By Dallan o’ Donnell: Saturday night sees Manny Pacquaio go head to head with future hall of famer Shane Mosley for the WBO welterweight crown, and I presume the question on most fans minds before they purchase the fight would be: Is this another one sided affair that Pacquaio will win on points? The answer is slightly more complicated than you may think. If we write off Mosley, we do so at our own peril. “Sugar” Shane isn’t here for the pay day. He is here to shock the boxing world and catapult himself back to the top of the game.
Last time out Mosley was unimpressive in a dull draw with Sergio Mora which may be the reason he is fighting Pacquaio now. But before the Mora draw, Mosley fought Floyd Mayweather Jr and almost caused a major upset in the early rounds catching Mayweather cleaner with right hands than any of Mayweather’s previous opponents. Mosley caused the biggest crisis of Floyd’s career and although he ran out of steam and inevitably lost the contest on points he proved he is a big fight fighter. And there really is no bigger fight than taking on the Pound for pound king Manny Pacquaio.
The early rounds are pivotal. If Manny stands toe to toe with Mosley which he will then we have a contest on our hands. Mosley hits hard and still carries speed and will hit Pacquaio, the question is can he take Pacquaio’s best shots? Perhaps but not for 12 rounds, if he is lucky he will make it to the 6th and still be in contention. But as is the norm in Manny’s fights he will take the sting out of Mosley just like Mayweather did, and beat him on points or with a late stoppage in the same fashion as he did in the Miguel Cotto fight.
Mosley has trained just as hard as Pacquaio and truly believes he will beat Pacquaio by knockout. I cannot see that happening but hopefully the two warriors will put on a show for the fans. If Pacquaio wins a third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez is on the horizon for November.
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