Manny Pacquiao vs. Shane Mosley: 10 Reasons Manny Will Destroy Shane
Does anyone want to see this fight? I, like most boxing fanatics, rarely miss an opportunity to watch any fight. So the question I pose is somewhat rhetorical. However since the speculation of this match up began in October 2010, I have not been a supporter of this bout. Regardless of how the trainers and promoters tout the validity of Mosley as an opponent, they’re soliciting snake oil.
Look, I have gone on record in the past; Sugar Shane Mosley is washed up. Some will speculate on the degeneration we have witnessed in Mosley’s during recent bouts. The Performance Enhancing drugs Mosley used had finally taken a toll. The epic battles he thrilled spectators with, left him punch drunk. Or, quite simply, father time rang the final bell and asked Shane to take a stool in the metaphorical neutral corner of his career.
Maybe you think Mosley has one good fight left in him. He’s slicker and faster than any fighter Pacquiao has faced since Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny better not take this bout lightly.
Whatever theory you choose to assume, I’m here to ratify my conclusion – 10 Reasons Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao Destroys “Sugar” Shane Mosley.
10) Pacquiao Is a Complete Fighter
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It’s true; Manny hasn’t faced a really slick fighter since 2008 when he won a split-decision in a rematch with the Mexican counter punching pugilist Juan Manuel Marquez. Pundits point to that match and every opponent that succeeded him and say, “Pacquiao has trouble with slick fighters.”
I say, that was almost 3 years ago. At that time Manny was dynamic because he threw punches in bunches but not the right kind of punches at the right angles. Pacquiao was primarily a left hand fighter and his footwork needed much improvement.
Taking on bigger opponents forced Manny to be more elusive, improved footwork keeps Pacquiao from taking punishment from bigger fighters. The angles that developed forced Manny to fire with both hands and “Manila Ice” was born. Freddie Roach says the development of Manny’s right hand was his epitome.
9) Mosley Has Lost a Step
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There was a time when Mosley was one of the fastest punchers to lace up the gloves and his athleticism allowed him to change directions very quickly to counter punch. However he has lost a step evidenced in a lack luster performance against Sergio Mora in September 2010. Mosley did his best to push the action against a fighter who looked like he didn’t want to fight. Because the bout wasn’t an explosive exchange in the middle of the ring, Mosley appeared slower than usual and ineffective against Mora who was overweight and outgunned. The result was a split-decision victory over Mora who might as well have laid down for Mosley.
8) Pacquiao Is a Harder Puncher
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Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley have a few opponents in common but let’s examine Miguel Angel Cotto, since both bouts had contracted fight weights that were similar.
While Mosley struggled to mount a tactical advantage against the Puerto Rican Superstar, losing a 12 Round unanimous-decision to Cotto, Pacquiao dismantled him.
Shane had his moments, landing quick combinations and touching Cotto up, however his punches couldn’t hold off the assault from Cotto. On paper, nobody really thought Cotto would be the superior boxer, yet he managed to outwork Mosley.
When Cotto attempted to apply pressure against Pacquiao, it was like he hit a brick wall. Cotto never recovered from the 4th round upper-cut that dropped him to the canvas. Manny went to work peppering the champion with vicious shots that left Cotto’s face swollen, bloodied and battered. The TKO victory went to Pacquiao at 55 seconds left in the final round.
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7) Shane Has No Pop at 147
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Mosley has given us so many great fights that we forget to look at what happened when. Shane has only one knock out at 147 since 2001 (almost 10 years!), Antonio Margarito. Prior to that 9th round stoppage at the hands of referee Raul Caiz Sr., Margarito’s chin was unquestionable. However moments before the bout began, Mosley’s trainer Naazim Richardson found plaster of paris in Margarito’s hand wraps. Mosley did an outstanding job against a fighter who was mentally distracted. This incident could have cost Margarito his license to fight indefinitely; therefore he wasn’t concentrating on the task at hand 100%
6) Pacquiao Has Roach
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Freddie Roach is the best trainer in the sport today. He is a master match maker and tactician and not just with Pacquiao. Roach successfully coached Georges St. Pierre and gave him an amazing stand up game as seen In the December 4, 2010 UFC 124 bout, St. Pierre vs. Koscheck. GSP went to Freddie Roach for help with his boxing skills. St. Pierre put on a boxing clinic against Koscheck; all three judges had the bout scored 50-45 in favor of GSP.
On the same night Roach was in the Amir Khan’s corner. Roach has been working with Khan since his first round knock-out loss to Breidis Prescott. Although my thoughts are Khan ran like Carl Lewis, he was certainly advised to do so by Roach. Khan executed his game plan under heavy fire and outpointed Marcos Maidana with brilliant hand speed and footwork inside of 12 rounds. Roach will inevitably have a solid game plan for Mosley too.
5) Naazim Doesn’t Bring Anything to the Table
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Besides Naazim catching Margarito with plaster of paris, he really hasn’t added any value to the Mosley Training Camp.
Yeah he showed us how a plain white towel can transcend the terry cloth and become a tool for building defense but what else has he done? Mosley isn’t any better with Naazim at the mitts and during a bout he doesn’t exactly blow our hair back with astounding tactical advice.
4 & 3) Manny is a Southpaw
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Mosley has faced only two southpaws in the last 10 years, Luis Collazo and Ronald “Winky” Wright. Mosley just isn’t used to seeing the different angles that a southpaw gives. At 39 years of age and the current stage of degeneration, Mosley won’t be able to keep up against a very fast southpaw in Pacquiao. Manny punches in awkward angles that catch his opponents off guard. The punch that hurts the most is the one you don’t see and I expect to see Mosley hurt a lot in this bout.
1 & 2) Manny is at his Peak, Mosley is in the Valley of Darkness
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Pacquiao is the definition of “confidence” at this moment in his life. Manny just won his 8th world title in as many weight classes when he defeated Antonio Margarito in November 2010. In May 2010, Pacquiao was elected Congressman of the Sarangani Province in the Southern Philippines. The BWAA selected Manny Pacquiao as Fighter of the Decade, acknowledging his incredible body of work in the last 10 years.
On the flip-side, Mosley is at a very low point in his life. He separated from his wife Jin Mosley and has been raked over the coals for alimony. Shane was forced to retire as Managing Partner of Golden Boy Promotions in order to position himself for a bout with the P4P champion. In 2010, Mosley delivered a lopsided loss to Mayweather and a less than average performance against Mora that ended in a draw. Mosley is struggling to stay relevant.
It’s going to be hard for Mosley to deliver the type of performance it would take to dethrone the P4P champion when you look at just the mental landscape.
It's Over Before It Began
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Between now and May 7, 2011 the boxing pundits will circle the wagons and HBO’s 24/7 will do it best to project Mosley as a fierce underdog, a hungry pit-bull that is ready to attack. In reality, as a fighter, Mosley is just an aging dog- man’s best friend. When dogs get too old, you should put them down to save what’s left of their dignity. Maybe that’s what needs to happen for this stage of Mosley’s’ career.
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