There were signals that Floyd Mayweather wanted nothing to do with sharing a boxing with Shane Mosley, as evidenced by their in-ring confrontation after the Marquez fight and some of the negative media comments Floyd made about Mosley as an possible opponent, but time (and/or PRESSURE) has a way of changing things and now the fight appears set for May 1.
Though this fight will lack the magnitude of the aborted Pacquiao vs. Mayweather Superfight, Mosley and Mayweather could turn into something special. If Mosley, at 39, is still the devastating force he was in the Margarito KO performance, he will challenge Mayweather with some dangerously complicated weapons the undefeated former Welterweight champ has never had to deal with. Without question, Mosley has the combination of speed, power, explosiveness, durability and experience which Mayweather has never had to worry about. And Mosley has the qualities to walk through Mayweather’s arsenal and unleash a wicked, brutal beating.
Everybody assumes but no one really knows for sure if Mayweather really is a grade A welterweight who can survive at the elite level where Cotto, Mosley, Pacquiao and Williams roam. Of course Mayweather was able to succeed against the faded part-time boxer De La Hoya, junior weltweight Hatton, lightweight Marquez, 36-year-old Baldomir and underachieving Judah, but Cotto, Mosley and Pacquiao are on a higher level. And Mosley surely possesses what it takes to prevent Floyd from dictating terms like he has been able to do in his welterweight matches.
The other mystery about this fight is why has Mayweather suddenly changed his tune about fighting Mosley when he has demonstrated on numerous occasions in the past that he did not want the fight? It’s probable that extreme and united pressure from Golden Boy and HBO – and a total lack of other acceptable options – forced Mayweather to bite the Mosley bullet.
The sport of boxing is the big winner now and after the failure to make the Super Bowl Event for March 13, this compelling matchup between Mayweather and Mosley can produce major excitement and buzz. Adding to the intrigue is the fact that there is definitely animosity and bad blood between Mayweather and Mosley which will very likely percolate and rumble during the press conference war of words. A fight like this is infinitely more enjoyable to observe when the two gladiators do not like each other and are disagreeable, for examples: Ali & Frazier, Tarver & Jones, Lewis & Tyson, Duran & Leonard.
If Mosley and Mayweather treat each other cordially from this point on to fight night, and a cordial type fight is performed on May 1st it will be another big disappointment for boxing and most of the paying customers who have been waiting to see Mayweather in with a legitamite top welterweight like Mosley.
Let’s hope Mayweather will talk sh** like he normally does and will do his best to add friction to the event. Because we all know Mosley is a sensational, ferocious, action fighter even when he really likes and respects the opponent (Cotto, Oscar, Forrest, Margarito, etc). With disrespect from a loudmouth punk like Mayweather, Mosley could have double the incentive to destroy Floyd and could put on a more intense and explosive performance than we have ever seen from him during his Hall of Fame career.
This fight is speed vs. speed, champion vs. champion. Two totally contrasting warriors at different stages of their illustrious careers. One is a humble gentleman well liked by everyone in the sport, fans, peers, media. The other is an arrogant, spoiled, immature, disrespectful, lying and deceiving businessman who doesn’t really care about the sport or it’s fans. But this time he has gone against his standard operating procedure and will finally take one of the most respected and dangerous champions of this modern era, Sugar Shane Mosley.
It will be a classic prizefight with fireworks, explosions, deft skillwork, hostility and much more. The hunted vs. the hunter. The handpicker who this time got handpicked himself. May the best man win.
