By Frank Lotierzo, The Sweet Science
Tomorrow night Floyd Mayweather 40-0 (25) will take his first major exam fighting above lightweight when he meets WBA welterweight champion Shane Mosley 46-5 (39). For the past month Mayweather has performed brilliantly as boxing's version of "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, portraying himself as the bad guy in trying to hype the PPV sales of the fight. Mayweather-Mosley isn't as anticipated or compelling as Leonard-Duran I, Leonard-Hearns I or De La Hoya-Trinidad, but it is one of the best fights that can be made in 2010 and it's the biggest welterweight clash in over a decade. It's also the most important bout of Mayweather's career and one he cannot lose.
Although Mosley is/was a great fighter, he's crowding 39 and hasn't fought in sixteen months. Prior to that he wasn't considered to be anywhere near the top of his game. He resurrected his career perception based on his stoppage of Antonio Margarito in January of 2009 (a fight I picked him to lose). And that's not meant to deride Mosley. Shane will retire as one of the least appreciated great fighters in boxing history. However, his willingness to fight any and all of the best fighters of his era has him crossing paths with Mayweather at the wrong time. Instead of waiting for Mayweather to find the gumption to move up and face him at lightweight, Mosley moved up in weight and fought Oscar De La Hoya, Vernon Forrest and Winky Wright two times each. To anyone who believes Mayweather-Mosley wasn't realized seven or eight years ago because of Mosley's reluctance, you're so biased you can't see straight. One fighter went out of his way to meet the best fighters at a higher weight, and the other conveniently retired, saying there was nothing left to prove while Antonio Margarito, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley and Paul Williams were breathing down his neck in the division he held a title three years ago.
No one reading this doubts that Mayweather is one of the most skilled fighters of his era. But his undefeated record is somewhat hollow. He's never agreed to a fight in which the deck wasn't stacked in his favor since his days fighting at lightweight - and that includes the upcoming Mosley bout.
Some fight observers question Mayweather's heart and toughness and imply that once he's dragged into a real firefight he'll wilt and fold. Don't count me among that group. I happen to believe there's a fire breathing lion inside of Floyd Mayweather and if and when he loses, it won't be due to him backing down psychologically. I believe Mayweather will fight and rumble when he's pushed and a loss under those conditions will be the result of him succumbing to a stronger and better fighter, not a tougher or more determined one.
The Mayweather-Mosley clash has been discussed from every angle possible - including fighting styles and strategies, PEDs, drug testing and the relationship each fighter has with their father. There's no need to continue that dialogue in this space.
This is what we know:
Floyd Mayweather was forced into taking this fight because he couldn't dictate the terms in solidifying a blockbuster bout with WBO welterweight champ Manny Pacquiao. Floyd also understands that he can save more face losing to Mosley (if he does) than if he lost to a former flyweight champ. He knows he's facing Mosley at an opportune time being Shane is on the decline at almost 39 years old and coming off the longest layoff of his career, coupled with some outside of the ring personal issues hanging over his head. Another thing Mayweather understands that Mosley doesn't even care about is, Floyd presents a style that troubles Shane, especially at this stage of his career, more-so than the opposite. Mosley is at his best when he's confronted by an opponent willing to bring the fight and engage him. He is more troubled with speed guys and movers when he has to push the fight - something he'll be forced to do against Mayweather. Fighting above lightweight Mosley hasn't been very effective when he's had to implement a plan-B during the bout, something he'll most likely have to do if he's to hand Mayweather his first career defeat.
This fight means everything to Mayweather because his legacy is on the line, that's irrefutable. On the other hand, Mosley already has the utmost respect of the boxing community and most historians. A loss to Mayweather at this stage of his career won't detract from the hall-of-fame career he's compiled. On the other hand Mayweather has conducted his career in a manner that he's not only insecure of his standing among the pantheon of all-time greats, he's to the point that if he loses to Mosley or perhaps Pacquiao down the road, he'll be more remembered for the fight he lost than the forty or so he won. The bottom line is Mayweather will lose any hope of ever being considered one of the greats if he loses to Mosley eight years after Forrest beat him and three years after Cotto won a decision over him. In order for Mayweather to extend the conversation pertaining to his place among boxing's greatest fighters, he must step up and seize the fight when he confronts Mosley. If he's half the fighter he insists he is, he'll find a way to do it.
Hearing Floyd say that he's greater than Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali has been amusing - being that Floyd doesn't believe that himself. The lie detector for all fighters boils down to the level of opposition they faced. Edwin Valero knocked out every opponent he fought on the way to earning two world titles - and no one considers him the greatest puncher in boxing history, no one. Mayweather may be undefeated but the names missing from his record define him as much or more than the ones on it.
However, just because Mayweather's record is in part due to brilliant match making, it doesn't mean he can't fight. So the question becomes how does one believe Floyd will perform versus an opponent who despite being rusty and on the decline, is still the most formidable and dangerous fighter he's ever confronted during his fourteen year professional career?
It says here that although Mayweather is somewhat overrated by many, he can fight. The timing couldn't be any better and the table is set perfectly for Floyd Mayweather to score the signature victory of his career over a version of Shane Mosley he's favored to beat.
In order for Mayweather to pass himself off as the great fighter he so desperately wants to be seen as he must be victorious against Mosley. There's no way around it. The feeling here is Mayweather will win and that he appears to be on the cusp of fighting the most complete fight of his career against a still dangerous opponent. Beating Mosley would represent the defining moment of Mayweather's hall-of-fame career. But does beating him in 2010 really alter his standing among histories greatest fighters?
Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com
Source: thesweetscience.com
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