On Friday night, ESPN2 aired its 2011 debut episode of Friday Night Fights. Color commentator Teddy Atlas had a lot to say about upcoming events, and fighters such as Shane Mosley and Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Atlas, who is one of the most knowledgeable pundits of the Sweet Science, was understanding of the reason behind Top Rank’s choice of Shane Mosley as Pacquiao’s next opponent. He wasn’t nearly as critical of the match up as many of boxing’s top analysts have been.
< CLICK ON THE VIDEO TO THE LEFT TO SEE MOSLEY'S CAREER KNOCKOUTS
?Look, it?s not personal, Bryan, it?s business,? Atlas stated in his answer to Bryan Kenny’s question about the match. ?Bob Arum is not going to fight anybody he doesn?t control both sides, or where he can?t get options on. So, he?s gonna make sure that it?s always business in this case. And he?s gonna make sure that it?s a fighter that has name recognition.?
?Yeah, I would rather see Juan Manuel Marquez, no doubt about it.? Atlas continued. ?He?s fought him two times. Both fights could be disputed where maybe Marquez could have won the fight, but it?s not gonna be. It?s gonna be a fight that Arum can control it ? where he can make sure that he is gonna be in control of all parts of it, all dimensions of it and where there?s name recognition. You walk into a store, you gonna buy Hershey?s chocolate, or are you gonna buy Joe?s chocolate. Well, you?re gonna buy Hershey?s. Joe?s might be great, but Hershey?s is recognizable.?
Marquez may have gotten that third fight that he so desperately desires had he not priced himself out of the fight, as Alex Ariza advised him not to do in this report by abs-cbnNEWS.com.
When Bryan Kenny inquired of Atlas?s opinion on Mosley?s chances against Pacquiao, Atlas basically gave Mosley a puncher?s chance.
?You know, Mosley at 39 years of age, he looked awful against Mayweather?, Atlas said. ?I mean he was shut out against Mayweather. It?s hard to make an argument that he?s gonna look a lot better against Pacquiao. Of course Mosley, with the right hand, maybe he can time Pacquiao coming in, getting a little reckless, you know, a little too aggressive, starting from too far away. Maybe [Mosley] can time him a little bit with the right hand coming in, but at the end of the night, you have to like Pacquiao.”
Mosley does still have that powerful right hand, as he proved in his bout against Mayweather, and that could present some degree of danger early in the fight.
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Jason Harris of Garfield would have preferred a Berto bout for Pacquiao.”I do wish he would have agreed to fight Berto instead of Mosley, but I also think his options are substantially limited on who to fight,” Harris said.
Berto was in the running as Pacquiao’s next opponent, as was reported here by Ryan Songalia of BoxingScene.
The most significant problem with the making of a Pacquiao – Berto fight was Berto’s lack of name recognition, which would have translated into a smaller purse for Pacquiao, and for Top Rank. Although Pacquiao would have undoubtedly been favored in such a match, there would have been too great a risk for too little money.
Pro boxer Kim Connor Hamby of Little Rock said, ?Berto would be an awesome match for the future.?
It would be, but Berto will have to upgrade his marketability exponentially before landing a fight with Pacquiao, and whether he can succeed in doing so before Pacquiao retires remains to be seen. Hamby understands that presently, only high profile fighters have a chance of getting a shot at Pacquiao.
While Mosley may not be the best available adversary for Pacquiao, he is indeed the one who makes the most business sense.
When there is a business decision to be made with many options available, who is going to turn down the one that will profit them the most?
For Pacquiao, Mosley it shall be.
And concerning Mosley’s chances, Pacquiao said it best in his most recent article.
?There is never an easy fight,? Pacquiao wrote. ?Every time I step into the ring, I risk my life and my future.?
