AFP
LAS VEGAS: Floyd Mayweather jnr overwhelmed Shane Mosley by unanimous decision to remain unbeaten on Saturday, then vowed he would not fight Manny Pacquiao unless the Filipino star accepts his blood test plan.
Mayweather staggered after an early blow but dominated the last 10 rounds to win by judges' scores of 119-109, 119-109 and 118-110, the 33-year-old American improving to 41-0 while dropping 38-year-old countryman Mosley to 46-6.
''My ultimate goal was to box early and start pressing the attack later in the fight,'' Mayweather said.
''I should have started pressing the attack earlier. Perhaps we could have gotten the knockout.''
Mosley was a substitute foe after talks broke down on a mega-fight between Mayweather and unbeaten Philippines hero Pacquiao, who instead fought Ghana's Joshua Clottey on March 13, beating him by unanimous decision in Dallas.
Mayweather insisted on random pre-fight blood tests, beyond typical governing body doping tests, before he would face Pacquiao.
When the Asian star refused, Mayweather broke off talks. Critics said it was Mayweather's way of avoiding a fight against a foe who could beat him, a charge Mayweather denied even though he did not relent on his blood test demand.
''If Manny Pacquiao wants to fight, it's not hard to find me,'' Mayweather said moments after the victory. If Manny Pacquiao takes the blood and urine test, we can satisfy all the fans.''
But if not?
''We don't got no fight,'' Mayweather said.
That deal-breaking condition means boxing fans will likely continue to suffer without real hope of seeing the two stars of the era meet in the ring in their prime.
Mosley agreed to the tests to make the fight with Mayweather happen.
''He done what I asked him to do,'' Mayweather said. ''He took a blood and urine test. If every athlete in the sport of boxing is clean, take the test.
''I want to be on an even playing field. That's all I ask.''
When Mosley was asked about the chances for a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, the blood test was foremost in his thoughts. ''If Manny takes the blood test, you'll see him fight Manny,'' Mosley said.
Mosley landed a hard right cross early in the second round that staggered Mayweather and followed with several more punches that threatened to end the fight early.
But Mayweather weathered the storm and slowly began to use his speed and skill to seize command.
''That comes with the territory,'' Mayweather said. ''Sometimes you're going to get hit with hard shots. You have to suck it up and keep fighting.''
Source: smh.com.au
Sunday, 2 May 2010
Pacquiao showdown still no closer for Mayweather -- Yahoo! Sports
By Reuters
Floyd Mayweather was reluctant to commit to a mega-fight with Filipino Manny Pacquiao after embellishing his unbeaten record by outclassing fellow American Shane Mosley in a welterweight bout on Saturday.
Boxing fans have savoured the prospect of a Mayweather-Pacquiao showdown, if only to decide the mythical title of the world's best pound-for-pound fighter.
Mayweather had been expected to meet Pacquiao earlier this year until negotiations collapsed over the American's demand for random drug testing. Mosley then stepped in to take the Filipino's place.
"If Manny takes the (blood) test, we can make the fight happen," Mayweather told a news conference after completing a unanimous points victory over Mosley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
"If he doesn't, we don't have a fight. If Manny Pacquaio wants to fight, it is not hard to find me.
"I'm not going out chasing fighters," added Mayweather, who surrendered his tag as the best pound-for-pound boxer to Pacquiao during a 21-month retirement from the sport that ended only in September.
"If the fans want to see that happen, I want to make it happen but we have to have a level playing field. If every athlete is clean in the sport of boxing, take the test."
Mayweather did, however, express interest in another possible opponent in a higher weight class -- light-middleweight and middleweight champion Sergio Martinez of Argentina.
"I thought about that," said Mayweather, who improved his career record to 41-0 with 25 knockouts. "As of right now, I don't know what I'm going to do. All I want to do is go home and relax."
DOUBLE SURPRISE
Mayweather has certainly earned quality relaxation time with his family after delivering two surprises for the boxing fans at the MGM Grand on Saturday.
Known for his flamboyant showmanship, Mayweather produced the first with a spectacular arrival in the ring before providing the second with an aggressive style of boxing very rarely seen from him before.
After a lengthy build-up to the fight, Mosley, wearing a black robe with blue and white trim, approached the ring with Eminem's "Till I collapse" as his musical accompaniment.
Mayweather, who is nicknamed 'Money", then followed in his trademark dramatic style.
While the O'Jays classic "For the Love of Money" was sung by four men walking ahead of him, he advanced to the ring wearing black fur and red leather with fireworks going off and costumed clowns on stilts showering the fans with money.
"I love to give the fans something different," said the 33-year-old, who is boxing's biggest box office draw. "I always like to something different up my sleeve."
Renowned as the best defensive fighter of his generation, Mayweather went on to surprise the sellout crowd, and Mosley, with a much more aggressive strategy than had been expected.
"There was a point to prove, to see who was the best welterweight out there," Mayweather said after dominating 11 of the 12 rounds.
"Everyone was talking about how Mosley is stronger, how Mosley is faster. I rocked him more than he rocked me.
"After a while I think Mosley went into survival mode. All he was trying to do was survive." (Additional reporting by Kieran Mulvaney; Editing by John O'Brien; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
Source: uk.eurosport.yahoo.com
Floyd Mayweather was reluctant to commit to a mega-fight with Filipino Manny Pacquiao after embellishing his unbeaten record by outclassing fellow American Shane Mosley in a welterweight bout on Saturday.
Boxing fans have savoured the prospect of a Mayweather-Pacquiao showdown, if only to decide the mythical title of the world's best pound-for-pound fighter.
Mayweather had been expected to meet Pacquiao earlier this year until negotiations collapsed over the American's demand for random drug testing. Mosley then stepped in to take the Filipino's place.
"If Manny takes the (blood) test, we can make the fight happen," Mayweather told a news conference after completing a unanimous points victory over Mosley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
"If he doesn't, we don't have a fight. If Manny Pacquaio wants to fight, it is not hard to find me.
