’s most underrated trainer, as few give him the proper credit for helping Bernard Hopkins expose previously unbeaten opponents in Felix Trinidad and Kelly Pavlik. Those that know Richardson will tell you that he is more prepared than any trainer in the world. In his lone appearance working with Mosley, he helped him upset the highly favored Antonio Margarito in what many considered the best performance of his career.

Richardson and Mosley will be the team to figure out Mayweather’s seemingly unbeatable style, and while Shane may get outboxed in the early going, he will be the first man to really catch “Pretty Boy” Floyd. Expect to see Mosley use feints followed by right hands to bust up Mayweather’s shoulder roll. Enough clean shots from Mosley are enough to end any opponent’s night, including Floyd Mayweather, who will get stopped in one of the most storied victories in boxing history.
Mosley by late stoppage

Author: Matt Yanofsky

Source: 15rounds.com

Floyd Mayweather-Shane Mosley: The Verdict

LAS VEGAS -- Floyd Mayweatherwas asked during Wednesday's press conference if he recalled the last time that he was shaken by "a really good shot" in a fight.

"I don't know," said the 33-year-old Mayweather, before being reminded of his lopsided, May, 2004 unanimous decision over DeMarcus Corley during which he was caught by two, double-lead right hands high on his left temple before a follow up left hand to the nose by the southpaw sent him wobbling to the ropes.

"Corley, You know, he's always been known as a good puncher. He caught my attention. But then, I shook it off and dropped his ass," said Mayweather, who dropped Corley in the eighth, and, 10th rounds.

If it is debatable the amount of times Mayweather has been touched, let alone, hurt while amassing a record of 40-0, with 25 knockouts and earning six titles along the way, then it is debatable to all but Mayweather, a defensive specialist whose motto is, "Ain't nothing cool about taking punishment."

"The proof is in the pudding. I'm the fighter who takes the least amount of punishment, I land at the highest percentage," said Mayweather, who is coming off of September's unanimous, 12-round decision over Juan Manuel Marquez, which ended a 21-month ring absence.

"Everybody says that they have the game plan to beat me, but it's just that defense. You just can't break through that defense can not break through the defense no matter what you do," said Mayweather. "I don't take no punishment, and that's not my fault. Once again, it's not cool to take punishment. Ain't nothing cool about taking punishment."

On Saturday night, yet another opponent will step up to take his best shots at Mayweather, as 38-year-old, WBA welterweight (147 pounds) champion, Shane Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs) tries to hand the Las Vegas resident his first loss.

Mosley will be defending his crown, although Mayweather can not win it in victory since he refused to pay the WBA's sanctioning fee.

Mayweather will earn a guaranteed $22.5 million for his efforts, which is three times Mosley's $7 million. Both fighters will receive an upside to the HBO pay per view.

Although Mayweather is facing the largest, and, most athletic opponent of his career, he maintains that, just like his past rivals, Mosley will become befuddled by his defense, and that the Pamona, Calif., native will be surprised by his under rated punching power.

"Mosley keeps talking about his punching power, but most fighters that get in there with me, do you know what they try to do? They get in there and they end up fightin for their own survival. They all say that they're good fighters, they all say that they're fast, they all say that they're strong," said Mayweather, a fierce, slicing counter-puncher.

"But afterward, they come back and they say, 'You know what? Floyd Mayweather was a lot stronger than I thought he was,' and, 'Floyd punches a lot harder than I thought that he would be,'" said Mayweather, who also appears to have what his adviser, Leonard Ellerbe, calls, "sixth sense," that allows him to almost see his rival's punches coming.

"I just know it. I just know it. I can feel it," Mayweather said of the ability. "I can just see it, brother. I just know what you're going to do."

But Mosley named the Corley fight among those he has studied with trainer, Naazim Richardson, with whom he noted that Mayweather "has had trouble with the left hand."

"The jab is very important against Floyd Mayweather, according to Oscar de la Hoya. Oscar was successful with the jab against him, and his arms are almost as long as mine. So I think the jab will be important," said Mosley, who is taller and will enjoy a reach advantage against Mayweather.

"Ricky Hatton had a couple of good left hands in there. Jose Luis Castillo did as well," said Mosley. "So the left hand shots seem to give Mayweather a little bit of a problem, but that's not the only thing. It's not just the jab."

Once a vicious power-, and, body-punching lightweight (135 pounds) titlist, Mosley said that he will vary his attack to include boxing, and, even out-thinking Mayweather.

Mosley is coming off of two, straight knockout victories over former world champions, Ricardo Mayorga, as a junior middleweight (154 pounds), and, Antonio Margarito, in the 12th, and, ninth rounds, respectively.

The victory over Margarito, who never had been stopped, earned Mosley the WBA welterweight crown.

But Mosley, himself, was 38-0, with 35 knockouts in January of 2002 when he was dropped, and, nearly stopped in the first round of his first of two, straight losses to the late Vernon Forrest.

Mosley's other losses were against Winky Wright (twice), and, Miguel Cotto, leading Mayweather to say that Mosley "has trouble with boxers."

"This is going to be an outstanding performance," said Richardson. "As I have said before, you have good fighters, you have champions, you have elite fighters and you have guys that are special. In this fight, you have a rare occasion where you see two special guys going against each other."

