Mayweather vs Mosley
Pittsburgh Fight Sports Examiner | Scott Heritage
Amongst all the usual pre fight talk, both Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley have mentioned that they will both be looking for a stoppage on May 1st.
The bookmakers and most fans believe a decision is a much more likely outcome, regardless of the winner.
For someone usually regarded as being a safety first fighter though, Mayweather has a decent amount of finishes to his name.
While his lack of aggression has held this back somewhat, he does have heavier hands that you might think from the way he fights. Floyd also has the speed and skill to make his opponents momentum work against them as they try to close the distance. For a perfect example of this, just watch the Hatton fight.
Speaking on a conference call yesterday, Mayweather said of himself and Shane:
"I think that he's a fighter that always worries about landing one big shot. He's worried about who is extremely strong and I worry about being smart and winning. So we approach fighting in two total different ways, always"
In the past Mayweather was known to suffer from brittle hands, although Leonard Ellerbe has said that since his return from retirement, these problems no longer affect him. How much the problem hindered his ability to finish fights in the past isn't clear, and the Mayweather camp is eager to play down any problem he might have had.
A lot of people tend to think that Mayweather won't have the power to finish a genuine welterweight like Mosley, and in this case I tend to agree. Despite his 5 losses Mosley has never been stopped yet, and he's been in against more dangerous punchers than Mayweather. More skilled fighters is another matter, but in terms of power alone, Mosley's chin is top notch and he shouldn't have too much to worry about from Floyd.
Mayweather himself possesses a decent chin at the very least, although he very rarely gets caught cleanly anyway. At times he has appeared to show flashes of vulnerability, although at least some of these were merely ruses to lure his opponents in. How well he handles Mosley's power is one of the intriguing unknowns of the fight.
Of the pair Mosley has taken a lot more abuse over the years, and is also coming into the fight having been inactive for over a year. Whether either of these factors will play a part is not too likely, Mosley is about as durable as they come. I wouldn't be surprised if Mayweather scored a knockdown or two, but the chances are that both fighters will make the final bell regardless of who gets the decision.
Jean, Pittsburgh: "Why is Mayweather talking about a knockout when he never finishes anyone?"
Part of it might be just to sell the fight, although if Mayweather is letting his punches go more these days and is willing to take some more chances it could happen.
Craig, Philly: "Neither is getting a knockout, Mosley is too tough and Floyd is too fast. Whoever wins, they're winning a decision"
Source: Examiner.com