"I'm not going out chasing fighters," added Mayweather, who surrendered his tag as the best pound-for-pound boxer to Pacquiao during a 21-month retirement from the sport that ended only in September.
"If the fans want to see that happen, I want to make it happen but we have to have a level playing field. If every athlete is clean in the sport of boxing, take the test."
Mayweather did, however, express interest in another possible opponent in a higher weight class -- light-middleweight and middleweight champion Sergio Martinez of Argentina.
"I thought about that," said Mayweather, who improved his career record to 41-0 with 25 knockouts. "As of right now, I don't know what I'm going to do. All I want to do is go home and relax."
DOUBLE SURPRISE
Mayweather has certainly earned quality relaxation time with his family after delivering two surprises for the boxing fans at the MGM Grand on Saturday.
Known for his flamboyant showmanship, Mayweather produced the first with a spectacular arrival in the ring before providing the second with an aggressive style of boxing very rarely seen from him before.
After a lengthy build-up to the fight, Mosley, wearing a black robe with blue and white trim, approached the ring with Eminem's "Till I collapse" as his musical accompaniment.
Mayweather, who is nicknamed 'Money", then followed in his trademark dramatic style.
While the O'Jays classic "For the Love of Money" was sung by four men walking ahead of him, he advanced to the ring wearing black fur and red leather with fireworks going off and costumed clowns on stilts showering the fans with money.
"I love to give the fans something different," said the 33-year-old, who is boxing's biggest box office draw. "I always like to something different up my sleeve."
Renowned as the best defensive fighter of his generation, Mayweather went on to surprise the sellout crowd, and Mosley, with a much more aggressive strategy than had been expected.
"There was a point to prove, to see who was the best welterweight out there," Mayweather said after dominating 11 of the 12 rounds.
"Everyone was talking about how Mosley is stronger, how Mosley is faster. I rocked him more than he rocked me.
"After a while I think Mosley went into survival mode. All he was trying to do was survive." (Additional reporting by Kieran Mulvaney; Editing by John O'Brien; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
Source: uk.eurosport.yahoo.com
Mayweather leaves no doubt vs. Mosley -- New York Post
By GEORGE WILLIS, New York Post
Mayweather dominated the next 10 rounds with his quickness and overall boxing genius, earning a unanimous decision before a sellout crowd at the MGM Grand. Two judges scored the bout 119-109, while another had it 118-110. The Post saw it 117-111 for Mayweather.
No longer can Mayweather's excellence be questioned because of inferior competition. Mosley, the reigning WBA welterweight champion, couldn't deal with Mayweather's movement, hand speed and defensive skills. Mosley's crucial mistake was trying to out-box the boxer. Instead of putting pressure on Mayweather, Mosley tried to match him with counter punches and combinations, hoping to land an occasional big punch. Bad strategy.
Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs) is the master of that game and slowly wore down Mosley, who threw fewer and fewer punches as the fight went on. By the end of the bout, Mayweather was the aggressor, stalking Mosley around the ring, blinding him with his quickness. Mayweather landed 208 punches in the fight compared to 92 for Mosley.
"I did what the fans came here wanted to see, a toe-to-toe battle," Mayweather said. "That's not my style, but I wanted to give them that kind of fight and I knew I could do it. I went over the game plan with my dad [Floyd Sr.] and Uncle Roger while sitting around the house. They told me to box and then lay on the attack. I think we could have pressed the attack a lot earlier and I think we could have got the knock out."
Mayweather, a 3½-to-1 favorite, entered the ring escorted by the real O'Jays singing "Money, Money, Money." Mayweather certainly earned plenty of that in the much-anticipated pay-per-view bout. His pockets are now stuffed and his legacy adds a major highlight.
Mosley, fighting for the first time since January 2009, had his chance in the second round. He first hurt Mayweather early in the round when he landed a quick right hand. As the crowd began to chant "Mosley, Mosley," he responded by rocking Mayweather with another right hand to the head. Though he shook his head as if to say he was fine, Mayweather's unstable legs gave him away.
A short left hook by Mayweather cooled Mosley's attack, and a little holding helped him to survive the round.
"It's a contact sport and you're going to get hit," Mayweather said. "But when you get hit, you suck it up and keep on fighting. That's what I did.
Mosley thought the long layoff hurt his timing.
"I caught him with a big right hand and I tried to move around, but he was too quick and I was too tight," Mosley said. "After I landed the right hand, I thought I needed to knock him out and I needed to do it sooner or later. I couldn't adjust and he did."
Mayweather said he'll agree to fight Manny Pacquiao next if the Filipino agrees to random drug testing as Mosley did. "I'm willing to take it and [Pacquiao] should, too," Mayweather said. "If Manny takes the test, we can make the fight happen. If he doesn't, we don't have a fight."
george.willis@nypost.com
Source: nypost.com
LAS VEGAS -- For a moment, it looked as if Floyd "Money" Mayweather
had met his match. A thunderous right-hand from Sugar Shane Mosley had landed squarely on Mayweather's chin, turning his legs to instant jelly.
had met his match. A thunderous right-hand from Sugar Shane Mosley had landed squarely on Mayweather's chin, turning his legs to instant jelly. Mayweather, unbeaten and the self-proclaimed best fighter ever, was in trouble. Mosley pounced delivering a flurry of power punches. But instead of being the end of Mayweather, it was the end of Mosley, the last time he threatened in the non-title welterweight bout.
Mayweather dominated the next 10 rounds with his quickness and overall boxing genius, earning a unanimous decision before a sellout crowd at the MGM Grand. Two judges scored the bout 119-109, while another had it 118-110. The Post saw it 117-111 for Mayweather.No longer can Mayweather's excellence be questioned because of inferior competition. Mosley, the reigning WBA welterweight champion, couldn't deal with Mayweather's movement, hand speed and defensive skills. Mosley's crucial mistake was trying to out-box the boxer. Instead of putting pressure on Mayweather, Mosley tried to match him with counter punches and combinations, hoping to land an occasional big punch. Bad strategy.
Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs) is the master of that game and slowly wore down Mosley, who threw fewer and fewer punches as the fight went on. By the end of the bout, Mayweather was the aggressor, stalking Mosley around the ring, blinding him with his quickness. Mayweather landed 208 punches in the fight compared to 92 for Mosley.
"I did what the fans came here wanted to see, a toe-to-toe battle," Mayweather said. "That's not my style, but I wanted to give them that kind of fight and I knew I could do it. I went over the game plan with my dad [Floyd Sr.] and Uncle Roger while sitting around the house. They told me to box and then lay on the attack. I think we could have pressed the attack a lot earlier and I think we could have got the knock out."
Mayweather, a 3½-to-1 favorite, entered the ring escorted by the real O'Jays singing "Money, Money, Money." Mayweather certainly earned plenty of that in the much-anticipated pay-per-view bout. His pockets are now stuffed and his legacy adds a major highlight.
Mosley, fighting for the first time since January 2009, had his chance in the second round. He first hurt Mayweather early in the round when he landed a quick right hand. As the crowd began to chant "Mosley, Mosley," he responded by rocking Mayweather with another right hand to the head. Though he shook his head as if to say he was fine, Mayweather's unstable legs gave him away.
A short left hook by Mayweather cooled Mosley's attack, and a little holding helped him to survive the round.
"It's a contact sport and you're going to get hit," Mayweather said. "But when you get hit, you suck it up and keep on fighting. That's what I did.
Mosley thought the long layoff hurt his timing.
"I caught him with a big right hand and I tried to move around, but he was too quick and I was too tight," Mosley said. "After I landed the right hand, I thought I needed to knock him out and I needed to do it sooner or later. I couldn't adjust and he did."
Mayweather said he'll agree to fight Manny Pacquiao next if the Filipino agrees to random drug testing as Mosley did. "I'm willing to take it and [Pacquiao] should, too," Mayweather said. "If Manny takes the test, we can make the fight happen. If he doesn't, we don't have a fight."
george.willis@nypost.com
Source: nypost.com
Naazim Richardson Told the Story From Shane Mosley's Corner -- FanHouse
By Michael David Smith, FanHouse
Shane Mosley fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. hard for the first two rounds of their bout on Saturday night, then proceeded to be thoroughly beaten over the final 10 rounds. Through it all, HBO's microphones caught Mosley's trainer, Naazim Richardson, attempting to motivate Mosley to turn back into the fighter he was in the first two rounds -- and growing increasingly frustrated as Mosley failed to do so.
A fairly slow first round that consisted of Mosley and Mayweather mostly feeling each other out left Richardson saying, "Everything's good. Everything's good. Everything's good. I need you to settle down a little bit, that's all. Everything else is good. When you touch him he tries to touch you back, doesn't he? That's why I need you to add that feint."
After Mosley rocked Mayweather with one of the hardest punches anyone has ever landed on him in his career in the second, Richardson was obviously pleased. But it didn't take long for Richardson's mood to change when Mosley failed to capitalize on his momentum and turned in a lackluster performance in the third round.
"I don't want you second guessing yourself," Richardson told Mosley after the third. "Stay behind your speed."
Following the fourth round Richardson started to make some tactical instructions -- and to sound concerned that Mosley wasn't doing in the ring what they had been working on in the gym.
"I need you to tuck your chin down and put your hands in the middle," Richardson said. "We worked on that, Shane. Don't hesitate."
The fifth round was one of Mayweather's best, and it led to Richardson telling Mosley he needed to land punches in volume, rather than trying to load up for a knockout punch.
"I need you landing shots," Richardson said. "I need the 1-2-3. You're trying to get that big shot. That big shot comes down the road."
By the seventh round, Mayweather was in complete control of the fight, and Richardson was practically begging Mosley to change that.
"Show me something," Richardson said. "You've got to wake up for me Shane, alright? You can't depend on one big shot. ... You look like you're fading on me, man."
The most fascinating exchange between Richardson and Mosley came after the 10th round. The fight had become so one-sided in Mayweather's favor that Richardson actually threatened to throw in the towel if Mosley didn't do something.
"I'm not going to stand here and watch you take a beating, son," Richardson said. "I know you. I know you're cut from a different cloth. Don't make me do something I don't want to do."
After that Richardson told Mosley what he wanted from him: "Move the hands, step over and come back," Richardson said.
Mosley looked so exhausted that the instructions hadn't registered, so Richardson demanded, "Say it to me! I'm gonna move the hands, step over and come back."
Mosley repeated, "I'm gonna move the hands, step over and come back."
Said Richardson: "That's what I need! You ain't tired! I know you ain't that tired if you can repeat it!"
But Mosley sure looked tired, and heading into the 12th and final round, Richardson leveled with Mosley and told him he'd need a knockout to win the fight.
"This is it, man," Richardson said. "He's got to go. You've done it before. I need it now. This is what warriors do."
But Mosley didn't have anything left, and after the 12th and final round Richardson hugged Mosley and didn't say much of anything at all. Richardson had narrated his fighter's beating, and once it was complete, he had nothing left to say.
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
Shane Mosley fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. hard for the first two rounds of their bout on Saturday night, then proceeded to be thoroughly beaten over the final 10 rounds. Through it all, HBO's microphones caught Mosley's trainer, Naazim Richardson, attempting to motivate Mosley to turn back into the fighter he was in the first two rounds -- and growing increasingly frustrated as Mosley failed to do so.
A fairly slow first round that consisted of Mosley and Mayweather mostly feeling each other out left Richardson saying, "Everything's good. Everything's good. Everything's good. I need you to settle down a little bit, that's all. Everything else is good. When you touch him he tries to touch you back, doesn't he? That's why I need you to add that feint."
After Mosley rocked Mayweather with one of the hardest punches anyone has ever landed on him in his career in the second, Richardson was obviously pleased. But it didn't take long for Richardson's mood to change when Mosley failed to capitalize on his momentum and turned in a lackluster performance in the third round.
