Face Off - Mayweather vs Mosley

HBO released the latest of their new "Face Off" promotional fight hyping pieces, and if it's any indication of what's going to come we can expect Mayweather-Mosley to have perhaps the best 24-7 yet. We all know that these two guys have contrasting personalities and it is immediately clear in the video above.

Opinions about the Video

Mayweather is truly obsessed with that zero on his record. We know this, but it's still always remarkable to hear him return to the subject over and over again. I've said this before, but I honestly believe a loss would be incredibly liberating for Floyd and allow him to truly show his greatness. Mosley might be the one to give him that bitter gift.

You could tell Floyd got a little uncomfortable when Mosley referenced his former appreciation of the older champion. Floyd has undergone a dramatic transformation over recent years, going so far as to laughably deny even watching Shane's fight with Margarito or Manny's recent bout with Clottey. One can't argue with his methods, his bad guy persona has certainly been more lucrative than Shane's humble demeanor, but sometimes you sense even Floyd isn't entirely convinced in his own act.

I thought it was clever of Kellerman to bring out the old Ring Magazine featuring both fighters, Not only does it show the depth and meaning of their rivalry, but it points to the excellence of these two fighters. These two are still considered in the top handful of participants in this, most cruel of all sports, after a decade of battles. It shows the quality of the match up and the men.

That internal conflict was clear when Floyd discussed the distinction between money and legacy. I would never have the audacity to tell a man to risk his health for simple glory. But still, we crave those types of people, we remember them. Shane has the desire, if not the quality to be amongst the very greatest. Floyd might get there despite himself, simply because his talent is so profound.


Watch the Video here:

Mayweather Should Beat Mosley

"Floyd Mayweather should beat Mosley", Says Billy Graham. Billy Graham, who took Ricky Hatton into a megafight with Floyd back in December 2007, spent hours studying Floyd in the build-up to that showdown.  Sadly, he left the MGM Grand arena heartbroken after Hatton's tenth-round stoppage loss yet Floyd's boxing had impressed the veteran trainer. Indeed, Graham has waxed lyrical about Floyd ever since and believes that it will take a special fighter to beat "Money" Mayweather.

"It is no foregone conclusion, for sure, but you'd have to lean towards Floyd, who is younger and hasn't taken any of those type of beatings that Shane took in his fights against Vernon Forrest and Winky Wright," Graham declared when analyzing the upcoming contest.

"You can’t write Shane off, as he's having an Indian summer in recent fights. Shane has wanted Floyd for a long time and believes he knows how to beat him. I believe that Mosley is physically stronger as he's been used to fighting these bigger guys. Then again, Floyd doesn't often need to use his strength because his ability wins him fights.

"I think that the main problem for Shane is that he’d rather have someone come to him; he likes to sit back, let someone come, and work off the mistakes. Shane needs to take it to Floyd in this fight and it is something he isn't used to. This is possibly tougher for both men than a fight with Manny [Pacquiao] would have been."

Graham believes that the key to beating Floyd is not just back him up but, rather, knowing what to do when you have forced Floyd into his defensive shell. "If it is a straight boxing match then Floyd will edge it. Shane needs to make a fight of it at times to take Floyd out of his stride, whether or not he can do that is what makes this a fascinating fight," predicted Graham. "I always knew that the problem wasn't catching up with Floyd, who couldn't move backwards faster than Ricky could move forward, and had warned Ricky beforehand that Floyd would hit a lot harder on the outside and inside than he'd been led to believe. Look, you don't operate at Floyd's level if you're a non-puncher so I told Ricky to be prepared for that and that the real problem was what to do when he got close to Floyd."

Too much talking this time

Graham, though, is not prepared to write Shane off; he believes that Vernon Forrest, who took away Shane's '0' and then out-pointed Mosley in the return match, took a lot out of Shane and that it took Mosley a few years to get those reverses out of his system. Ominously, 'The Viper' utilised a box-clinching style to break Shane's rhythm, this technique is often employed by Floyd; Graham believes that Shane will have to face his worst stylistic nightmare as well as upping his own game once again if he is to prevail.

Tale of the Tape

	Shane Mosley	vs	Floyd Mayweather
Win	46		40
Loss	5		0
Draw	0		0
K.O	39		25
Age	38		32
Height	5'9"		5'8"
Reach	74"		72"
Style	Boxer-Puncher		Boxer/Defensive
Nick Name	Sugar		Pretty Boy/Money

Is Graham reasonable enough? Or is he just a die-hard Floyd fan?

Mayweather vs. Mosley

Two of the Best Boxers on the planet meet when Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather Jr. collides on May 1, 2010. The highly anticipated Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. vs. "Sugar" Shane Mosley fight will be upon us. It’s the biggest fight in the first half of the boxing calendar, and it should serve to answer many questions about both man’s status in the welterweight division as well as their positioning among the all-timers from this generation and others previously. Winner will have a chance at the most exciting boxer - Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao.

Mayweather vs. Mosley - Fight Hype

Pinned two of the top three fighters in the welterweight division and rated top 10 pound for pound boxers on the planet against one another, it’s a fight many feels should have happened years ago. In truth, both camps turned down or looked beyond possible match-ups with one another over the years, but the fight is a case of better late than never.

It certainly does not have the luster of a Mayweather vs. Pacquiao bout, however, that’s a fight that could still be lurking in the upcoming months if Mayweather scores a win. Mosley of course was the odd man out of the Pacquiao vs. Mayweather talks, and would still love to land a big payday against the Filipino sensation if he manage an upset to Mayweather’s record.

Shane Mosley has nothing to lose from this bout. He’s enjoying a second or perhaps third wind to his career after most thought he was finished being a top-level fighter. If he loses to Mayweather, he joins a long list of other big name fighters to have done the same and he does so at a time when he was expected to.

For Mayweather on the other hand, everything is on the line. A win and he remains in the discussion as being the best fighter of his generation, and that fight with Manny Pacquiao just may come off. A loss does nothing but confirm the mutters of bewildered fans who say Mayweather has avoided top competition and tough challenges throughout the duration of his career.

Shane Mosley rusty after a 15 month layoff?

I think not? Remember Antonio Margarito? Remember how Shane , then "old" protagonist, manage a jaw-dropping upset over the younger opponent. Though this is the longest layoff of Mosley’s career and at 39 years old you must seriously wonder if it will be too long, and if perhaps Mosley will finally show his age. The other possible outcome is that at this stage of his career, a long layoff actually allows Mosley’s body to be in the best possible condition. The former is more likely, and ring rust is not an issue you want to be dealing with when you’re in the ring with Floyd Mayweather.

Come fight night!




Watch previous fight of both boxers.

Shane Mosley vs. Antonio Margarito

Floyd Mayweather vs Juan Manual Marquez