There’s nothing in boxing like a good rumor and the talk of the town all day yesterday was the possibility of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Shane Mosley linking up in the near future. It is a bout that has been intriguing since the late 90’s when the Las Vegas based Mayweather and Mosley were champions in the 130 and 135 pounds weight classes, respectively, and fans and insiders alike are clamoring for the bout to become a reality.
One man who has gotten to know Mosley well over the years is former unified Lightweight champion Nate Campbell. The Jacksonville native has spent time with the multi-division champion in camp out in California and vividly recalls sparring with Mosley, who helped Campbell get ready for his 2005 rematch with Robbie Peden.
“I know what he brings to the table,” Campbell claims of his friend. “We were training out of Westminster Boxing Club. I don’t think Shane had a fight lined up but he was just helping me. He has tremendous hand speed and he can move on the drop of a dime. But it’s not just his speed, it’s the fact that he moves so well on his feet and can attack you from so many different angles.”
Outside of Mosley’s blazing speed, which has always been one of his biggest assets, Campbell recalls just how imposing the Pomona fighter was in the trenches.
“I was in California for months and I got to be around Shane for a while,” Campbell continues. “He’s just a physical guy, very strong. I have fought bigger guys like Isaac Hylatshwayo and sparred Light Heavyweights but I can’t recall anybody his size who was as strong as Shane.”
During that time Mosley was coming off of back to back losses to Winky Wright and many in the sport were questioning just how much he had left in the tank. Surprising to some, Mosley has found a way to constantly reinvent himself over the years and stay extremely relevant in the sport. Campbell attributes it to the WBA Welterweight champion’s willingness to test himself time and time again.
“I still do feel that he has a lot left,” Campbell claims. “I think he’s found a way to stay in the game because he keeps fighting the best fighters out there and he always wants to test himself against the best. I mean nobody is going to win every fight if they keep fighting world class competition and if they do it means they are fighting around certain opponents. You won’t get that with Shane.”
Part of that rejuvenation was on full display a year ago in Los Angeles when Mosley once again defied the odds by upsetting and dismantling Antonio Margarito in a brutal and dominant display of speed and accuracy. Campbell typically speaks with endless dialogue but when assessing Mosley’s performance on that night only one word comes to his mind.
“Classic.”
When looking at a Mosley-Mayweather showdown, Campbell may be partial to his friend, but he has his reasoning. While Floyd’s quickness and boxing fundamentals have lead him to a 40-0 mark with 25 knockouts there are certain strengths that Mosley brings to the table that Campbell feels will negate Mayweather’s attack.
“It’s a good fight,” Campbell states. “I really like that fight. I think it would come down to Mosley’s foot speed and physical strength against Floyd’s speed. Right now I would have to favor Mosley.”
If the two Welterweights do end up hooking up it very well could be in early May, almost 16 months since Mosley’s last fight. Such a lengthy layoff at Mosley’s age would be detrimental to most athletes but Campbell feels the fact that Mosley is constantly in shape and will be bringing a great corner into the ring with him will be hugely beneficial.
“I don’t think the layoff will be a problem for him,” Campbell claims. “Having Nasim Richardson in his corner will help him. I’ve been knowing Nasim for years, even before my own trainer John David Jackson. He’s just been around the game for so long and he knows how to come up with a plan. He’s a pure strategist.”
While a Mayweather-Mosley clash has had the boxing world buzzing there are still many doubters out there who feel that it is a fight that Floyd would be reluctant to take. Mayweather’s recent fallout with Manny Pacquiao has left a bad taste in the mouth of many who feel that Floyd was looking for a way out of the bout. Campbell himself can’t speak either way but his perspective as a fan shines through when hoping Floyd Jr. and Shane can find a way to make things work.
“The way things worked themselves out with Berto [pulling out] I think this does open up the door for the fight to happen. I don’t know if Floyd wants the fight or what he is thinking because I can’t speak for him. He’s his own man but I would love to see this fight get made.”