Being that the clash features not only two, American fighters, but two, African Americans, Mayweather-Mosley, for some, conjures memories of the bout between Sugar Ray Leonard, of Palmer Park, MD., and, Thomas Hearns, of Detroit, which created a buzz after Leonard's September of 1981, come-from-behind, 14th-round knockout in The Fight Of The Year.

"No doubt this is a great fight, I think that this fight is going to be a real, good fight, but as far as being a comparison with me and Ray Leonard, the fight with me and Ray was just so huge. No one knew what the outcome was going to be," said Hearns, who was in town, with Leonard, to assist with the promotion.

"But this fight with Mosley and Mayweather, it's going to be a good fight, but I don't see it being as massive as Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns. The fight on Saturday night will be a very interesting fight, and I may be a little partial, because it was our fight. But I just don't see them doing the same types of things," said Hearns, who was 22 at a time when Leonard was 25.

"Don't look for the same thing on Saturday night," said Hearns. "Our fight has been talked about for decades, and a few decades now. It's still on people's minds. We set the standard. It's kind of hard to top what we did. It's not going to happen again."

Hearns said, "I believe in giving the fans what they want to see," adding, "The people made us perform. That was a moment, and we felt like we had to give them our best."

Leonard called their bout, "A fight for survival," adding, "To win the fight against Tommy, I really had to fight my best. Like Tommy said, he brought the best out of me, and I brought the best out of him. It was a fight with ebb-and-flow, one that took me to the limit and required every ounce of me -- physically, mentally and spiritually -- to beat Tommy Hearns."

Mayweather is not likely to change his style against Mosley, but, rather, look to impose his style, which could completely neutralize Mosley's.

"Most of the time, fights don't live up to their expectations. But fights like this, between Mosley and Mayweather, I truly believe that this fight will live up to the expectations because it's all about bragging rights -- whether they admit it or not," said Leonard. "They may not admit it, and I know that they want the money just like I want the money, but for the guys, individually, it's bragging rights."

So which of the two fighters will have those bragging rights after Saturday night?

"If Shane comes out, uses his ability to box, and uses his left hand, that's the key for Mosley," said Hearns. "If Mayweather uses his quickness and his slickness, he'll win the fight easily, with no problem."

FanHouse will go with the latter, picking Mayweather to weather Mosley's early aggression and build momentum over the second half of the fight on the way to a close, split-decision.

Author: Lem Satterfield

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Will Mayweather Ever Have To Pay The Price For Boxing Immortality?

Whether they like it or not (and who would?) greatness for a prize fighter comes only with the display of a high pain threshold. It is a sad requirement of the sport, a demand put on boxers to define themselves not simply by their most triumphant moments but by overcoming their most difficult ones.

Would the story be the same for Ali if there had never been a Joe Frazier to knock him to the floor and challenge him at every turn? Would Sugar Ray Robinson be so sweet without Jake LaMotta, Carmen Basilio, Max Schmeling and even Randy Turpin tormenting him?

Leonard and Hagler needed Thomas Hearns as much to test their mettle as to prove their greatness. It is a truism of boxing going back that goes back to the days of bare knuckle brawling. Even though these days one can gain world rankings and even world titles without facing so much as one true challenge, the price of boxing immortality is higher for it demands a hard night or two when all seems lost and still you triumph.

That is what is missing from Roy Jones’ resume (judging by the poor performance of his chin when finally tested one can understand why he avoided such challenges for so long) and from Mike Tyson’s. Neither got off the floor to win, at least not when deposited there in the kind of crushing way that leaves the sound of wind chimes in their head long after they are again upright.

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. seems to have no interest in facing such a moment and one can understand why yet he needs such a night to validate not his boxing talent, which is obvious, but to test him in the hot cauldron of adversity.

Mayweather may finally face such a test Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena when he steps into the ring against four-time world champion Shane Mosley but he wants no part of such a test. In fact, he mocks the very idea of it and why wouldn’t he?

As Mayweather’s trainer and uncle, the former champion Roger Mayweather, said recently when asked about his nephew’s apparent distaste for being hit, “I don’t know anybody that likes to get hit.’’

It’s a good point but the difficult fact when it comes to assessing Mayweather is that we have yet to see him face the kind of adversity Leonard did in his first bout with Hearns or the type of hellish, soul-searching moments Ali encountered when in the ring with Joe Frazier.

In boxing, fair or unfair, that is when we decide who and what a fighter really is. This is not to promise Mosley will be able to take Mayweather to such a dark and difficult place but it is where he needs to go to win over the remaining doubters and skeptics who insist he is still untested even after winning 40 straight fights and world titles from 130 pounds to 154 pounds.

Yet in Mayweather’s opinion that whole concept is borderline insanity. Why must a fighter struggle to prove his greatness? Why isn’t dominance enough?

“I take less punishment, I land the highest percentage and I work the hardest,’’ he said of himself recently not long before insisting he not only compared favorably to Ali and Ray Robinson but was better than both, a position that has been hotly debated ever since.

“My father taught me defense and no one can break through it. I just know if a punch is coming. I can feel it. I know what my opponent is going to do.’’

Perhaps he does for those are the instincts that separate good boxers from great ones. But what happens to him on the night he doesn’t know? What happens on the night he takes more punishment, not less?

Can he still find a way to win then, when he is wounded and vulnerable in the way Leonard appeared to be in his first fight with Hearns or the way Ali was against Frazier? Frankly, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. would rather not find out.

