Floyd Mayweather vs. Shane Mosley Fight
When: Saturday, May 1, 2010
Where: MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
TV: PPV at 11:00 p.m. (EST)
Weight Class: WBA Welterweight Championship – 12 Rounds
By Scotty L of Predictem.com
Floyd Mayweather, Jr. 40-0 (25 KOs), Las Vegas, Nevada. Vs. Shane Mosley, 46-5 (39 KOs), Pomona, California. WBA Welterweight Champion.
Fight Odds: Floyd Mayweather (-450), Shane Mosley (+300)
Over/Under: Over 11.5 (-365), Under 11.5 (+285)
Analysis: In the biggest fight of the year thus far, Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley will do battle on May 1 in Las Vegas. It was thought that this fight would never happen, but after Mayweathers negotiations with Manny Pacquiao collapsed and the cancellation of Mosley vs. Andre Berto due to the earthquake in Haiti, it seemed like a natural. Mayweather needed a big-name opponent and Mosley was available. Boxing fans wanted Mayweather-Pacquiao, but this will certainly do.
These two great champions have been at or near the top of the pound-for-pound rankings for over a decade, distinguishing themselves as sure-fire and first-ballot Hall of Famers. Mosley has five losses, while Mayweather is undefeated, but Sugar Shane has fought the better opposition, highlighted by two wins over a prime Oscar De La Hoya. Mayweather boasts of his undefeated record, but perhaps hed have a few losses too if he fought the demanding schedule Mosley has.
Mosleys last fight was a blitzkrieg over the previously indestructible Antonio Margarito. In so thoroughly beating a fighter with such a fearsome reputation, Mosley put his name back on the pound-for-pound list. The fight had some bizarre circumstances that might compel one to take a closer look. Before the fight, Margaritos gloves were found to have plaster of Paris inside. The commission made him remove it and the fight went on. How much was Margarito affected by being caught trying to cheat before the fight? At the very least, it seems that it would not be the ultimate mindset to carry into the ring against a fighter of Mosleys ability. Margarito seemed flat and one must assume what happened in the dressing room played into that.
Why is it so important anyway? Well, before re-establishing himself with the Margarito victory, Mosley was starting to take on the look of a fighter whose best days were behind him. The close loss to a then-undefeated Cotto is a forgivable loss, but in the fight before Margarito, he struggled with shot former champion Ricardo Mayorga and was ahead by only one point on two cards before lowering the boom in the 12th round. To his credit, he looked as good as ever against Margarito, but his opponent was distracted, he has now been off for 16 months, and Floyd Mayweather is a different fighter altogether.
Mayweather has been brilliant during his 14-year career. The major knock on him is that he has been fighting weak opposition since his days at lightweight. Having fought in the stacked welterweight division for almost a half-decade, this is his first fight against an actual top welterweight. A lot of people feel that will hurt him in this fight, as Mosley is by far the more battle-tempered fighter. It could be that Mayweather is just a great fighter regardless of who hes fighting and his career course has spared him untold amounts of wear and tear. Mayweather is probably fresher than the 38-year old Mosley.
Nevertheless, Mosley presents a difficult challenge to Mayweather and is perhaps the toughest opponent of his career. Mayweather will be facing a fighter who can match him in terms of speed. Mosley also possesses enough power, experience, vision of the fight, and durability to theoretically give Mayweather a difficult time. Mayweather is a heavy favorite, however, and there is reason for that. Besides the first Castillo fight that was a bit controversial, Mayweather has barely been touched. While his opponents havent always been the best available, the margin of victory has been clear as day.
Well, now he has a fight on his hands. Mosley sees this as a one-time opportunity to raise his legacy to the next level. Its a great chance for him to separate himself from his peers, as a Mayweather win would certainly be a shining star on his resume and give his greatness a big boost. Mayweather also has a unique opportunity to stamp his greatness and silence his critics by finally beating a top fighter who was in top form when last seen in the ring.
Scotthy’s Pick to Win: The bout will open tensely as both men feel each other out. Some bristling exchanges will take place as both men warm to the task. Mosleys sheer athleticism and skill will make this fight competitive. What Mayweather has going for him is an unrivalled ring IQ, which allows him to make adjustments and shade things in his favor. As the fight wears on, Mayweather will make the necessary changes to increasingly thwart Mosleys efforts. He will change the distance between them, use angles, and drop in sudden and stiff punches that have Mosley thinking twice before barreling in.
Mayweathers trash talk might sometimes be misguided, but you cannot question his confidence and ability. I expect him to be ultra-motivated for this and I doubt he will look past Mosley, as he has always given his best regardless of who he is fighting. Mosley represents his stiffest challenge yet and that should give way to a laser focus and concentration.
I think the fight will be knotted up after 6 rounds. Mayweather will begin to find some answers in the second half of the fight as he leads Mosley into some shots. Mayweather will begin to put rounds in the bag. For everything Mosley has accomplished in his career, he hasnt always shown himself to be the kind of fighter that is able to find answers when things start going badly. Mayweather will cruise to the final bell as a unanimous decision winner. Lay the 450 on Floyd Mayweather to win and lay the 365 on the over.
