I recently had a chance to speak to former three division world champion, Sugar Shane Mosley, to get his thoughts on the big upcoming fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. Mosley is one of a hand full of fighters to have faced both Mayweather and Pacquiao near their primes, and during this interview he offers unique insight into their fighting styles. Shane also gives his official prediction for May 2nd, and why he thinks that fighter has the edge. Additionally, Mosley talks about his defining fight with Antonio Margarito and shares a message to all his fans. Here is what Shane Mosley had to say.
Robert Brown: You fought both Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao roughly at the same time. Out of Mayweather and Pacquiao, who was the most difficult to penetrate and what strategy must each fighter employ to win?
Shane Mosley: Yeah that?s true, I fought them both around the same time. I was in the middle of a divorce during both fights, and had injuries for both fights as well. So with ?Pacman? I didn?t have a good gauge on what I could do with him since I fought him 4 months after having surgery on my Achilles tendon.
I knocked him down, and he knocked me down. By the end of the fight I had blood blisters on my right foot from compensating on it cause of my Achilles. I should have waited on the fight, but the payday was too big. There was no way I could have won that fight in the condition I was in. So my perception of Pacquiao is different than it would be had I fought him in fighting shape.
I was hurt with Mayweather too, but not as bad. I had a groin pull, so my legs were not all the way under me. I almost knocked him out straight out the gate. That would be a good tip for Pacquiao, he can?t give Mayweather a chance to get comfortable or to pick up on his rhythm. If he is going to win against Mayweather, it?s going to have to be in the first 3-4 rounds tops. So since I was hurt for both, it?s hard to give a good analysis of what was difficult or not, since everything was extra difficult for me at that time.
Robert Brown: Mayweather or Pacquiao, who are you picking to win?
Shane Mosley: For the simple fact that I was seriously hurt with ?Pacman? and was able to avoid him knocking me out and Mayweather is not hurt and is generally the best at avoiding punches, I would have to go with Mayweather. Plus Mayweather has Ariza and Pacquiao doesn?t, so I am definitely going with Mayweather on this one, although I like Manny personally and wish him the best.
Robert Brown: Your incredible win going up to face Antonio Margarito and the drama beforehand regarding the loaded gloves of Margarito, can you talk us through your emotions of winning that title and the drama surrounding it?
Shane Mosley: It was a good moment. It felt good to KO him, but not because of the hand wrapping scandal. Trust me, as a fighter, the people we trust often have us doing questionable stuff we honestly didn?t know about.
I had to sue Victor Conte for giving me a cream he swore was legal, but turned out to be PED?s. It tarnished my name unfairly because I had only met the guy once through a trainer of mine I trusted. They lied to me so easily. So I can see how Margarito maybe didn?t know. I don?t hold that against him.
There are people I have fought this decade who I know were doing worse stuff than that. For the record, I was only using the cream for one month before I fought Oscar. It wasn?t even steroids, it was EPO. I wasn?t using it often or long enough for it to have done anything, but ever since that, people want to take credit away from me. That is the bad thing; a lot of people are just misinformed.
Robert Brown: Did the punishment fit Margarito?s crime?
Shane Mosley: I don?t know. I think the ass whopping he got and the loss was punishment enough. Like I said before, I know from personal experience, he may not have even known that was plaster. Or maybe he did (We will never know), but either way, I still won. That little shit can?t stop me, I?m Sugar Shane baby.
Robert Brown: Out of all the divisions you won titles in, which do you feel was your best division to fight at?
Shane Mosley: I am a 147lb?er all the way. I am not built to fight 154. I never should have fought that heavy. I walk around 152 today, I?m slower and don?t feel good that heavy. At 147 I can kill anybody if I?m not hurt.
Robert Brown: Anything you would like to say to Sugar Shane fans?
Shane Mosley: You know, I have to say, I have some of the best fans. They are the most informed of all the fans. They actually read and look into stuff. I have a lot of haters who like to speak on stuff they don?t know, and I have noticed my fans always are the smart ones, they know what?s up.
I have a reputation for being humble; always taking time out for a picture or whatever with the fans, and that is why. My fans are just cooler that some other fighters fans. I don?t get blind loyalty from any ?race? like many fighters. I have a great mix of fans. Mexican, Latin, Asian, black, white?race doesn?t matter. The one thing they have in common is they all are smart and like my class. That says more about them than me. Thanks for the support. Love you guys.