“Shane is a solid welterweight with great accomplishments but I have been fighting these kinds of fighters my whole career without much appreciation,’’ Mayweather said. “Shane has talent. I have a God-given gift. No one gives me credit for who I’ve fought during my career because I can make anybody look like a nobody.

“Shane’s done some things in this sport but I’ve done a lot of things in this sport. I’ve done a lot of things that a lot of fighters weren’t able to do and didn’t do.

“I don’t rate myself. I’m a harsh critic of myself so no matter how I go I always say to myself I could have done better. When I fought (Diego) Corrales I said I could have done better. When I fought (Arturo) Gatti I said I could have done better. My main thing is I don’t worry about it.’’

He doesn’t worry about the need for a bloody night of triumph either. If Mayweather leaves the MGM early Sunday morning looking like he’s been there for a night of blackjack rather than as if he’d been hit by a blackjack it’s no bother to him because, the way he sees it, bruises are not the definition of greatness in boxing.

“I don’t get paid to get hit,’’ Mayweather insisted. “I wasn’t taught to get hit. I was taught how to hit and not get hit. That’s what I’m about. I don’t need my nose all over my face to prove I’m a great fighter. When I get in the ring I’m trying to get that boy off my ass.

“I love the fans but I fight for me first because the truth is you’re just an object. Once they’re done with you, it’s over so it doesn’t matter to me what other people say.

“There’s nothing cool about taking punishment. What’s cool is dishing it out so when your career is over you still have all your senses. When my career is over fans will appreciate my skills and my boxing ability. I know who Floyd Mayweather is. I’m a great fighter…a great fighter.’’

Maybe so great that he won’t ever need to overcome great difficulties and difficult nights to prove it but, boxing being boxing, I wouldn’t bet on it. 


Author: Rob Borges

Source: thesweetscience.com

The New Em Was Bangin’: Mosley-Mayweather 24/7 Pt. 4

Last week…heck this season on 24-7, training reached “furious peaks,” viewers got a peek at Olympic drug testing procedures, Mayweather talked trash, Brother Nazim dropped some racial sociology…

...and the theme song takes us into the real-timey recap and the highlight of these four episodes. “I’m not afraid…”

Both camps are shown in states of preparation, Mosley watching KO Nation reruns and Mayweather running, Richardson praying, Uncle Roger Mayweather doing…what the heck was Roger doing?

Who cares…all of this plays over a hot new track for Eminem and…oh my…it’s actually good. After two stinky albums in a row, could it be that Eminem will stop making goofy voices to disguise oafish lyrics and get back to just dropping hot tracks?

Rumors of a quality album can only build after this. Mayweather is talking over the song which is just annoying since he’s not saying anything new. “My Daddy believes in…” shhhhh.

And that’s it. Song over. That means just regular old 24/7. It’s off to a cute start as Mayweather spends time with his kids, making up a song about Shane Mosley’s “jheri curl.” See episode two for further information. His daughter is adorable and she’s getting A’s in school. Right on.

Nothing, ever, snarky about the kids. Kids are cool.

At Camp Mosley, chanting is going on to get in the mood of the warrior. Swimming tubes and towels abound and Mosley voices over about why he wants to, believes he will, win. Richardson says he sees exploitable flaws in Mayweather.

This all feels familiar, like we’ve seen it before. What’s next doesn’t. As Team Mosley loads up to head for Vegas from Big Bear, the anti-doping folks arrive for the latest random test and Mosley seems agitated, doping tests in conflict with his efforts to make sure he’s on weight. The doping official, Kris Forberg, gives a speech on why this is so important to sports which is basically a commercial for the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s (logically assumed) desire to get beyond the amateur ranks and crack that pro sports money in a bigger way.

Back at the gym with Mayweather, it’s mitt work and Roger lets the audience know that “however (Floyd) got 40 wins, he’ll find a way to get 41.” Then they work the mitts. The requisite scene of locking the gym and reopening to a bloody sparring partner was omitted in this version of the show.

More kids, this time working out in the gym, with nephew Lakai and “Cash Flow” back for cameos. Both those kids rock when they’re firing in combination. I smell pay-per-view 2025. Floyd skips rope and invokes God.

With Big Bear in the rearview mirror to the sounds of Bob Marley (is that USADA approved?), Mosley arrives to the mobs in Las Vegas. “It can get real intoxicating.” Mayweather arrives shortly after, shaking hands with the fans and voicing over about how the stars make it out for “Mayweather-mania.”

Whatcha’ gonna do?

Mosley gets in a light workout but stresses the light. “My task is to make sure that I don’t leave anything in the gym and to make sure that I give the fans and everybody 100% of me. Everything in the fight.”

The camps are then shown preparing for their face-to-face time at the final Wednesday press conference. Nazim shoots down the efficacy of trash talk and narrator Liev Schreiber states that “hyperbole is simply a stylish way of communicating the truth” before taking us to the dapper dressing of Floyd Mayweather Sr.

The proud father feels a win here will push his son’s legacy “over the hill,” giving his son son a chance to beat pretty much everyone “they” said he couldn’t.

Pretty much everyone is a way of not saying Manny Pacquiao.

Uncle Roger states the family name, Mayweather, is one of the great ones in boxing, that his nephew is one of the best ever. Brother Nazim counters, saying Floyd can’t be seen as great by all until he truly faces adversity.

At the presser, everyone gets a line.

Golden Boy executive Richard Schafer feels these are the two best fighters in the world.

