Pacquiao beats Mosley, but doesn’t look ready for Mayweather

By Boxing News - 05/08/2011 - Comments

By Dallan O’ Donnell: Last night’s fight between Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley may have been one of Manny’s worst performances of recent times, and fans may not be happy with how both fighters went about their business but we did learn something of great importance: Manny Pacquiao does not look capable of beating Floyd Mayweather Jr. I have been a long time advocate that Pacquiao would beat Mayweather with his superior work rate and relentless attack round after round, but after seeing a 39-year old Shane Mosley make the pound for pound king look as ordinary as he did I have had to change my stance.

Mosley made Pacquiao miss with lots of shots with simple movements that Pacquiao hasn’t come up against in a while. Although Mosley offered little in going forward and Manny was the clear winner on points it was clear to see that it was an uncomfortable night’s work for Pacquiao. Instead of Mosley coming forward recklessly like previous opponents of Pacquiao’s, he stayed out of range making Pacquiao look crude coming forward. I’m sure a prime Shane Mosley would have given Manny a better run for his Money and may even have beaten him.

A vintage burst from Pacquiao did see Mosley hit the deck but to his credit he recovered well to see the fight to the finish. So how would Pacquiao deal with Floyd Mayweather? He would have to go looking for Mayweather like he had to with Mosley, and with Mayweather being king of defence would Manny hit him and how often would he have to take that big right hand coming back from the slick counter-puncher. I can now see Mayweather winning a unanimous point’s decision whilst making Manny look silly.

I hope that would not be the case and Pacquiao could develop a game plan to cope with defensive fighters but I cannot see him changing his style now. If I was Mayweather watching that fight unfold, I would have been relishing a bout with the Pac-man and would have been immediately trying to negotiate a fight. But Bob Arum (Pacquiao’s promoter) has no immediate plans to make that fight claiming Pacquiao’s next opponent will be Juan Manuel Marquez in November. Pacquiao needs to put this fight behind him and try to concentrate on the future.



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