"I don't want you second guessing yourself," Richardson told Mosley after the third. "Stay behind your speed."
Following the fourth round Richardson started to make some tactical instructions -- and to sound concerned that Mosley wasn't doing in the ring what they had been working on in the gym.
"I need you to tuck your chin down and put your hands in the middle," Richardson said. "We worked on that, Shane. Don't hesitate."
The fifth round was one of Mayweather's best, and it led to Richardson telling Mosley he needed to land punches in volume, rather than trying to load up for a knockout punch.
"I need you landing shots," Richardson said. "I need the 1-2-3. You're trying to get that big shot. That big shot comes down the road."
By the seventh round, Mayweather was in complete control of the fight, and Richardson was practically begging Mosley to change that.
"Show me something," Richardson said. "You've got to wake up for me Shane, alright? You can't depend on one big shot. ... You look like you're fading on me, man."
The most fascinating exchange between Richardson and Mosley came after the 10th round. The fight had become so one-sided in Mayweather's favor that Richardson actually threatened to throw in the towel if Mosley didn't do something.
"I'm not going to stand here and watch you take a beating, son," Richardson said. "I know you. I know you're cut from a different cloth. Don't make me do something I don't want to do."
After that Richardson told Mosley what he wanted from him: "Move the hands, step over and come back," Richardson said.
Mosley looked so exhausted that the instructions hadn't registered, so Richardson demanded, "Say it to me! I'm gonna move the hands, step over and come back."
Mosley repeated, "I'm gonna move the hands, step over and come back."
Said Richardson: "That's what I need! You ain't tired! I know you ain't that tired if you can repeat it!"
But Mosley sure looked tired, and heading into the 12th and final round, Richardson leveled with Mosley and told him he'd need a knockout to win the fight.
"This is it, man," Richardson said. "He's got to go. You've done it before. I need it now. This is what warriors do."
But Mosley didn't have anything left, and after the 12th and final round Richardson hugged Mosley and didn't say much of anything at all. Richardson had narrated his fighter's beating, and once it was complete, he had nothing left to say.
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
Local sports: Floyd Jr-Mosley bout didn't live up to hype -- GMA News
GMANews.TV
Local sports personalities, who were expecting an exciting showdown in the much-hyped bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and "Sugar" Shane Mosley, waited for long hours. But ended up disappointed with the outcome.
Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) coach Chot Reyes and sports commentator Jude Turcuato as well as World Boxing Association (WBA) super flyweight champion Nonito Donaire and ex-champ Brian Viloria couldn’t hide their disappointment in the match, regarded to be as one of the most anticipated fights in 2010.
They shared their views in the social networking website Twitter.
"What a boring fight," said Reyes, champion coach of the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in the PBA. "That’s why we loved Pacman (Manny Pacquiao). He boxes and throws punches unlike these two bobbers and weavers."
PBA courtside reporter Patricia Bermudez-Hizon said that the only exciting part of the match was when Mosley landed a big right that staggered Mayweather. Since then, the fight slowed down its pace with both boxers waiting who will make the first move.
When Mosley began to get exhausted, the bout became one-sided and never lived up to expectations of an action-packed encounter eagerly awaited by everyone.
"It’s a case of a fight not living up to the hype," said Turcuato. "After the second round, the crowd got quiet inside MGM Grand. I guess most of them were rooting for Mosley. Then, the fight became boring and one sided you may guess who’s gonna be put to sleep first, Mosley or the viewers."
Viloria gave emphasis on speed, which proved to be too much for the 38-year-old Mosley.
"Speed kills. Nice try Mosley. There’s only one person left for Mayweather and we all know who that is," said Viloria. "Pacquiao-Mayweather at Cowboy Stadium. Make it happen. It needs to happen."
Donaire gave importance on conditioning, which has become the trademark of Pacquiao’s success.
"On conditioning, Pacquiao will knock them all out," said Donaire. "Shane gave Floyd too much respect. By the time the match reached halfway mark, I felt Mosley wasn’t going to win."
PBA players who wisely predicted a Mayweather victory, heaped praises on the fighter now known as "Money" in the world of prizefighting.
"I told you all, money cash cow Mayweather is going to win. He’s too good," said Alaska forward Joe de Vance.
Former most valuable player Eric Menk of Barangay Ginebra praised Mayweather for winning over a legitimate welterweight opponent this time. "He dominated an opponent his size. Mayweather-Pacquiao may be next in line."
Smart-Gilas team captain Chris Tiu said age played a big factor in the bout.
"He’s too old and too slow," said Tiu, referring to the beaten Mosley.
"Money Mayweather versus Pacquiao please," added Talk 'N Text veteran forward Harvey Carey. - JVP/Rey Joble, GMANews.TV
Source: gmanews.tv
Local sports personalities, who were expecting an exciting showdown in the much-hyped bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and "Sugar" Shane Mosley, waited for long hours. But ended up disappointed with the outcome.
Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) coach Chot Reyes and sports commentator Jude Turcuato as well as World Boxing Association (WBA) super flyweight champion Nonito Donaire and ex-champ Brian Viloria couldn’t hide their disappointment in the match, regarded to be as one of the most anticipated fights in 2010.
They shared their views in the social networking website Twitter.
"What a boring fight," said Reyes, champion coach of the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in the PBA. "That’s why we loved Pacman (Manny Pacquiao). He boxes and throws punches unlike these two bobbers and weavers."
PBA courtside reporter Patricia Bermudez-Hizon said that the only exciting part of the match was when Mosley landed a big right that staggered Mayweather. Since then, the fight slowed down its pace with both boxers waiting who will make the first move.
When Mosley began to get exhausted, the bout became one-sided and never lived up to expectations of an action-packed encounter eagerly awaited by everyone.
"It’s a case of a fight not living up to the hype," said Turcuato. "After the second round, the crowd got quiet inside MGM Grand. I guess most of them were rooting for Mosley. Then, the fight became boring and one sided you may guess who’s gonna be put to sleep first, Mosley or the viewers."
