Apr 29, 2010 – I’m just a fan of the sport… no expert whatsoever.
I just call it how I see it and offer whatever tidbits of information that gets processed through my malfunctioning brain. Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Shane Mosley is a fight in which line-makers have pegged the “Pretty Boy” as a 4-1 favorite and rightfully so. However, this doesn’t point to the fact that Mosley cannot have moments of effectiveness and possibly win this bout if all factors happen to fall in his favor.
(Click here to view an excellent highlight video produced by Callatonic Productions for Mayweather-Mosley.)
If I was able to give a few tidbits of advice to Team Mosley… it would be the following: 1. You cannot win this fight from long range in any way, shape, or form. 2. Boxing has allowed excessive clinching to become a dominant strategy over recent years. Use it and abuse it until a point is deducted. 3. In the meeting with referee Kenny Bayless prior to entering the ring, make it very well-known to him that it is of great concern that Mayweather uses an illegal tactic of an out-stretched forearm and elbow to create a more comfortable space for him to operate at. 4. The first time Floyd sticks out that elbow illegally, make a huge fuss about it to Bayless. 5. The second time Floyd sticks out that elbow illegally, make an even bigger fuss about it to Bayless. 6. Once Bayless warns or deducts a point from Floyd for the usage of his elbow, now Mosley can incorporate an extremely loopy right hand when up close in order to land a semi-legal punch to the side/back of Floyd’s head as Sam Peter did to James Toney in their second encounter. With Floyd’s elbow out-stretched, this loopy right hand will fall short… without it, it can land if thrown from the correct distance. 7. Shane’s strategy should be simple… flick the jab upstairs, throw a looping right hand to the body and immediately look to clinch in order to negate any countering opportunities for Floyd. Once in the clinches use your superior strength to keep Floyd off balance to the left or right all the while looking for opportunities to explode out of the clinches with digging shots to the body or a massive right hand quasi-rabbit punch over Floyd’s shoulder Sam Peter style. Repeat over and over and over until a point is deducted. 8. Win the first round by setting a fast pace following the simple game plan outlined above and do it cleanly. Floyd always goes back to his corner asking them if he’s up on the cards and it visibly affects him when he’s coming from behind to win. 9. Be prepared to eat some stinging shots to implement this game plan but continue press forward, banging to the body, clinching directly after, and winging wild power punches when you push off from the clinch.
If I was able to offer a few tidbits of advice to Team Mayweather… it would be the following: 1. It will be extremely difficult to win this fight if Shane is able to get off his punches immediately followed by an illegal clinch limiting the countering opportunities. 2. In the meeting with referee Kenny Bayless prior to entering the ring, make it very well-known to him that it is of great concern that in the Marquis of Queensberry handbook, wrestling and holding are considered illegal. Point to the fact that Mosley uses this as his primary form of defense and that he utilized this illegal tactic 95 times in his bout with Miguel Cotto. 3. The first time that Shane initiates a clinch, attempt to fight out of it while making a huge fuss about it to Kenny Bayless. 4. The second time that Shane initiates a clinch, make an even bigger fuss about it while trying to fight your way out of the clinches. 5. Proceed to exaggerate the effects of the clinches until Bayless deducts a point from Shane for utilizing this illegal tactic to slow down the pace of the fight. In between rounds, Roger Mayweather should tactfully and respectfully mention it to Kenny that Shane is holding too much. 6. Once Shane is unable to clinch due to more potential point deductions, it’s an outside fight which makes this fight very easy for Floyd. 7. Lead right hands, jabs to the body, and lead left hooks will easily get the job done as Mosley is no counter-puncher and lacks the defense to negate a basic offense.
Sick and twisted advice?
Probably, but I just call it how I see it.
On paper this is a very easy and winnable fight for Floyd. If fought using the strict guidelines and rules of the Marquis of Queensberry handbook, Mosley has little to zero chance to win this fight.
However, boxing is not fought using these rules anymore.
Wrestling, mauling, holding, and excessive clinching are considered “crafty” and acceptable by the average boxing fan today in today’s era. Shane Mosley and Bernard Hopkins are two fighters that have taken advantage of this change in boxing and this Saturday will be no different.
It’s up to both men to take advantage of the rules bending and/or breaking them when necessary. Like I wrote in an earlier column this week… Kenny Bayless can make or break this fight.
It’s up to both camps to get inside his head and sway him to their side inadvertently.
