Manny Pacquiao Vs Shane Mosley: The Official Break Down
By Geno McGahee
The super fight of 2011 is upon us, as this Saturday, we will see the pound for pound best in the game, Manny Pacquiao, 52-3-2, 38 KO’s, defending his WBO Welterweight title against ring veteran, Sugar Shane Mosley, 46-6-1, 39 KO’s, shown live on Showtime PPV, and coming from Las Vegas, Nevada, at the MGM Grand. The show is sold out, the boxing fans are eager for a super fight, and they’ve got one.
For the longest time, the talk of the boxing world was the eventual meeting between Pacquiao and co-pound for pound best, Floyd Mayweather, JR. The fight was on again and off again on more than one occasion and now most believe the fight is permanently off. For Manny, there wasn’t many worlds left to conquer, and Floyd, ever the businessman sought other challenges in Juan Manuel Marquez (W-12) and Shane Mosley (W-12). As he does with his punches, Floyd picks his opponents carefully, and that has frustrated most boxing fans. He is a pound for pound best but he doesn’t fight like he is. Pacquiao is the logical opponent, the fans’ selection, but yet, he declines, which allows Mosley to step up and fill the void.
The consensus is that Pacquiao will defeat Mosley and many tend to think that it will be an easy trouncing of an over the hill great, but there are certain things that are being said around the world of boxing that should be investigated and evaluated. Some of it is true, some of it isn’t, but we will explore it nonetheless…
“Lost to Floyd and drew with Mora … No match for Manny!”
On May 1st, 2010, Shane Mosley faced off against Floyd Mayweather, JR., in a high profile showdown. Mosley, outside of shaking Floyd up early, wasn’t able to pull the trigger and get any real offense going. In fact, he looked shaky and full of anxiety and Floyd pecked away en route to a wide and easy decision win. Looking to return to the ring, Mosley faced off against Contender Champion, Sergio Mora, and it was an ugly affair that was ruled a draw. Shane’s 2010 record was 0-1-1, and many were calling for the retirement of the 39 year old former champion, and many are pointing to the recent track record as evidence that he does not belong in the ring with Manny, but there may be more here then meets the eye.
Shane has six defeats, two to Vernon Forrest, two to Winky Wright, one to Floyd, and one to Miguel Cotto. The Cotto fight was close, but the others were defined. At the end of the night, we knew who won, and when you look at Forrest, Wright, Mayweather, and Mora, they all have something in common. They are long range boxers, not seeking knockouts, but looking to build up points. Mosley does not deal with the long range fighters that well. He does, however, deal with the aggressors very well.
Antonio Margarito was starched in 9 rounds, Fernando Vargas was stopped on two occasions, and the list goes on and on. Mosley, especially at this advanced age, will do far better against an aggressor. He doesn’t have to search for them. They will make themselves available, and Pacquiao is the most popular aggressor in the sport and will give Shane opportunities. Can Shane find the mark? He’s got 12 rounds to try.
Basing his chances on his last two outings is not totally fair, considering the difference in style from Pacquiao to Mora and Mayweather. It’s fair to say that Shane is not the same fighter he once was, but I’m not willing to bet that he’s not the same guy that knocked out Margarito either.
“Pacquiao’s punches will be too strong for an older Mosley.”
Shane Mosley has lost six times but he has never been knocked out. He has been down against Vernon Forrest, mostly from the residual effect of a head butt, but he has one of the better chins in boxing. Despite this fact, the Pacquiao supporters and many boxing writers are expecting a knockout win for Manny, but it seems unlikely.
Shane is a strong and natural welterweight, with a welterweight record of 10-4, 6 KO’s, and has fought at light middleweight, with a record at 154 of 4-2-1, 3 KO’s. The victories and defeats were over very good fighters, including Oscar De La Hoya and Fernando Vargas. Shane was a fast and strong light middleweight, but was an incredibly strong and fast welterweight. The speed may not be as fast, but he is still incredibly strong.
Pacquiao is not a natural welterweight and has only had three fights in the division, despite the fact that one was labeled “light middleweight.” He defeated Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey, and Antonio Margarito, bringing his record at 147 to 3-0, 1 KO. Cotto was the only stoppage win and Cotto was damaged goods going in since his plastered pummeling at the concrete fists of Margarito. Manny’s power has not followed him up. At 135, he is a beast, at 140 he is a big puncher, at 147, he’s a decent puncher, but relies more on his speed and his high level of output. It’s easy to see him as this monster puncher because of what he did to Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Ricky Hatton and so many others, but at 147, he hasn’t been the beast and he won’t steamroll Mosley.
“Pacquiao has done better for the most part against common opponents. He is the better fighter.”
Shane Mosley faced Oscar De La Hoya in 2000, and rematched in 2003, winning by decision on both occasions, while Pacquiao stopped De La Hoya in December of 2008. They fought two different De La Hoyas. Miguel Cotto that defeated Mosley was not the same fighter that got pummeled by Pacquiao. The common opponents don’t really factor in, with the possible exception of Antonio Margarito. Both men beat him convincingly, which may be an indication that we may have a fight on our hands, not a one-sided clubbing.
I suspect that Pacquiao’s speed will be the biggest factor in this fight. He is so quick and active that Mosley will have to time him and do some effective body work early. He can’t rely on one punch to win it. What I like about Mosley going into this fight is that he’s been more active, 2 fights in 2010, and seems to have a chip on his shoulder. He doesn’t like to be dismissed, doesn’t appreciate the comments about his age, and may want to erase his last two fights with a knockout of the game’s top draw. He has the right mindset, a big punch, a great chin, and is ready to take on Pacquiao. This fight gets more exciting by the day, and expect fireworks on Saturday night.
On the undercard, former Middleweight Champion, Kelly Pavlik, 36-2, 32 KO’s, returns to the ring against the untested, Alfonso Lopez, 21-0, 16 KO’s, in a 10 round bout. Pavlik has had his issues with alcohol abuse and dealing with fame, but he is back and wants to return to the top of the sport, where he once dwelled.