Viloria gave emphasis on speed, which proved to be too much for the 38-year-old Mosley.
"Speed kills. Nice try Mosley. There’s only one person left for Mayweather and we all know who that is," said Viloria. "Pacquiao-Mayweather at Cowboy Stadium. Make it happen. It needs to happen."
Donaire gave importance on conditioning, which has become the trademark of Pacquiao’s success.
"On conditioning, Pacquiao will knock them all out," said Donaire. "Shane gave Floyd too much respect. By the time the match reached halfway mark, I felt Mosley wasn’t going to win."
PBA players who wisely predicted a Mayweather victory, heaped praises on the fighter now known as "Money" in the world of prizefighting.
"I told you all, money cash cow Mayweather is going to win. He’s too good," said Alaska forward Joe de Vance.
Former most valuable player Eric Menk of Barangay Ginebra praised Mayweather for winning over a legitimate welterweight opponent this time. "He dominated an opponent his size. Mayweather-Pacquiao may be next in line."
Smart-Gilas team captain Chris Tiu said age played a big factor in the bout.
"He’s too old and too slow," said Tiu, referring to the beaten Mosley.
"Money Mayweather versus Pacquiao please," added Talk 'N Text veteran forward Harvey Carey. - JVP/Rey Joble, GMANews.TV
Source: gmanews.tv
Floyd firm on Pac Man stance -- Sky Sports
Sky SportsFloyd Mayweather insists he will only fight Manny Pacquiao if the Filipino agrees to the drug testing schedule that had previously seen their expected mega-fight fall through.
'Money' Mayweather maintained his unbeaten record with a comprehensive points victory over Shane Mosley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Mayweather moved on to 41-0 with a brilliant showing against his fellow American, showing an aggressive and entertaining style rarely seen from the 'Pretty Boy'.
The display from Mayweather has only further added to the desire from the entire boxing world to see him face Pacquiao - who took over his pound-for-pound crown during his 21-month retirement.Pacquiao and Mayweather had been due to fight this year but the deal fell through when the Filipino refused to agree to Mayweather's drug testing terms, leaving to him fighting Mosely instead.
Showdown
With Pacquiao beating Joshua Clottey in style, and Mayweather looking better than ever against Mosley, the world is craving a showdown between the two - but Mayweather will not commit unless Pacquiao changes his mind about the drug tests.
"If Manny Pacquiao wants to fight, it's not hard to find me," Mayweather said. "If Manny Pacquiao will take the blood and urine tests, we can make the fight happen for all the fans.
"If he doesn't, we don't have a fight. I'm not going out chasing fighters.
"If the fans want to see that happen, I want to make it happen but we have to have a level playing field. If every athlete is clean in the sport of boxing, take the test."
Mayweather acknowledged that Mosley hurt him early in the fight, but was keen to prove a point as he dismantled his opponent with a change to a more aggressive style.
Survival
"That's all with the territory of boxing - only the strongest survive. This is a contact sport, some time you are going to get hit with big shots, you must suck it up and keep fighting hard like a warrior.
"I love to give the fans something different. I always like to something different up my sleeve.
"There was a point to prove, to see who was the best welterweight out there. Everyone was talking about how Mosley is stronger, how Mosley is faster. I rocked him more than he rocked me.
"After a while I think Mosley went into survival mode. All he was trying to do was survive."
With a fight against Pacquiao looking uncertain, 33-year-old Mayweather could try and move up a weight and go after light-middleweight and middleweight champion Sergio Martinez of Argentina.
"I thought about that," added Mayweather. "As of right now, I don't know what I'm going to do. All I want to do is go home and relax."
Source: skysports.com
Oscar de la Hoya: 'Floyd Mayweather is King Of The World' -- FanHouse
By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse
LAS VEGAS -- Oscar de la Hoya couldn't help but be impressed by the total total domination by Floyd Mayweather of his business partner and two-time conqueror, Shane Mosley, before a raucous crowd of 15,117 Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Not only did Mayweather win all but a combined, four rounds on the three judges' cards, but the smaller man survived a rough moment in the second round where he was staggered by a right hand, only to turn the tables and come as close to knocking out Mosley as anyone has during the WBA welterweight (147 pounds) champion's career.
"Tonight convinced me. I have to say the truth. It convinced me that he is the best. Possibly, and there's obviously a lot of people who can argue this, but he's possibly the best of all time. Mayweather has the skills to beat anybody," said de la Hoya, whose Golden Boy Promotions employs Mosley and also promoted the event.
"Floyd Mayweather has the talent, and he has the work ethic. And all over the world, people are becoming fans of the talent that he possesses," said de la Hoya. "You really have to commend him for that. He fought a fighter in Shane Mosley that was supposed to be the most dangerous fight of his career. And Mayweather showed us why he's the best."
The 33-year-old Mayweather won, going away, against the 38-year-old Mosley (46-6, 39 knockouts), who earned a guaranteed $7 million to Mayweather's non-heavyweight record, $22.5 million guaranteed purse.
Mayweather was facing the largest, and, most athletic opponent of his career, even as he maintained prior to the fight that Mosley would simply end up like every one of his previous rivals: Befuddled by his defense, and, fighting for his own survival against Mayweather's under rated punching power.
Mayweather won on the cards of Adalaide Byrd and Dave Moretti by the score of 119-109, and on that of Robert Hoyle 118-110.
FanHouse had it for Mayweather, 119-109 for total punches, 85-to-46 in jabs and 123-to-46 in power punches.
De la Hoya was twice a loser to Mosley, who dethroned him as WBC welterweight champion by split-decision in June of 200, and then, dethroned de la Hoya as WBC and WBA junior middleweight (154 pounds) titlist by unanimous decision in September of 2003.
De la Hoya out-weighed Mayweather, 154-to-150, in May of 2007, when Mayweather defeated him by split-decision.
