By Vivek Wallace: The more headlines, articles and excerpts we see posted around the sport, the more we realize that for once, it seems fight fans on both sides of the aisles are in complete unison relative to their thoughts on Shane Mosley’s best shot at winning the pending May 7th showdown against Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.
From the biggest trainers in the sport to the most avid hardcore fans, all appear convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that Mosley’s best shot at victory will come in the first four rounds. Few make accurate predictions every time around, and even fewer put their money where their mouth is when they do; but in this case, there’s at least two people who have far more than a little reason to reconsider this train of thought, and the outcome of the fight could all hinge on their ability to do so. Those two people being none other than Manny Pacquiao and famed trainer Freddie Roach.
Have any of you out there truly stopped to think about what you’ve forecasted for this fight? Roach and Team Pacquiao included…….everyone seems to think that Mosley’s best shot at winning this fight is an early KO of Pacquiao.
For the record, as a none betting man, I’d be personally willing to put money up that short of a natural cruiserweight or heavier, NO FIGHTER IN THE SPORT CAN STOP PACQUAIO WITHIN 4 ROUNDS TO DATE! BAR NONE! There seems to be this odd logic that Mosley’s power will be detrimental enough to send Pacquiao back to the “Hot Tub Time Machine”, leaving him squealing on the canvas from a wicked body shot like the one hand delivered (pun intended) by Singsurat back in ’99.
Few carry the brute strength and will power of Shane Mosley, but after taking every bomb in Margarito’s arsenal, every hook in Cotto’s, and beyond, do people really think that Mosley has a shot of stopping Pacquiao within 4 rounds like most are predicting?
It was one of the most comical one-liners I think I’ve ever heard when Freddie Roach even stated that he’s most concerned about the first four rounds. People can question whatever it is about Pacquiao that they feel they should question, but make no mistake……this guy has one element that can’t be substituted or enhanced, which is one of the most durable beards in the game today, easily allowing a logical thinker to dismiss such a possibility.
Now………the angle that should be reviewed heavily is one that I’ve personally speculated on from the day this fight was signed, and that’s a possibility to see the exact opposite manifest.
Everyone is looking for some huge bomb to pull the curtains early, but the most realistic outcome for Mosley, if he is in fact destined to shock the world, is a scenario where he would land enough hot leather early to soften Pacquiao up before ultimately landing a show-stopper in the final quarter of the fight, best known as the “championship rounds”!
Evidence of this can be seen in several fights against similar fighters of the past. In a display of comic relief, I’ve always joked about Mosley being a “Black-Mexican” fighter, because he’s a rare mix of speed, power, and that vintage ‘stalk-til-they-can’t-walk’ style……with a wicked chin! Generally in many of the slick African American type styles that Hopkins and others speak of, you have the speed, some times a great bit of power, but rarely the knack to want to brawl and slug it out in complete confidence of a near impenetrable chin!
This is what Mosley brings to the table, and that’s what makes him far more of a threat in the later rounds, as evidenced in the Margarito, Marquez, and Morales (1) fights. Deep film-study proves that each of these men were able to land something early and often that they were able to capitalize on to a small degree late in the fight, although none had the speed to beat Pacquiao to the punch consistently, or the stamina to make the most of the times they did down the stretch. Mosley does. Margarito was the slowest of them all, and even he was able to jolt Pacquiao to the body late after softening him up early!
In the end, a Shane victory is a very tall order, despite his smaller opposition; but that being said, there’s no reason to believe he can’t land some thunderous shots early that could make life for him a whole lot better late. If there’s one thing an old lion knows it’s that a juicy steak is always best served when tenderized and softened up first! Pacquiao is normally the hunter, but this could be a classic case of the hunter becoming the hunted.
So, to those that insist, allow me to do the same……Mosley’s best chance against Pacquiao (like anyone else) would NEVER come early! But I’ll be damned if they don’t increase late! With these two men involved, this will be nothing less than a classic “shark tank”. Both attackers can ‘swim’, but anything can happen when the fight goes deep! There’s no better way to view it, because literally or figuratively…..when you consider the possibility just written…..well…..there’s no other word to describe it!
It’s deep!
[Check out next Friday’s 4th installment of the ESB exclusive 7 part countdown to Pacquiao/Mosley]
(Vivek Wallace can be reached at vivexemail@yahoo.com, 954-292-7346, Youtube (Vivek1251), Twitter (VIVEKWALLACE747), Skype (VITO-BOXING) and Facebook).