Mosley predicts “one of the greatest fights in this decade, maybe in history.”

Uncle Roger: “This is what makes great fights. If it wasn’t a great fight all (the press) would be here eating for free.”

Papa Mayweather: “It’s here now. You (Mosley) are in trouble.

Brother Nazim? “You have good fighters, you have champions, you have elite fighters, and then you have guys that are special. And in this fight you get a rare occasion where you get two special guys competing against each other.”

Does Floyd have anything to say? Does the sun rise? “On May 1st, I’m gonna’ go out there and be Floyd Mayweather and do what I do best. Be smart; be sharp; and fight hard. And as they say, may the best man win.”

With that, it’s some strange analogy about Vegas’s neon graveyard, the home of trashed old casino signs. Some more meta-talk is uttered as the show hits its lengthy closing montage. Oddly, there is no late cut of weigh-in footage but who cares?

What matters is the fight. It’s almost here.

Grade: As is typical, this show is best in weeks one and the final jump off before the fight. It doesn’t mean it picked up from much being a little dry. The déjà vu quality is just hard to miss, down to retelling and reintroducing people from week to week as if they haven’t already had their stories told.

So be it. The job of the show is to sell the fight. It likely aided in that and this wasn’t a tough sell anyways. People who know what they’re looking at know this is real, it could be special, and any mainstream media types still whining about it not being Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao merely display the ignorance they have cultivated in regards to the sport.

24/7 is so formula at this point that it may need a rethink soon. When it started, it vaguely hid its infomercial nature. Now it’s just blatant. There’s a better show in there somewhere and they should find it. For now, it’s enough that Mosley and Mayweather will be lacing them up within hours. Grade: B+

Author: Cliff Rold

Source: Boxingscene.com

Mayweather-Mosley Outcome Has Pacquiao's Attention

Manny Pacquiao’s preoccupation with a battle outside the boxing ring makes Mayweather-Mosley only the second most important fight of this month for the Filipino icon.

Election day is May 10 in his homeland, where the incomparably popular Pacquaio is running for a seat in the Philippine Congress. Pacquiao expects electoral success this time around, despite that he lost a congressional race in 2007 by a pretty substantial margin.

Dominant victories over Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey have propelled Pacquiao to superstardom since then, and he is intent to use his status to branch out beyond boxing and help people in his impoverished country. Skeptics wonder whether Pacquiao is equipped to truly help at the political level, but he has promised prompt change for poor Filipinos who remind Pacquiao of himself before boxing became his path to fame and fortune.

He’ll take a break from campaigning to watch undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. (40-0, 25 KOs) and Shane Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs, 1 NC) square off in a 12-round welterweight fight tonight in Las Vegas that’ll completely shape Pacquiao’s career later this year.

“It’s going to be a good fight,” Pacquiao said, “but I think Mosley will win.”

Anyone who wants what’s best for Pacquiao’s boxing career should hope he goes 0-for-2 on these predictions.

A combination of a Mayweather loss to Mosley and a Pacquiao political win would halt Pacquiao’s momentum coming off an incredible stretch since December 2008 that completely changed his career and the sport itself.

Even if Mayweather wins, if the Filipino people elect Pacquiao all it can do is hurt his boxing career. Pacquiao has somehow managed to train through an enormous amount of distractions in recent years, seemingly thriving on the chaos that typically surrounds him.

But becoming an elected official obviously should require a full-time commitment, particularly if Pacquiao is to deliver on his campaign promises. Imagine the firestorm one would face if a United States congressman informed his constituents that he would take a two-month break to totally devote himself physically and mentally to some other occupation while he was in office.

That could only cause controversy for Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs), who, to maintain his legitimacy as a politician, could succumb to public pressure and consider conducting entire training camps in the Philippines. That definitely wouldn’t sit well with trainer Freddie Roach, whose mind has always been placed at ease once Pacquiao arrives at his Wild Card Gym in Hollywood for at least the final portions of his training camps.

This is among many reasons promoter Bob Arum and others with financial interests in Pacquiao’s boxing career would’ve preferred Pacquiao waited until he retired to pursue his political aspirations.

Of course, Pacquiao’s booming boxing career could become one of the primary reasons Pacquiao loses the election. The Filipino people might just decide he doesn’t have the time to devote to properly serving them, his best intentions aside.

No matter what happens in the election May 10, Pacquiao should suppress his desire to see Mosley beat Mayweather tonight.

While it is understandable for Pacquiao to want to watch Mayweather get knocked out, a Mosley win would probably be even more detrimental to his boxing career than winning the election. There’s no conceivable reason to think Mayweather wouldn’t exercise his immediate rematch clause if he loses tonight at MGM Grand.

That would mean Mosley, who would become Pacquiao’s most attractive target, would be tied up through the end of this year because a Mayweather-Mosley rematch wouldn’t occur until September at the earliest, November at the latest. Unless Pacquiao opted to take the rest of the year off, he’d be forced to fight a welterweight other than Mayweather or Mosley sometime in the fall.

He has already soundly defeated two of the two other top seven welterweights in boxing (Cotto and Clottey), which would leave undefeated Andre Berto as perhaps his most attractive alternative. Berto would at least serve as a credible foe for Pacquiao, but Arum dismissed Berto as a potential option recently because Arum, along with most who’ve watched them both box over the past year-and-a-half, doesn’t think Berto (26-0, 20 KOs) is prepared for that type of challenge just yet.