Prior to Saturday night's bout, de la Hoya and Mosley had gone over a scouting report on how Mosley could come up with the means with which to defeat Mayweather, but to no avail.
"We went over combinations, we went over jabs. I don't know if people saw my fight with Mayweather, but when I was landing jabs -- Whew! It's not the key to beating Mayweather, but it was working. You know? Until my left shoulder went out on me and until my back went out on me and I grew old overnight after that sixth round, you know?" said de la Hoya.
"I think that the jab is like a lost art. I could probably say that I had a pretty good jab. I went over it with Mosley, like, 'Jab, you have to jab.' And you don't get lazy on him, because he feints you," said de la Hoya. "But we didn't see that Mosley tonight. Not the Mosley that we're used to seeing. And it has a lot to do with Floyd Mayweather's abilities. We can't come up with excuses and this and that. Mosley had a rival in front of him, and, hey, he lost against a better man."
Mosley fanned the flames for the match up in September when he interrupted Mayweather's post-fight, in-the-ring interview to call him out on the microphone following Mayweather's lopsided, unanimous decision over Juan Manuel Marquez that ended a 21-month ring absence for the unbeaten fighter.
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
LAS VEGAS -- Oscar de la Hoya couldn't help but be impressed by the total total domination by Floyd Mayweather of his business partner and two-time conqueror, Shane Mosley, before a raucous crowd of 15,117 Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Not only did Mayweather win all but a combined, four rounds on the three judges' cards, but the smaller man survived a rough moment in the second round where he was staggered by a right hand, only to turn the tables and come as close to knocking out Mosley as anyone has during the WBA welterweight (147 pounds) champion's career.
"Tonight convinced me. I have to say the truth. It convinced me that he is the best. Possibly, and there's obviously a lot of people who can argue this, but he's possibly the best of all time. Mayweather has the skills to beat anybody," said de la Hoya, whose Golden Boy Promotions employs Mosley and also promoted the event.
"Floyd Mayweather has the talent, and he has the work ethic. And all over the world, people are becoming fans of the talent that he possesses," said de la Hoya. "You really have to commend him for that. He fought a fighter in Shane Mosley that was supposed to be the most dangerous fight of his career. And Mayweather showed us why he's the best."
The 33-year-old Mayweather won, going away, against the 38-year-old Mosley (46-6, 39 knockouts), who earned a guaranteed $7 million to Mayweather's non-heavyweight record, $22.5 million guaranteed purse.
Mayweather was facing the largest, and, most athletic opponent of his career, even as he maintained prior to the fight that Mosley would simply end up like every one of his previous rivals: Befuddled by his defense, and, fighting for his own survival against Mayweather's under rated punching power.
Mayweather won on the cards of Adalaide Byrd and Dave Moretti by the score of 119-109, and on that of Robert Hoyle 118-110.
FanHouse had it for Mayweather, 119-109 for total punches, 85-to-46 in jabs and 123-to-46 in power punches.
De la Hoya was twice a loser to Mosley, who dethroned him as WBC welterweight champion by split-decision in June of 200, and then, dethroned de la Hoya as WBC and WBA junior middleweight (154 pounds) titlist by unanimous decision in September of 2003.
De la Hoya out-weighed Mayweather, 154-to-150, in May of 2007, when Mayweather defeated him by split-decision.
Prior to Saturday night's bout, de la Hoya and Mosley had gone over a scouting report on how Mosley could come up with the means with which to defeat Mayweather, but to no avail.
"We went over combinations, we went over jabs. I don't know if people saw my fight with Mayweather, but when I was landing jabs -- Whew! It's not the key to beating Mayweather, but it was working. You know? Until my left shoulder went out on me and until my back went out on me and I grew old overnight after that sixth round, you know?" said de la Hoya.
"I think that the jab is like a lost art. I could probably say that I had a pretty good jab. I went over it with Mosley, like, 'Jab, you have to jab.' And you don't get lazy on him, because he feints you," said de la Hoya. "But we didn't see that Mosley tonight. Not the Mosley that we're used to seeing. And it has a lot to do with Floyd Mayweather's abilities. We can't come up with excuses and this and that. Mosley had a rival in front of him, and, hey, he lost against a better man."
Mosley fanned the flames for the match up in September when he interrupted Mayweather's post-fight, in-the-ring interview to call him out on the microphone following Mayweather's lopsided, unanimous decision over Juan Manuel Marquez that ended a 21-month ring absence for the unbeaten fighter.
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: The perfect fighter? -- Las Vegas Sun
By Brett Okamoto, Las Vegas Sun
Regardless of what anyone’s personal feelings are about Floyd Mayweather Jr., there is an undeniable fact the fighter has proven beyond any doubt — he has figured out the sport of boxing.
Every nook, every cranny where a potential advantage in boxing might lay hidden, Mayweather finds it and exploits it.
That much was clear again Saturday night, when he defeated Shane Mosley by unanimous decision at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mayweather’s professional record now consists of 41 wins and zero losses over the course of more than 13 years.
Following the dominant performance, former world champion Oscar De La Hoya said there is no longer any doubt in his mind who the best fighter in the world is.
“Tonight, we just witnessed the best fighter on the planet,” De La Hoya said. “I have to say the truth. He convinced me tonight that he is the best — possibly of all time.
“He has the skills to beat anybody. He has the talent. He has the work ethic. There’s no doubt about it. Mayweather, in my mind, is the best.”
Sometimes it’s easy to attribute Mayweather’s greatness to a few simple factors and be done with it. His natural athletic ability. His family’s background in boxing. Luck.
But the truth is, all of Mayweather’s success can be traced back to the little things he does so much better than any other fighter in the world today.
Much of Mayweather’s pre-fight "trash-talk" is written off as commercial appeal — hype to drive ticket sales.
As De La Hoya mentioned this weekend, however, Mayweather is a genius at defeating his opponents mentally before defeating them physically.
After Mosley had made his entrance to the ring Saturday, Mayweather remained in his locker room longer than anyone expected just to force his opponent to stand and wait as long as possible.
