By Joseph “the Mad Boxing Genius” Torres: Saturday May 1st, 2010, pitted two of the greatest welterweights of this era against one another in what was to be a sure fire classic. What we got was a complete domination from the self proclaimed “Greatest fighter of all time” in Floyd Mayweather Jr.
From the third round on, Floyd Mayweather did what was necessary and does what he always does which is to see what he has in front of him, make adjustments then go to work.
In the first round, not much action was produced by either man but Shane Mosley appeared to get the edge with pity-pat jabs to the mid-sections and some work in the clinches. In the second round, Shane showed why he was considered such a threat when he landed one looping right hand that caught Floyd’s attention. Not much time passed (as in none) when Shane unloaded another looping right hand that had Floyd holding on to Shane for dear life. The rest was history! That was all Floyd Mayweather needed to see to start working.
Seemingly embarrassed that his speed and defensive skills failed him in the second round, Floyd rebounded well in the third by zapping Shane with jabs and right hands which Shane has always been susceptible to. The 4th, 5th, 6th and all the way to the twelfth, didn’t treat the “Pomona Warrior” any better as he lost by at least 8 points by all three judges when it was all set and done. This writer had it 118 to 100 in favour of Floyd Mayweather.
Before I start getting the “Pro-Mayweather” comments, I predicted that Sugar Shane would pull off the victory by changing up tactics and keeping Floyd honest with his trademark big right hands that we saw in the second round. However, I must give “Money May” full credit for his dismantling of his future Hall of Famer counterpart.
Some will say that Shane turned old overnight. Others will say he was too rusted up from being inactive for 15 months. Many will say, as the HBO commentators acknowledged as a possibility, that Shane over trained having trained for the Andre Berto fight that fell through after the Haiti devastation and then doing another full training camp for Floyd.
What I saw was a fighter who faced true adversity for the first time, not just physically but mentally, made the adjustments and made his opponent fight his fight in Floyd Mayweather Jr.
I believe that Shane can still go on and defeat Andre Berto which I had predicted before its cancellation. I believe he could be Antonio Margarito again. I also see a man in Shane Mosley who could not only have a chance of defeating Manny Pacquaio but stop him due to his style.
Sure, Shane may be entering 4 round fighter status, but the fact of the matter is, he still had the speed at the beginning of the fight. He still landed the shots we all thought he would land. He still scared the living day lights out of Floyd Mayweather in those first two rounds. But the bottom line, Floyd is a better mental fighter than Shane.
From the get-go, you could see Shane very jittery and nervous. You could see the nervousness in Floyd’s eyes as well but the difference was that Floyd was able to control of himself. Shane from the first round on to the very last was all over the place much like how he was in the fist fight with Vernon Forrest (rest in peace), after he was knocked down.
The golden rule in boxing is that this game is 20% physical and the other 80% is mental. Floyd’s true gift isn’t speed, technique, slickness or conditioning, it’s his mental strength. That’s what beat Shane Mosley tonight.
To hear more about my final thoughts on the fight read my Monday Blog “Random Thoughts” at: http://www.BoxingIQ.com
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In other action on the card:
Saul Alvarez TKO 9 Jose Miguel Cotto
Daniel Ponce de Leon UD 10 Cornelius Lock
Said Ouali TKO 1 Hector David Saldivia
Eloy Perez MD 10 Gilberto Sanchez Leon
Luis Ramos Jr. TKO 2 Allen Litzau
Dion Savage UD 8 Tommie Speller
Jesse Vargas TKO 6 Arturo Morua