“Both their skill levels are outside what we can comprehend verbally”
Everyone has an opinion about the Mosley vs. Mayweather superfight on May 1st. One of my favorite pundits isn’t well known but his perspective is always intriguing.
I asked him his observations of what went down at the New York City press conference on Tuesday…
“When you get excitement, two different energies of excitement, when they come together to create a different intensity – in this situation here, they’re trying to impose their wills on one another right now. In the look and the body language, somebody’s trying to win. Somebody’s trying to get himself the upper hand. Non-verbally. Especially with the non-verbal. And then they’re looking close to each other. And they’re actually pulling each other close. Just like in boxing. He had to stop him and then before you know it Shane’s hand went up. Then it was like, hey, wait a minute fellas. We got an audience in front of us.”
“I think whoever has peace of mind is gonna win the fight. Because, like I told you before, it takes a quarter of a billionth of a second for somebody to get caught. Okay? Because it’s gonna be a lot of razzle dazzle, a lot of circling, both of the guys are circling geniuses. They spend more time circling the ring than running straight.”
“Now Shane seems to be calm and peaceful, Mayweather also seems to be calm and peaceful. But we also gotta remember. If you’re chasing somebody, they can set a trap for you. I think right now – and we can see it – Shane is running after Mayweather. That’s just what it is. So I don’t have a pick for the fight. I just believe whoever has peace of mind is going to win the fight.”
It’s an interesting, unconventional theory which begins to make sense. It’s Mayweather who seems to be trying harder to gain an edge today. Floyd seems annoyed at Mosley’s smiling confidence and unoffensive but clear eagerness to throw down on May 1st, in a major fight he has been waiting so long for. We all know Floyd was forced into this against his will. Floyd seems bothered about having to share the spotlight with Shane, as it’s usually the Floyd Mayweather show, with Marquez, Baldomir, playing the useful second bananas. Or Hatton and Oscar as his high priced handpicks. This time it’s different, this time Floyd and Mosley are equals. It’s a 50-50 fight. This is uncharted territory for Floyd. Floyd is trying hard to out-talk and be more impressive with the trash talk and wit than Mosley who has always been one to let his fists do his talking. Why does Floyd feel the need to make fun of Mosley’s marital problems, value of his suit? Doesn’t the man make the suit anyway? So what if it’s off the rack or custom tailored or even second hand? Floyd is trying to outshine Shane who is content to sit back. Floyd is the one acting as if he’s threatened.
But back to our expert. I ask him, You know both of these characters well. Who will impose his will, who is stronger, the counterpuncher, the trap setter or the hunter? You must be leaning at least one % at his moment, you can’t possibly be dead even at 50-50?
“I’m alive, not dead at all. I just gave you my observation. It depends on who has the deeper layers of peace of mind. Deeper layers of calmness. If Shane’s going to the club every night, his mind’s not going to be on peace. But if he’s at home, he’s relaxed. Spending time, getting deep within himself with God – that’s peace of mind. Same thing with Mayweather. if Mayweather’s out doing other things and wrestling and other sports, it’s going to take his mind off the fight. So whoever’s got more focus on themselves and peace of mind. I can’t pick a side because both their skill levels are outside what we can comprehend verbally. We can give our opinions on it but we don’t really know the depth of somebody that’s been doing something for the last 25 or 30 years. We can pick, we can pick, we can pick, we can look at the past but the past don’t equal the future. We all know that.”
This is truly, truly a real fight this time for Mayweather. This ain’t no damn handpick of a 36-year-old lightweight. This is a real showdown, almost as good as it gets.
“Uh huh. And we’ll be looking back on it in 5, 10, or 20 years. And we’ll be like them two dudes were at the peak of their careers and they were dancing and somebody has to lose. This guy was on his way out, slow, not steep decline. And this guy, he got up there quick. We saw what Mayweather did. We blinked, and everybody in the world knew Mayweather. Shane took the street, the alleys and the highways to make it. But he made it. Even right now, Mayweather with the flash, the 24/7, the pay-per-view, he really promoted – and that can hurt a fighter. If he’s not calm and doesn’t have peace of mind, it can vibe him, it can move him inside. That energy right there caused him to lose the fight. In Shane’s case, it seems to be calm over there. I’m looking at his corner, the corner seems to be calm. Mayweather seems to be doing what he’s been doing since the beginning. Nothing has changed. I don’t know. I don’t have a pick. I went over this in my mind over and over. I prayed on it. I looked at. And I just don’t have one side to hold on to.”
And this is what boxing should be about, best vs. best, let the chips fall where they may.
By the way, the expert sharing his views in this article is New York City-based trainer Johnny Gonzales.