“I’m going to be honest with you, I’ve always got a trick up my sleeve. I’ve always got a game plan,” Mayweather said. “Truth is, I think Shane is a little older. He’s 38. I figured, ‘I’ll make him wait out there for me.’ Show my video. I’ll just hang out in the locker room and relax. Let him get cold.”
There were hints of Mosley being mentally beaten in the eighth round, when he dropped his hands while verbally bickering with Mayweather after the two had been holding onto one another.
Mayweather suddenly stopped and landed a quick right hook under Mosley’s unsuspecting chin.
In the moment, it may have looked like a random mistake by Mosley. However, for a veteran fighter to drop his hands like that, it shows how frustrated Mayweather had made him.
“I had told him throughout the fight, ‘Your jab ain’t faster than mine. If it is, let me see it,’” Mayweather said.
Of course, a fighter could have never made it as far as Mayweather has without natural boxing skill, and he certainly has plenty of that.
But Mayweather has never sat back and relied on his natural abilities alone. He’s dedicated the time it takes to become the best and his camp comes into every fight with an intelligent game plan.
Using a game plan developed by his uncle and trainer, Roger, Mayweather slipped punches and countered effectively all night long. He ended up winning every round of the fight except one, against one of the top welterweights in the world.
“I told Floyd to keep it simple,” Roger said. “Keep him in the middle of the ring and you’re going to box his ears off. And what you seen tonight is just what I said. He boxed his ears off and the fight wasn’t even close. That’s it.”
The only moment of the fight in which Mayweather faced any type of adversity came in the second round, when Mosley caught him with a straight right and then a hook that buckled his knees and brought the crowd to its feet.
Mayweather’s response to the danger couldn’t have been better. He remained calm, covered up and went on to dominate every remaining minute of the fight.
“I think he tried,” said Mayweather, when asked why Mosley didn’t look to finish him when he was in trouble. “But it’s just me being able to show my versatility and adapt. I was able to adjust my game plan and work to break him down.”
Despite the enormity of his competitive success, Mayweather’s accomplishments financially in the sport of boxing might be even more impressive.
His 2007 fight against Oscar De La Hoya already holds the record for pay-per-view buys at 2.4 million, and according to Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schafer, Saturday’s fight could prove to be second on the all-time list.
The fight also drew a live crowd of 15,170 and a gate of more than $11 million.
“The early indication could be very well that Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather is going to hold not only the record for biggest pay-per-view event ever, but the record for the second biggest pay-per-view as well,” Schafer said.
“I think today was an extremely important day for Floyd Mayweather. Look at how he overcame the second round. That is what a great champion is all about.”
After submitting his urine test to the Nevada State Athletic Commission and changing into a vest and tie, Mayweather spent more than 30 minutes on the microphone at the post-fight press conference.
He answered all the questions directed to him, referring to many of the reporters in the room by their first name.
It was just the final example of Mayweather knowing what to do and how to act to maximize the levels of his success.
In one of his final statements of the night, he referenced to something he had said before the Mosley fight — that he believed he had reached a point where he could call himself the best boxer of all time.
There were many who disagreed with Mayweather when they read that statement before Saturday. But if the fighter continues his perfect navigation through the sport, it would be a hard one to argue with.
“When you say you’re the best, you have to perform,” Mayweather said. “You have to keep striving and that’s what I did.”
Brett Okamoto can be reached at 948-7817 or brett.okamoto@lasvegassun.com.
Source: lasvegassun.com
Regardless of what anyone’s personal feelings are about Floyd Mayweather Jr., there is an undeniable fact the fighter has proven beyond any doubt — he has figured out the sport of boxing.
Every nook, every cranny where a potential advantage in boxing might lay hidden, Mayweather finds it and exploits it.
That much was clear again Saturday night, when he defeated Shane Mosley by unanimous decision at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mayweather’s professional record now consists of 41 wins and zero losses over the course of more than 13 years.
Following the dominant performance, former world champion Oscar De La Hoya said there is no longer any doubt in his mind who the best fighter in the world is.
“Tonight, we just witnessed the best fighter on the planet,” De La Hoya said. “I have to say the truth. He convinced me tonight that he is the best — possibly of all time.
“He has the skills to beat anybody. He has the talent. He has the work ethic. There’s no doubt about it. Mayweather, in my mind, is the best.”
Sometimes it’s easy to attribute Mayweather’s greatness to a few simple factors and be done with it. His natural athletic ability. His family’s background in boxing. Luck.
But the truth is, all of Mayweather’s success can be traced back to the little things he does so much better than any other fighter in the world today.
Much of Mayweather’s pre-fight "trash-talk" is written off as commercial appeal — hype to drive ticket sales.
As De La Hoya mentioned this weekend, however, Mayweather is a genius at defeating his opponents mentally before defeating them physically.
After Mosley had made his entrance to the ring Saturday, Mayweather remained in his locker room longer than anyone expected just to force his opponent to stand and wait as long as possible.
“I’m going to be honest with you, I’ve always got a trick up my sleeve. I’ve always got a game plan,” Mayweather said. “Truth is, I think Shane is a little older. He’s 38. I figured, ‘I’ll make him wait out there for me.’ Show my video. I’ll just hang out in the locker room and relax. Let him get cold.”
There were hints of Mosley being mentally beaten in the eighth round, when he dropped his hands while verbally bickering with Mayweather after the two had been holding onto one another.
Mayweather suddenly stopped and landed a quick right hook under Mosley’s unsuspecting chin.
In the moment, it may have looked like a random mistake by Mosley. However, for a veteran fighter to drop his hands like that, it shows how frustrated Mayweather had made him.
“I had told him throughout the fight, ‘Your jab ain’t faster than mine. If it is, let me see it,’” Mayweather said.
Of course, a fighter could have never made it as far as Mayweather has without natural boxing skill, and he certainly has plenty of that.