And there’s a better chance of the 5-foot-6 Pacquiao fighting Wladimir Klitschko next than 6-1 southpaw Paul Williams (38-1, 27 KOs), so let’s forget that.

Arum mentions Antonio Margarito as a possible Pacquiao opponent, assuming the infamous former welterweight champion wins his comeback bout May 8 against fellow Mexican Roberto Garcia (28-2, 21 KOs, 1 NC) in Aguascalientes, Mexico. That would require Margarito (37-6, 27 KOs, 1 NC) to regain a boxing license in the United States, but even if an American commission concedes that his one-year suspension was enough punishment for his hand-wrapping scandal, Margarito might present more danger for Pacquiao than the fight is worth.

Pacquiao’s speed obviously would enable him to hit Margarito almost at will, but Margarito is a big, strong welterweight with a good enough chin to withstand Pacquiao’s firepower. Besides, there is much bigger business for Pacquiao’s promoters to pursue after his win against Clottey drew nearly 51,000 fans to Cowboys Stadium.

Mayweather-Pacquiao is the fight that virtually everyone who pays attention to boxing wants to see. It’s one of those rare showdowns that’ll transcend boxing, maybe enough to top that pay-per-view record Mayweather and De La Hoya established nearly three years ago (2.45 million buys).

The negotiations will be contentious again because their representatives will have to come to a compromise regarding drug testing. But it’s hard to believe that they won’t somehow find middle ground, if for no other reason than that there is entirely too much money at stake for them to walk away from the biggest fight in boxing again.

Pacquaio could make about twice as much to fight Mayweather as he could earn for facing anyone else.

And Pacquiao-Mayweather would only become bigger if Mayweather wins tonight. That’s all the more reason for those who want what’s best for Pacquiao’s boxing career — and for boxing, really — to hope Pacquiao is wrong about Mosley pulling off an upset tonight.

Author: Keith Idec

Source: Boxingscene.com

Mayweather vs Mosley weigh in results

Early this afternoon the weigh-in has already been done and both fighters were qualified to their respective weight limit. The weighing was done publicly at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and it was administered by the Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director, Mr.Keith Kizer.

As for the results, Floyd Mayweather jr. who has a record of 40-0 and 25 knockouts was weighed 146lbs while Sugar Shane Mosley who has also his own good record of 46-5 and 39 knockouts was weighed 147, a one pound ahead to Mayweather.

Meanwhile, the undercards were also respectively weighed.

The Featherweight bout was between the Mexican Daniel Ponce de Leon vs. the American Cornelius Lock and greatly both of the fighters came up with the same result of 125lbs.

The Super Featherweight bout was also between the United States WBO NABO Super Featherweight title holder, Eloy Perez vs. Mexico’s Gilberto Sanchez Leon. Eloy Perez weighed 129lbs while Gilberto Sanchez Leon weighed 130lbs.

The Lightweight bout will be fought by both American Luis Ramos Jr. and Allen Litzau. Luis Ramos weighed 136lbs and Allen Litzau was also weighed 138lbs.

In the Light Welterweight division the battle is against the American Jesse Vargas vs. the Mexican Arturo Morua. Vargas went on with the weighed 142lbs and Arturo Morua with 141lbs.

Welterweight bout will be fought by the Argentina’s Hector David Saldivia vs. the Morocco’s Said Ouali. Hector David Saldivia weighed 147.5 and Said Oualia also weighed 146. Also, another Welterweight bout will be fought by a Meixian Saul Alvarez and Puerto Rican Jose Miguel Cotto. Alverez weighed 150lbs while on the side Cotto weighed 149lbs.

Lastly in the Middleweight division, the bout is going to be fought by both Americans Dion Savage wherein he weighed 168lbs and Tommie Speller who weighed 166lbs.

This will truly not disappoint those who will be Watching Mayweather vs Mosley instead the one who could not watch will be the one who will be disappointed.

Shane Mosley – Doin’ Work The Right Way

At Big Bear Lake, Shane Mosley isn’t “Sugar Shane” – boxing superstar and future Hall of Famer. He’s just Shane, and after ten years there, the conversations with the locals are the kind you have with your own neighbors, with the exception of the fact that the soft-spoken Mosley is a prizefighter.

“Hey, getting ready for another fight?”

And that’s it. No hour-long heart-to-hearts giving Mosley the secret formula to beating Floyd Mayweather this weekend, no prying into a personal life that has gotten more than enough press in the lead-up to the biggest boxing match of 2010, and no mention of anything that happened in 2003 unless it’s about someone falling into the lake that year or one of the members of the local bowling league rolling a perfect game.

“They’ve known me for years and I’m kinda like a local up here,” Mosley told BoxingScene.com. “Everybody knows where I live and they all know me.”

As one of the locals, Mosley is protected from the outside world to an extent and free to practice his trade without the distractions that come with life at his home outside of training camp – Las Vegas. “Sin City” is the polar opposite of Big Bear, California, just like Mosley is the polar opposite of Floyd Mayweather. While “Pretty Boy Floyd” excels in the midst of chaos and seems to live for it, Mosley appreciates the peace and the quiet that comes before one of the biggest fights of his life.

“I think that’s why I’m up here in Big Bear a lot,” he said. “It’s because I’m at peace. I can be by myself in my room, I can look at TV, and do what I want to do. I don’t have to worry about the outside distractions.”

