Sugar Shane Mosley is one of the top 10 fighters of his generation. Yet he is a man without a fight. Some of that is on his own accord. Some of it is not. He has been begging to get a fight with the great Manny Pacquiao, but that is not going to happen. The closest Shane will get to Manny Pacquiao will be at the ESPY awards in a few weeks, where both are nominated for an award in the Best Fighter category. (This is if Manny is there to accept his award) Now Shane is back to the drawing board. I wanted to examine a few options that he could look forward to this year or early next year.
Paul Williams
This is the least viable fight in my opinion. The reason why, is Shane CANT beat Paul Williams. The only people who are clamouring for this fight are Paul Williams, Dan Goosen, and Paul Williams fans. Does anybody really believe Mosley can beat a 6′1″ fighter with a 82 inch reach, who just shut out Winky Wright, a guy who beat Mosley twice, at the age of 38? Come on give Shane a break. Paul Williams is in his late 20?s, and he is just entering his prime. If he beats Shane Mosley, which he almost certainly would, then he put himself in a top position in the sport. If Shane Mosley fights the Paul Williams and happens to somehow win, it would say more about Paul Williams, then it would Shane Mosley, we know who Shane Mosley is.
It is a fight that Shane Mosley has everything to lose and nothing to gain. Remember Vernon Forrest. Point of the matter, if he loses to Paul Williams, his career as a big fight fighter would be over. And the possibility of a 8 figure payday are over. This is a fight Shane should avoid at all costs.
Andre Berto
This is another fight I find to be not viable. This fight only benefits Andre Berto and his supporters. Berto is a clean cut, talented, bright young man. But he has accomplished nothing as an elite prize fighter. In one of his recent fight he went even up with Luis Collazo. Mosley dominated Collazo in 2007. Berto is the sort of hot and cold fighter, who I think would give Mosley problems with his speed and youth. In fact, I would say it would be a pick?em fight going in. The reason why is Berto?s youth and style. Berto is a fast slick fighter, who could use his speed to play keep away from Mosley. He would have the potential to win a stinker, lots of clinching and moving. Right now it is just a bad fight, that only benefits one side, Berto?s. Now if Berto were to win a rematch convincingly against Collazo, and go on to beat a Joshua Clottey. Then this fight would be much more viable and marketable. It is not today.
Joshua Clottey
This fight in my mind,(If Mosley takes a fight) would be the best and most viable fight. The reason why, Clottey would be a tough fighter who would test Mosley. He is around the same size as Shane. And he has fought better opposition then Andre Berto. And he doesn?t present the style problems of a Paul Williams. And he would make the same amount money fighting Clottey as he would Berto or Williams. I think this is the most winnable of the other fights too. Mosley and Clottey would fight even up for 8 rounds, but I think Mosley would carry the day down the stretch, winning a tough but clear decision. Now will Mosley take this fight for 2 or 3 million. That remains to be seen.
Wait for Pacquiao or Mayweather or Cotto
Fight fans don?t want to hear this. But if I were advising Shane, and he didn?t want to fight Clottey. I would say wait for either Mayweather or Pacquiao. Manny Pacquiao would fight anybody, line up Kelly Pavlik and he would probably take him on. But I don?t think Pacquiao?s people will let Manny fight Shane, evidenced by choosing Cotto over Shane. Pacquiao-Mosley would have been the best fight on paper of any of the other fights, but it doesn?t look like it will ever happen.(I think Manny would win a classic)
He could wait for Mayweather in September and that will probably be his best bet. It is a fight that has long been over due. Mayweather will either fight Pacquiao or Mosley. I doubt he would fight Cotto, by some remote chance he were to beat Pacquiao. This is probably Mosley?s best option.
In regards to Cotto. I don?t think Cotto beats Pacquiao. And he he doesn?t, fighting Mosley probably won?t happen.
No Respect for Mosley
I have been getting emails and comments over the last few articles about the viability of Shane Mosley and his marketability. People have been commenting that he is not popular, that he is a steroid user, and that he is a old washed up fighter. Those people don?t know what they are talking about. Here are the facts folks.
Shane Mosley was an invited guest to this years Grammy Awards, the BET Awards, he is a frequent guest of ESPN?s Sports Center, and he has been nominated for a 2nd ESPY award in 8 years. If that doesn?t make him popular then I don?t know what does. He is one of the most mainstream fighters in boxing today. Selling tickets in your hometown does not make you mainstream. It is how recongnizable your name and face are. Only Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao are more popular among the ACTIVE elite fighters today.
Also the steroid question comes along too. Facts are yes, he admited to unknowingly using steroids prior to the 2nd De La Hoya fight in 2003. But he has never been suspected of use prior to that fight, and he has never failed a test prior or since that fight. Also add in the passed polygraph etc. The differences between Shane Mosley, Barry Bonds, and Marion Jones, are Bonds and Jones had been suspected of YEARS of use and both of them have been charged with perjury. One was in jail recently and the other may very well be on their way. People need to let it go. Shane is a Hall of Famer regardless of what happened in 2003. Facts are facts, and unless something changes these current facts, then this is not even a story anymore.
And for the people who say he is old and washed up. He is currently Ring Magazine?s, ESPN?s, and Yahoo?s Sports Number 4 fighter pound for pound and the consensus number 1 welterweight in the world. When Oscar De La Hoya fought Manny last year he wasn?t even top 12 pound for pound or a welterweight champion. That is not to take anything away from Pacquiao or Mayweathers wins over De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, they were GREAT wins. But beating Shane Mosley would do more for their legacies because Shane is a better fighter then both Hatton and De La Hoya. Also for those who think Cotto is better because he beat Mosley in a close fight in 2007. I have 2 words for you, Jermain Taylor. Give Shane his respect. He has earned it by fighting the best and giving fight fans his all.
