Golden Boy's Richard Schaefer was not a happy man yesterday. The top promoter admitted to ESPN.com that he is concerned the planned May 1st mega-fight between "Sugar" Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather Junior may be in "trouble." The reason for the former Swiss banker's consternation is the fact that although WBA 147-pound king Mosley signed the fight contract last Friday, Mayweather has still not signed.
This whole story may have become academic by the time you read this article and Mayweather may well have signed the contract either late Tuesday or early Wednesday, U.S time, but up until yesterday evening, Schaefer and his team were most worried..
As has been reported on ESPN.com by Dan Rafael:
"He [Mayweather Jnr.] still hasn't signed," said Schafer. "I am so frustrated. I don't know what Floyd is waiting for. I have no clue. I have a signed contract from Shane on my desk. I have nothing from Floyd."
It goes without saying how a number of fans will jump to the conclusion that Mayweather - often accused as he has been in the past of being a "cherry picker" when it comes to who he will agree to fight - is having second thoughts about taking the risky fight. We don't have any evidence at all that this is the case, but if this isn't what Floyd is thinking then why on earth doesn't he just sign? Schaefer, seeing how big a fight the May 1st clash is, wants to get moving with the promotional stuff; yet until he has both signatures on the contract he cannot.
So what are we, the fans, supposed to think? First and foremost, we are as worried as Schaefer is that this fight - the second would-be super-fight involving Mayweather Junior - will fall apart. We saw Mayweather Vs. Pacquiao go south (at least as far as it happening in the first quarter of 2010) and now it seems there is a chance we could see Mayweather-Mosley do likewise.
Again, things could be all cleared up by the time I've even written this (at approx 10 AM, UK time) and it is to be hoped this is indeed the case. For if Mayweather is having enough second thoughts to want to pull out of the fight (it would be most interesting to hear what possible reason Floyd could give for not facing Mosley - after all, Shane agreed to everything Pacquiao wouldn't with regards to blood testing, etc) it's almost a certainty the fans would never forgive him.
If, and it is only an if at this stage, Mayweather does avoid Mosley, his reputation will suffer an almighty blow. "Just do us all a favour, and retire, Floyd," a good number of fans would say if Mayweather opted out of yet another meaningful fight.
At this stage, bearing in mind how great a fighter Mayweather is (or can be, as some people would say), we must give the 32-year-old star the benefit of the doubt, and assume he WILL sign the contract when he's good and ready. Maybe Floyd is even sat having a big laugh at Mosley's expense, having merely adopted a touch of early physiological warfare?
But Mosley's attorney, Judd Bernstein, who also spoke to ESPN.com, may have hit the nail right on the head with the following comments:
"It's either one of two things that has happened," Bernstein said with regards to why Floyd hasn't signed. "Either he's rethought the wisdom of risking his unbeaten record against Shane or he chooses to act like a 7-year-old. Hopefully, it's the latter and he will mature very quickly."
Well said indeed, Mr. Bernstein!
Source: eastsideboxing.com
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