There have been enough of those leading up to Saturday’s showdown at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, most of them coming in the form of pointed barbs from the Mayweather camp. Yet if these verbal jabs were designed to rattle Mosley or get under his skin, round one will go to the pride of Pomona, California.

“I don’t think that he can get under my skin,” said Mosley. “I’ve been through a lot worse than that as far as mental torture, so I don’t think he can get under my skin.”

Mental torture? A quick rundown of the 52 fight career of Mosley will show that there was some verbal jousting with opponents like Ricardo Mayorga, Fernando Vargas, and Vernon Forrest, but nothing that would really constitute mental torture, at least not to us on the outside. So Mosley clarifies.

“That was back around the time when I was losing,” he says with a chuckle, referring to the 2002-2004 season when he was only able to muster a 1-4, 1 NC record. Granted, his four losses came to Forrest (twice) and Winky Wright (twice), but still, four losses to anyone can put a dent in your earning potential and ego. What makes it worse is when those closest to you start to question whether you still have what it takes to succeed in the hardest game.

“When you have inside people talking crap to you all the time,” said Mosley, “that can be mental torture.”

Since the second loss to Wright in November of 2004, Mosley has resurrected his career, winning seven of eight fights, with the only defeat coming via a close 12 round decision to Miguel Cotto in 2007.

In his most recent bout, in January of 2009, he destroyed heavily favored Antonio Margarito in nine rounds, a performance many applauded not just for the nuts and bolts of the systematic dismantling of the Mexican champion, but because Mosley did it in the eye of a personal storm that included a separation from his then-wife Jin, his involvement in the BALCO performance enhancing drugs scandal from 2003 that was still rearing its head, and the fact that he was breaking in a new trainer in Naazim Richardson after splitting with his father Jack a second time. Most would have broken – Mosley excelled, seemingly finding peace in the midst of war.

So if you think a little trash talking from Mayweather is going to rattle the 38-year old, then you don’t know Shane Mosley.

“When you get ready for fights, you don’t want to be emotional and you try not to have things weighing on your mind too much,” he said. “That’s the most important thing about boxing and about being a fighter – you have to have a clear mind and just worry about the boxing at hand. I’ve never really gone into a fight angry at a fighter. Maybe I’ll be angry about certain things, but not at the other fighter. We’re just doing our jobs; we go in there and fight, and we’re living our lives, wanting to be the best.”

Plus, no one likes being ignored, and the more Mosley deflects Mayweather’s attacks, the more it apparently unnerves the pound-for-pound great. Mosley believes that by engaging, he’s entering Floyd’s world, and when he does that, the master chess player from Las Vegas will have gotten an edge on him that will be hard to overcome.

“I think that’s where Floyd gets the upper hand on fighters,” he said. “He’s already a mental wreck, so he brings you into his game and then you can’t fight the way you want to fight. With me, I don’t think about hating the fighter; I think about winning.”

Mosley isn’t the first fighter to say that, and he won’t be the last. He is one of a small group that actually means it though. I’ll qualify that by saying that there are fighters who think solely about winning, but only because a win will guarantee a bigger payday down the line. But fighters are liars by nature – they tell themselves that they feel fine when they’re hurt, they tell their bodies to keep moving when the natural response is to shut down, and they say it’s all about the love of the game when the bottom line is, there are much easier ways to make a buck than by torturing themselves mentally and physically in the name of sport, and they know it.

But there are some mavericks, like Mosley, who still have that competitive spirit that makes them get up every morning to train and compete, and it’s evident in some of the statements that he makes. In the lead-up to this fight, the three division world champion speaks of proving himself as the best in the world. It’s a place where he has already held court, and that’s a claim only a select few can make, yet doing it once or twice before isn’t enough.

“I’d like to prove myself at this point in time,” he explains. “I know I’ve already proved myself as far as being the best, but I have a personal goal within myself to be able to beat anybody and be at the top of my game. So I just want to prove that I’m the best, even at this time.”

Two fighters keep him from that type of recognition: Mayweather, and the current pound-for-pound boss, Manny Pacquiao. Depending on the outcome of Saturday’s bout, Mosley could leapfrog the Filipino icon should he dismantle Mayweather in dominating fashion, but to most observers, if Mosley wins, it will be in a fight that is anything but one-sided. And even if you’re picking Mayweather to score the victory, you are probably conceding that Mosley will push the Michigan native harder than he has ever been pushed in his perfect 40-0 pro career.

“When everybody puts that “but” or “what if” in there, that means it’s a great fight,” smiles Mosley, and he also believes that the pundits are right; that he will be the man who will force Mayweather to bite down on his mouthpiece, stand his ground, and not box, but fight. Of course, he’s not the first Mayweather opponent to make that claim, so what makes his assertion any different.

“If you look at the guys that he’s fought, they’re a lot lighter and a lot smaller, and the guys that I’ve fought were a lot bigger than me in the last couple of fights, so you can just see the difference,” said Mosley. “He’s been pushed a little bit but he hasn’t fought the top big guys. I fought big guys and knocked them out. That’s the difference. When I get in the ring, I see the difference right away between smaller guys and big guys when I spar with them.”

In other words, Mosley, who is more acclimated to life around 147 / 154 pounds, is expecting to be the bully on Saturday night. He laughs.

“I’m gonna be the bully, the matador, I’m gonna be everything.”

