Who Will Win, Mayweather or Mosley?
Mayweather Mosley tickets are the hottest ticket in world boxing right now, as the fight draws near, and we have decided to draw up a little comparison of the two fighters, in order to cut through the rumors and smokescreens that appear to be blocking peoples’ ability to predict who will win this fight. Who will win Mayweather v. Mosley? It’s a good question. One factoid that a lot of Mayweather fight fans won’t like to hear is that Shane Mosley has lost just once in the last six years and is currently on the up and up, as he smashes his way through a variety of well-ranked fighters. Mosley is in fact a rejuvenated boxer right now, and it is right that he be given this chance to impress the globe in a wonder fight against the man many consider to be the very best – even above the revered Manny Pacquiao.
Mosley has taken a few classic scalps lately, and he knows full well what he is up against in Mayweather. Tickets are selling to supporters of both fighters, though understandably many just want to see Mayweather’s slick power game overcome the less technical Mosley over the course of what will surely be a classic brawl. Mosley is no stranger to being up against it and he has pulled off some great results this past few years. A last gasp knockout against multi-disciplined Nicaraguan Ricardo Mayorga plus a comprehensive trouncing of Antonio Margarito in the ninth round mean Mosley is back in the limelight and loving every minute. Let’s take a look at both of them and compare each boxer’s strengths and weaknesses. Mayweather has stated that Mosley can’t handle his superior size and speed, but there are other factors working here too. Let’s try to predict the winner based on their respective qualities in three major departments: Weight and Movement, Power and Stamina, and Track Records.
Weight and Movement
Mayweather has a better reach and is a heavier boxer than Mosley. In fact, there are many who say that the “pound for pound” king is actually Mayweather and not Manny Pacquiao. Floyd Jr. can turn and switch his focus in a heartbeat, and this will definitely create problems for the smaller Mosley. Mosley’s speed, and his ability to make vicious inroads using his punching power may help him though. Mosley might not have the same adaptability as Mayweather, but he can move, and he can stand on two feet to the very end. At the very least, Mayweather might be chasing a decision and not a knockout if he can’t out-think Mosley, who will definitely be looking to land a sneaky haymaker on Mayweather. Mayweather’s in-fight changes of style have worried a lot of other fighters and Mosley has had plenty of video opportunity to watch, and material to read regarding this skill – or at least his trainers have. Whether Mosley takes all this on board as part of his plan remains to be seen. Even if he doesn’t plan it to the letter, Mosley’s tenaciousness and limpet-like tendency to stay upright could frustrate Mayweather into making a silly mistake – and then the Mosley character might kick in and land a big one. Overall, Mayweather has the advantage when it comes to weight and movement, but Mosley could come up from below and do something surprising in the dying rounds. Don’t rule it out.
Sheer Strength, Power, Stamina
Many fight tickets fans are already saying that Mosley will knock Mayweather out. Knocking Mayweather out is probably as difficult a task as any in this sport, as Mayweather will read you and adjust if you don’t make a serious bid for glory right away. Once Floyd has made his adjustment, an opponent must then approach the fight from a new angle, and Mosley definitely has the time and stamina to do this. Mosley probably packs more power than any fighter Mayweather has thus far fought, and this is important. Mosley isn’t necessarily a one-punch knockout merchant, but he does hit hard and he can deliver the goods with either left or right. On top of this, Mosley tends to concentrate – if that’s an appropriate word – on several parts of his opponent’s body simultaneously. Both body and head shots rain in and most of them are well above what you expect from the average pro boxer. He keeps this up throughout the entirety of the fight, and most people eventually crumble. If he can adapt his style by periodically splitting it into two or more simpler forms with slightly different focus, he can hurt Mayweather. Mayweather’s famous habit of rolling his shoulder, thereby shielding his head from an opponent he has the measure off, might not work in this instance, but only if Mosley can get round the shoulder roll and attack Mayweather in two different regions. His body and head assaults are legend, but whether he can hold his game against a puncher and mover like Mayweather is anybody’s guess. Mayweather has the ultimate size and reach advantage but Mosley can punch with both hands and focus on more than one gameplan.
Track Records over Time
Without question, Mayweather and his “undefeated” status rule the roost in this department. But Mosley has a lot of time under his belt and that kind of experience doesn’t count for nothing. Mayweather has the record, but he hasn’t fought many fighters with proper long-term experience, and this is going to be interesting because the older fighter might be better at listening to his corner, and not have to rely on Floyd’s innate-type switchability. Oscar De La Hoya is the only other fighter that Floyd has faced who has that kind of time under his belt, and of course that didn’t provide too much of an obstacle to Floyd Mayweather. Mosley, on the other hand, has faced a huge variety of boxing styles, from a mixed bag of fighters who span at least a couple of generations in the fight game. Mosley may feel that he has seen it all, but he will have to be ready for a fight with a man who could well constitute his hardest opponent, even though many disagree. Mosley’s current record of 7-1 is not to be sniffed at, that’s for sure, but he us up against the “Undefeated” and that is a big deal. All in all if Mosley can harness what he knows, and use his experience to call upon his corner for direction, he might pull something off. But Floyd is hungry and ready, and it is looking increasingly like he is planning to face Pacquiao after Mosley, so his training and orientation are geared for bigger things. The undefeated status will be a distraction for both fighters, and in that respect Mosley is a little freer of the pressure, but Mayweather holds that record for a very good reason.
So who will win, Mayweather or Mosley? The conclusion, for me, is that Mayweather is using this fight as a means to an end, and this could either work in his favor or work against him. Mayweather will always be the favorite here, but Mosley’s ability to make up his technical and size issues are slightly balanced by his broad style and experience. Mayweather is more of a true boxer then Mosley, but Mosley simply won’t go down, and that is often beyond a resolution by technical boxing. It needs a pure fighter, and Mayweather does have some of that in him. Mayweather will have one eye on the Pacquiao fight, whereas 38-year old Mosley just wants to prove he could actually take this fight. If Mayweather is allowed to do what he wants, then he will surely knock Mosley down more than once and at the very least win it on points. If he is limited by Mosley’s head-body combos he might become tired and look for a knockout, as his ability to switch his game won’t have anywhere to go. If that happens, it could degenerate into a slugfest, and let’s be honest, that’s why we buy Mayweather Mosley tickets in the first place. Fasten your seat-belts ladies and gentlemen, because Mayweather v. Mosley is set to be an absolute beaut of a boxing match!