That slick Irish American named Coach Freddie Roach has set the bar a tad too high for superstar Manny Pacquiao.
“I know that Shane’s a very durable fighter and he’s never been stopped before in his life. But I’m really urging and encouraging Manny to fight an ever faster pace and to push this guy. This is because I want Manny to make a statement,” Roach told Boxingscene’s Lem Satterfield.
In my opinion, and noting that I continue my own backscatching by reminding all how I picked Vicious Victor Ortiz to upset Andre Berto, I am a skeptic.
I don’t think Pacman can or will stop the 39 year old Mosley on May 7.
Winky Wright couldn’t do it in two tries. Ditto for Vernon Forrest. Ditto for Miguel Cotto and Floyd Mayweather.
Sure, Mosley has 376 pro rounds under his belt but, when he loses he drops decisions (excluding the soporific draw with awkward Mora).
Ray Leonard and his camp used to call a used up fighter “a punched ticket.”
Mosley, whose KO total matches his chronoligical age, is a semi-punched ticket. He didn’t have the relfexes or tactics necessary to thump the less talented Mora but don’t blame a guy for having trouble fighting an octopus.
Mosley did have, lest we forget, the skill, the stamina and the fortitude to last 36 minutes with Floyd Mayweather last May 1.
And, while he wobbled “Money” briefly in round two, he did not do much else. Filling out the scorecards was just a formality. Nobody held their breath awaiting Michael Buffer’s recitation of the tallies.
No, I forecast that the proud man from Pomona will still be standing when 12 rounds are completed.