He’s going to need to be. Because in spite of Mayweather’s bluster and ‘bad guy’ persona, when you take that away, he’s still perhaps the most gifted fighter of this era, someone who makes what he does in the ring look effortless. Mosley, on the other hand, has always given the impression that he’s the type of guy that puts on his hard hat and goes to work when the bell rings. Despite his natural gifts, Mosley’s fights end up exhausting not only the participants, but those watching from the safety of their seats. They are comprised of 36 minutes or less of constant motion, with bursts of intensity followed by a close quarters wrestling session and then more action. Conversely, Mayweather’s bouts are like those seen in a video game. A flick here, a push there, and nothing happens that isn’t already programmed into his mind and his fists. When it’s all over, you shut down the console and it’s off to the next game – no marks, no blood, no sweat.

So can boxing’s blue-collar battler beat the computer-like calculations of its most pristine talent? Las Vegas will be on lockdown for as long as it takes to find out, while in Big Bear Lake, the lights will be off in Shane Mosley’s cabin, but there won’t be a panic. The folks there will simply say ‘don’t worry, Shane’s just gone to work.’

Author: Thomas Gerbasi

Source: Boxingscene.com

John David Jackson criticizes Freddie Roach & says winner of Mayweather-Mosley will expose Pacquiao

John David Jackson was a two-division champion in the nineties and is considered to be one of the most talented trainers in the game today and currently works with Nate Campbell, Allan Green, and Bernard Hopkins, but after he made comments last year claiming that Pacquiao didn’t fight black fighters, Pacquiao fans across the world have considered Jackson to be Pacquiao hater number one. And just recently, John David was a guest on FightFanNation radio and criticized Freddie Roach and theorized that the winner of Saturday’s fight between Mayweather and Mosley would expose Pacquiao.

JOHN DAVID JACKSON
“As far as Freddie is concerned and I like Freddie and we are friends and he might get mad at this, but I could care less though. Listen Freddie is blessed to have one guy in his career that has stood up for him and that’s Manny. Manny is making the money he should make. With Freddie’s ailments he doesn’t have a pension in boxing to fall back on, he doesn’t have a health plan so the money he is making is going to help him out for what he needs in the future and god bless him for that. People ask me all the time is Freddie a great trainer? Freddie is not a great trainer. Freddie inherited a lot of good fighters when he first came out of the game. How in the world could you be a punching bag as a fighter, getting hit numerous times, he may get mad at me, but look at the films, look at the fights. He caught a lot of punches. How could you become a great trainer and teach defense when you never had defense yourself? It makes no sense. Let me say this in my defense before it sounds like I’m bashing. I’ve talked to a lot of fighters that Freddie has trained, a lot of my friends, and they all tell me the same thing that Freddie never taught them anything as far as professional boxing was concerned. Most of these guys knew how to fight when Freddie inherited these guys. I’m not going to name names, but a lot of the good fighters he’s had already knew how to fight when Freddie got with them, he didn’t teach them from day one so his teaching was not needed.

One thing about Freddie and I’ve watched Freddie in the gym and for a man with the ailments that he has he will bust his butt and give you 110% of what he has. He will push you in the gym and I will give him credit for that. He is a very good motivator and he will push you. As for a teacher I watched him in camp with Bernard, you can’t teach a man how to fight that has been boxing for twenty something years. With a guy like that you might add a few things to his game or devise a game plan for him, but when the bell rings most cats know what they are going to do once the bell rings. Most of the stuff you showed them in the gym goes out the window because most guys have to improvise once that bell rings. So most fighters improvise once the bell rings, they adjust once the bell rings. You might teach them one hundred days straight, but when the bell rings, they might think ‘forget that crap’ and improvise. Freddie is a good guy and he will push and give you 110% of what he’s got and he will get you ready for a fight, but as far as teaching I don’t see the teaching and I’ve watched him and he’s a good guy and he might get mad and we might never speak against, but as far as teaching, no. He might show you some stuff, but its overkill. Teach the guy what they need to know, but you can’t teach me stuff you never did. How are you going to show me something you never did in the ring, it doesn’t work.

Freddie hasn’t made Pacquiao complete this guy still makes a lot of mistakes, but it’s going to take the winner of Mosley-Mayweather to expose those flaws. Everybody he is fighting is handpicked and you can’t blame the fighter for that. The promoter and the manager are making these fights for Manny and they are being smart and cashing out with this guy. I’m not blaming them and they are doing what they are supposed to do and he’s making all the money he can make in a short amount of time and they are doing the right thing for this kid and god bless them for that because every fighter wishes they had a promoter doing that for them. One thing about Freddie its kill or be killed he didn’t care and that was his saying and he’s probably given Manny the offense, the attack that he needs and that’s helped Manny a lot, but defensively he’s lacking, trust me, he gets hit a lot. Not these last few fights, but the Marquez kid and those smaller guys would tattoo him a little bit. He’s been rocked and he’s been hurt. As of lately he’s had the right style in front of him and he’s done what he supposed to do and I can’t knock Manny. It’s not his fault that these guys have signed contracts to come down to catch weights. That’s not his fault, whoever they put in front of them he’s beaten. Let’s be real. Cotto at 145, the weight limit is 147. Even Shane was talking crazy ‘I’ll fight him at 140,’ I said Shane you must be crazy, make this man meet your at 147 where you are strong and let’s see what he is made of, don’t sit there and let this guy dictate to you and say you have to come in at 141 or 142. Make him fight you at 147. He’s going to make money off you so make money off him, but make it even. These catch weight things, this guy is supposed to be pound for pound the best and the greatest then fight them at the weight you are supposed to meet them at, don’t make a catch weight. Cotto, that was his fault to lose those two pounds, 145 that was crazy, he knew that was going to kill him. Freddie was smart, Bob Arum was brilliant, they knew what they were doing and I give them credit, they knew what they were doing. I think the winner between Mayweather-Mosley will be the true test of what he has if they make it at 147, no catch weights.

