It took Floyd Mayweather Jr six rounds to figure out Shane Mosley but not after a scary second round when he was repeatedly tagged by huge right overhands that nearly put him down on the canvas.
Mayweather came out from his shell in the third round looking to engage Mosley in a brawl and comfortably box and counterpunch his way to a convincing unanimous 12 round victory over his 38-year old opponent.
A long layoff arguably took its toll on Mosley who cannot keep up and adjust to the suddenly aggressively Mayweather who connected with short crisp hooks and straights every time Shane backpedaled from the third round onwards.
While he appeared sprite going into the last round, Mosley was starting to breathe from his mouth in the fourth round.
In contrast, Mayweather had plenty of gas left after the last round.
Mosley cannot find an antidote to Mayeather?s combined attacking and counterpunching mode although he did not appear to be seriously hurt throughout the fight.
It was Mayweather?s 41st victory against zero losses and solidified his claim as one of the best boxers of all time.
An asterisk, however, will accompany Floyd?s march to greatness if he continues to evade Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, hailed as currently the best pound for pound boxer and probably one of the all time boxing greats.
You see, there lies the difference between the two best welterweights in the world today.
One claims he is the best. The other is acknowledged as the best.
Floyd said he will fight Manny but accompanied it with one thorny condition ? for the Filipino to submit to Olympic-style drug and urine testing.
As if it isn?t enough to insinuate that Manny is ?juicing up?, Floyd added that all he wanted was to ?even the playing field.?
Fine.
Trouble is Floyd wants to fight Manny in his own field. Now that?s not evening things up.
It is fighting and challenging a guy on your own terms.
Back in the cavalier and medieval times, the one who challenged another man gave him the weapon of his choice and the place where their duel will take place.
Floyd is conveniently forgetting that time-honored rule between two duelists.
But then again, Floyd believes times have changed so he can bend the rules according to his taste and liking.
And Floyd is no longer the cavalier that all the great fighters were and are.
So will Floyd really fight Manny?
Methinks it won?t happen.
I really hope I am wrong this time.
