All of a sudden, you can?t say Floyd Maywather just runs inside the ring. All of a sudden, you can?t say Floyd Mayweather never fought elite competition. What happened last night was a beauty to behold. It was the ?sweet science? depicted in its purest and finest form. It was the definition of ?boxing? ? to hit and not get hit. Floyd Mayweather is a very easy guy to hate. He goes around and runs his mouth to the point where it?s just infuriating to continue to listen to him and his unending trash talking. A lot of people hate Floyd Mayweather. After last night, you can still hate him all you want, but if you don?t respect him and his unparalleled mastery of the sport then you are not a true ?boxing fan?.
Floyd took an elite fighter in Shane Mosley and totally nullified him. Let?s not forget, this is the same Shane Mosley that completely destroyed Antonio Margarito just about a year ago. This version of Shane was being touted as an elite version of him until Floyd downright made him look like a tired old man last night. Coming into the fight, many people were giving Shane a chance to hand Mayweather his first loss. He certainly had the tools to accomplish the task. He had the hand speed, the power and the boxing ability to hurt Mayweather ? and in the 2nd round he actually had Mayweather in trouble.
To which Mayweather replied in the post-fight interview with Larry Merchant, ?It comes with the territory. It?s a contact sport and you?re gonna get hit. When that happens, you suck it up and continue fighting like a warrior.?
A reply that was as short as it was sweet, and definitely true. Mayweather was hurt in that second round and Mosley knew it, and tried to capitalize. Being the great ring general that he is, Mayweather adjusted from the 3rd round onwards and the rest of the fight was lopsided.
?I felt tight after I hurt him in the 2nd round, I thought to myself, I?m gonna knock this guy out. I tried to get him out of there. He [Mayweather] adjusted and I didn?t and that?s why he won the fight? said Mosley.
Mayweather showed why he is considered to be one of the greatest defensive technicians in the history of the sport. He was nearly impossible to hit. Also surprisingly, from the 6th round onwards he was actually the aggressor. He wasn?t dancing in the ring like in his usual fights, he was coming forward trying to bring the fight to Mosley. It wasn?t like a Pacquiao throwing bunches of punches at his target, or a Tyson bull rushing to the middle trying to land bombs ? it was a calculated, well thought out assault. It wasn?t overwhelmingly relentless. It was deadly accurate. It was Floyd Mayweather-ish.
?I tried to do what the fans wanted me to do. They didn?t want to see me move in there so I stood in front of him [Mosley]. I tried to give the fans what they wanted? said Mayweather.
But let?s be fair here. Whenever Pacquiao wins, they always try to discredit it, downplaying his opponent. In Mayweather?s case, some of that is warranted. Let?s not forget that Shane Mosley is 38 years old and NOT in his prime. I believe a young Shane Mosley could have thrown more punches like Nazim Richardson was asking an old Shane Mosley to do. That would have changed the fight dramatically. We also cannot overlook the fact that Mosley hasn?t fought in over a year and could have over-trained a little bit (he had been training to fight Berto in January until Berto pulled out). So yeah, in a sense it wasn?t a challenge that was all that it could be despite what HBO?s 24/7 series had you believe, but like Mayweather is a genius inside the ring, he is a genius outside of it. He couldn?t have picked a better time to fight Mosley as Mosley is winding down on a very long and hard career.
Props to Floyd as I admit he is the most talented and gifted fighter of his era. He?s still a cherry picker though!
Still, you have to give credit where credit is due. And you can?t deny the fact that Mayweather?s defensive skills are off the charts. If we learned anything, it?s that the only guy who can challenge Mayweather now is Pacquiao. Pacquiao?s activity and equally blinding speed provides a whole different dynamic altogether. Pacquiao has the same tools that Mosley has and then some. Which is why it was sickening to hear Mayweather basically lay down a ?no drug test ? no fight? verdict on his fight with Pacquiao during the post-fight interview. I?m still one of the believers that the fight will happen though. It?s the only logical fight now for both fighters. It?s our job as writers, as those who deliver insight in this amazing sport ? it is our job as boxing fans to make noise and clamor for Mayweather-Pacquiao to take place. If we are loud enough, if we voice out our opinions we should be able to turn the tides on Mayweather and hopefully he?ll fold and give in to public demand.
I guarantee you that what you saw in the 2nd round with Mosley staggering Mayweather, you?ll see all night with Pacquiao. Except Pacquiao will do what Mosley couldn?t, which is finish Mayweather off.
Does this win for Mayweather change the mythical pound for pound rankings? Though some are quick to pull the trigger, I say absolutely not. Pacquiao is still number one until someone takes him down from there or he retires.
Last night?s fight set the backdrop, now it?s time to set the stage.
Mayweather once again proves that his ultimate defense is impenetrable. Now it?s time to see that ultimate defense go up against Pacquiao?s ultimate offense?
Which is unstoppable.