Author: Brent Alderson

Source: examiner.com

Does Manny Pacquiao Dream of Floyd Mayweather Jr. Hearing “10?”

Manny Pacquiao is currently busy campaigning for a congressional seat in the province of Sarangani in the Philippines. From all accounts, the political process in Sarangani can be a wild and wooly adventure, but Pacquiao will take time out from the stump to work as an analyst for the Mayweather-Mosley television broadcast in the Philippines. Needless to say, Pacquiao, whose proposed bout with Mayweather imploded earlier this year over drug testing demands seen by many as a clever Mayweather smokescreen, will be more than just an interested observer. In fact, his next step, at least as far as boxing goes, may very well be determined by who wins the bout on Saturday night. Freddie Roach has already stated that Pacquiao will fight again regardless of the outcome of the election, so Pacquiao will be searching for an opponent and Mayweather-Mosley has been seen by some as a box-off for the right to face Pacquiao. Not exactly the kind of prize most would hope for–the possibility of being vivisected in the ring by the greatest fighter in the world–but some might appreciate it more than others. But what about Pacquiao? What outcome is he hoping for on Saturday night?

Pacquiao has gone on record and has given Mosley more respect than most who have weighed in on the bout recently. “I think Mosley has a great chance to win,” Pacquiao told The Ring. “He’s a fighter. Mayweather is a boring fighter but I think, Mayweather-Mosley will be a good fight.” There seems to be an air of wish fulfillment to his outlook on the fight, as if Pacquiao, like many others put off by the obnoxious behavior of “Money,” would just like to see Mayweather knocked through the ropes and into press row. But there might be other reasons for Pacquiao to hope Mosley wins.

If Mayweather, as expected, has his hand raised, then Pacquiao will be at the mercy of Floyd, Roger, and Leonard Ellerbe. Flapdoodles over drug testing and whispering campaigns about steroids will now also be combined with new, vice-like financial demands. Because his pay-per-view numbers against Mosley will far exceed those Pacquiao pulled in against Joshua Clottey last March, Mayweather feels that he is, as usual, in the boss chair. Judging from his recent comments regarding his pay-per-view prowess, Mayweather will look to add financial acrimony to any new negotiations. As one might imagine, this will not go over well with Bob Arum or Team Pacquiao. In other words, as far as Pacquiao-Mayweather is concerned, things are going to get worse before they get better.

In addition, Mayweather is such a polarizing figure that he virtually guarantees blockbuster success regardless of who gloves up against him. No matter where Mayweather breaks ground, so to speak, he will hit paydirt. “With or without Pacquiao,” he allegedly told BoxingScene.com, “I’m still going to go out and make $20 or $30 million a night.” He is, more or less, correct. With a toxic persona calculated to draw the casual fan who confuses vulgarity with glitz, Mayweather can–and has–called his own shots in boxing. Pacquaio may be his equal (if not his superior) between the ropes, but he is no match for Mayweather outside of the ring. Unassuming and soft-spoken, Pacquiao has earned his fame based solely on his fistic merits. Mayweather, on the other hand, has developed a shtick that often overshadows his measured style in the ring. This “superstar status” makes it easier for Mayweather to pick and choose his opponents.

If Mosley, a 3-1 underdog on most books, can spring the shocking upset, then a fight with Pacquiao is nearly automatic, since Mosley simply wants to fight the best and there would be few, if any, hardline stances on his part. Compared to most fighters, Mosley is a breeze to deal with. Because he is determined to solidify some sort of lasting legacy, Mosley has agreed to fight almost anybody without rancor or fanfare. Immediate rematches with two foes who beat him easily–the late Vernon Forrest and southpaw nightmare Winky Wright–certainly prove that much. If not for unforeseen circumstances, Mosley would have faced Andre Berto and Zab Judah as well. Simply put: Mosley wants to fight the best and always has. It would be no surprise at all if Mosley waived “Olympic style” drug testing procedures–talked up not only by Mayweather but by his de facto promoter, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer. Mosley has also learned to put his financial ego in check ever since his stringent demands for an direct rematch with Oscar De La Hoya went nowhere fast in 2000.

For Pacquiao, a Mosley victory will mean his blood pressure level will not rise significantly during negotiations. The same cannot be said if Mayweather wins the fight, especially if he wins impressively. An avalanche of insults, some witty, some merely vulgar, a flashy lifestyle of the rich and infamous vibe, and an unruly family that puts the “dys” in dysfunctional have combined to make Mayweather the only mainstream American fighter currently extant. Over the next few months, if Mayweather beats Mosley, the heckling, dickering, kvetching and retching–partly legitimate and partly contrived for branding purposes–will hit radioactive levels and the only possible innocent bystander, other than the concept of good taste, naturally, will be the superfight itself. Who do you think Pacquiao wants to see win on Saturday night?

Author: Carlos Acevedo

Source: thecruelestsport.com