Mayweather vs Mosley
Boxing Examiner | Michael Marley
Handicapping the Sugar Shane Mosley-Floyd Mayweather Jr. is child's play, really.
A kid lurching around the sandbox could figure that the smart play is to bet the younger, much faster guy.
A kindergarten student might know, to draw on college and pro football parlance, that a merely good offense will not beat a nonpareil defense.
If you can't score, if you can't punch the ball over the goal line, then you won't be lighting up the scorecard.
Mosley will score no touchdowns against the mercury like swift feet and rolling shoulders of Mayweather next Saturday night in Lost Wages.
The way I see it, albeit in a blurry manner having just survived the wet and wild New Orleans Jazzfest, Mosley won't even be kicking any field goals.
Instead, he will be swinging and swatting like a man deep in the woods who forgot to cover himself with mosquito repellent.
Bookies make Mayweather a big 9-2 betting favorite. Such a line is not posted for anyone's amusement.
I know I'm mixing metaphors here the way they mix Ramos Gin Fizzes and Sazeracs in the adult playground that is New Orleans (not to mention the slushy but jest right frozen dacquiris) but I'm not going to slip and fall as the big fight runup picks up the pace.
I refuse to drink the Mosley Kool Aid.
I remain steadfast in stating the only Man-ny on the planet who has the will, the skill and the unorthodox offense to beat Mayweather is a guy slightly younger than he is.
In fact, Pacquiao is the only Man-ny on the planet who can either outpoint or KO whirling dervish and Scarlet Pimpernel combination Mayweather.
Pacquiao can cripple the shoulder roll, make those come to a sudden stop.
Pacquiao can hurt Mayweather.
Pacquiao may make Mayweather quit, wave the white flag.
Pacquiao even has the firepower to knock Mayweather into the same location that Messrs. de la Hoya and Hatton went, into permanent retirement.
We may add that as a boxing category, alongside KTFO, getting KIPR or Knocked Into Permanent Retirement.
I've no axe to grind against Mosley or for Mayweather, you know that.
In the League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Mosley belongs. He's also a Hall Of Fame stature fighter and his career speaks for itself. The BALCO steroid escapades are a minor blemish on his siny resume, really.
But Mayweather waited until Mosley was 38 and a step or two slower than he was in younger years.
Stepping to and slamming the mainly immobile Antonio Margarito was a big achievement but now he is fighting Margo's polar opposite.
Mayweather will win this fight going away and I mean that literally.
He will always be going away from Mosley and away from danger.
The frustration level will be extremely high from the first round to the last round.
A 12 frame shutout is a genuine possibility.
Again, I like and respect Mosley. Away from the ring, he's fired managers, promoters, trainers, cutmen and had a divorce.
But Mosley has handled such breakups, including canning his own father twice, in a discreet and take the high road manner.
That counts for something in measuring Mosley the man.
But Mosley the fighter at this point?
His chances are slim and none and slim is out of town.
Slim was last seen at the airport or the Amtrak railroad station, one or the other.
Mayweather's dipping and dancing will be too much for Mosley to handle.
You think Mosley can win?
You must be that optimistic guy who entered a Mini-Cooper in the Indianapolis 500.
I know you.
Have a nice crash.
Source: Examiner.com
