Boxing News – Roy Jones Jr. Advises Pacquiao to Steer Clear of Mosley and Mayweather

By Boxing News - 06/17/2009 - Comments

By Sean McDaniel: The wise old Roy Jones Jr. came out with some helpful advice for Manny Pacquiao this week, telling him to steer clear of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Shane Mosley according to the Manila Times. Jones, 40, sees both Mosley and Mayweather as being too big and fast for the short 5’6” Pacquiao.

Jones doesn’t like Pacquiao’s chances against either Mosley or Mayweather, seeing him get beat by either of them if he were to step in the ring with them. Jones doesn’t see the fight as being an even one for Pacquiao because of the advantages that Mayweather and Mosley have in the way of speed and size.

However, what Jones seems to be overlooking is that Pacquiao and his team would probably only take the fight unless Pacquiao could get a sizable handicap in the fight by having Floyd and Shane come in at a catch weight of 142-144.

The act of draining down to those lower weights would likely have the beneficial effect of taking away a lot of the energy for either Mosley and Mayweather, leaving them handicapped enough for Pacquiao to possibly beat them. It wouldn’t be the most ideal conditions for Mayweather and Mosley to take, but at least the fight could be made.

Apparently, Pacquiao is open to fighting Mosley and isn’t bothered by his size advantage. However, Pacquiao has said that he was open to fighting Mosley in the past, but backed off when Mosley was ready to start negotiating for the fight.

Mosley and Mayweather are roughly the same size as Miguel Cotto, the fighter that Pacquiao has been rumored to be fighting next. The size probably wouldn’t be the sticking point from preventing Manny from fighting either Mayweather or Mosley.

It might come down to whoever is the more beatable fighter at this point. And based on Cotto’s fight against Joshua Clottey, it would have to be Miguel at this point. Bob Arum, Cotto’s promoter, wants Pacquiao to fight Cotto next.

So if Pacquiao is interested in facing Mayweather or Mosley next, he’ll probably have to do some convincing of Arum to make that happen. However, Arum might be right about Cotto being the better choice of the three right now. Cotto looks to be there for the taking, a beatable fighter where Pacquiao can get an easy payday while at the same time increasing his name in the boxing community.

By beating Cotto, Pacquiao would be seen as a legitimate threat to beat Mosley and Mayweather and would get a lot more respect from fans. Right now, Roy Jones Jr. isn’t the only one that thinks that Pacquiao would lose to Mayweather and Mosley. A great deal of other boxing scribes and fans feel the same way too.

Part of the reason is that Pacquiao hasn’t faced a talented welterweight as of yet and still needs to prove himself capable of beating an upper echelon fighter at that weight class. Ricky Hatton, a light welterweight, was too small to be considered a welterweight and he appeared to be a shell of his former self in his fight with Pacquiao.

Oscar De La Hoya, a former welterweight champion, was old and weight drained by the time that Pacquiao fought him and not considered to be in the class of fighters like Mosley or Mayweather.



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