But Mayweather has never sat back and relied on his natural abilities alone. He’s dedicated the time it takes to become the best and his camp comes into every fight with an intelligent game plan.
Using a game plan developed by his uncle and trainer, Roger, Mayweather slipped punches and countered effectively all night long. He ended up winning every round of the fight except one, against one of the top welterweights in the world.
“I told Floyd to keep it simple,” Roger said. “Keep him in the middle of the ring and you’re going to box his ears off. And what you seen tonight is just what I said. He boxed his ears off and the fight wasn’t even close. That’s it.”
The only moment of the fight in which Mayweather faced any type of adversity came in the second round, when Mosley caught him with a straight right and then a hook that buckled his knees and brought the crowd to its feet.
Mayweather’s response to the danger couldn’t have been better. He remained calm, covered up and went on to dominate every remaining minute of the fight.
“I think he tried,” said Mayweather, when asked why Mosley didn’t look to finish him when he was in trouble. “But it’s just me being able to show my versatility and adapt. I was able to adjust my game plan and work to break him down.”
Despite the enormity of his competitive success, Mayweather’s accomplishments financially in the sport of boxing might be even more impressive.
His 2007 fight against Oscar De La Hoya already holds the record for pay-per-view buys at 2.4 million, and according to Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schafer, Saturday’s fight could prove to be second on the all-time list.
The fight also drew a live crowd of 15,170 and a gate of more than $11 million.
“The early indication could be very well that Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather is going to hold not only the record for biggest pay-per-view event ever, but the record for the second biggest pay-per-view as well,” Schafer said.
“I think today was an extremely important day for Floyd Mayweather. Look at how he overcame the second round. That is what a great champion is all about.”
After submitting his urine test to the Nevada State Athletic Commission and changing into a vest and tie, Mayweather spent more than 30 minutes on the microphone at the post-fight press conference.
He answered all the questions directed to him, referring to many of the reporters in the room by their first name.
It was just the final example of Mayweather knowing what to do and how to act to maximize the levels of his success.
In one of his final statements of the night, he referenced to something he had said before the Mosley fight — that he believed he had reached a point where he could call himself the best boxer of all time.
There were many who disagreed with Mayweather when they read that statement before Saturday. But if the fighter continues his perfect navigation through the sport, it would be a hard one to argue with.
“When you say you’re the best, you have to perform,” Mayweather said. “You have to keep striving and that’s what I did.”
Brett Okamoto can be reached at 948-7817 or brett.okamoto@lasvegassun.com.
Source: lasvegassun.com
Conquest adds little to Floyd's resume -- Las Vegas Review-Journal
By ED GRANEY, Las Vegas Review-Journal
The rules don't change in boxing. It's like any sport.
You have to score to win.
Shane Mosley couldn't score after the second round Saturday night. He couldn't find a way inside.
He didn't stand a chance, really.
This wasn't the elite welterweight most believed Floyd Mayweather Jr. needed to solidify his undefeated resume. This was a slower, weaker 38-year-old fighter not near the level of his finest days.
Mosley at the MGM Grand Garden was what a guy not on performance-enhancing drugs looks like when fighting a superior opponent.
Another win for Mayweather, another unanimous decision, another megafight passes without the only real megafight anyone wants to see occurring.
Manny Pacquiao
needs to rethink the whole Olympic drug-testing protocol and finally come to terms with Mayweather.
Until then, it will be just more of what we saw Saturday.
The scores were predictably one-sided -- 119-109 on two judges' cards and 118-110 on a third -- but within another comfortable victory was a moment that clearly defined Mayweather's greatness.
He was hit, stunned, wobbled ... and didn't go down.
For one-punch shots, the right hand Mosley landed in the second round has to be among the hardest ever to catch Mayweather, but the fact he gathered himself enough not to hit the canvas says much about why he is now 41-0.
"It's a contact sport, and you're going to get hit," Mayweather said. "When you do, you suck it up and keep on fighting. That's what I did."
Said Mosley: "After that right hand, I knew I needed to knock him out and do it sooner rather than later. I couldn't adjust, and he did. I tried moving around (the punch), but he was too quick, and I was too tight.
"I still feel really good, but my neck is really tight. I think the layoff (from January of last year) hurt me. My neck is really tight."
Could be the layoff.
Could be all that lactic acid that builds up when you're not taking EPO.
Could be both.
Fact is, a tight neck didn't lose anything. Mayweather became more aggressive as things wore on because it became obvious he had little to no respect for Mosley's power once the rounds began to pass.
Everyone wants Mayweather to attack more, engage more, make fights more exciting for fans. But he is so precise when he does come forward, so accurate when he does counter, you can see why he doesn't. That's on offense.
His defense following the second round was again superb to the level Mosley landed just 20 percent of his 452 punches all night. Mosley threw 283 jabs. He landed 16 percent of them.
Mayweather might have ducked this matchup for years, but in the end it proved an intelligent decision. Afterward, he looked as though he had gone 12 rounds on "Dancing with the Stars" rather than against a future Hall of Famer.
"I think we could have gone on the attack a lot sooner and then gone for the knockout," Mayweather said. "I did what the fans came here to see, a toe-to-toe battle. That's not my style, but I wanted to give them that type of fight and knew I could do it."
Now, again, it's all in Pacquiao's corner.
Nothing has changed. Whether it was a supreme point of gamesmanship or that he truly wants to be the athlete credited with guaranteeing boxing is as clean a sport as possible, Mayweather demanding Pacquiao adhere to the type of Olympic drug testing that Saturday's fight was staged under has put a spotlight of doubt squarely on the Filipino's shoulders.
Each time Pacquiao balks at such testing, more and more questions about why should surface.
His reasons to date don't stand up.
"If Manny Pacquiao can take a blood and urine test, then we have a fight," Mayweather said. "If not, no fight. We tried to make it happen (late last year), it didn't work out, and we moved on. I'm going to continue to fight the best. Mosley was a warrior."
Mosley was an aging fighter who nearly landed the punch no one has against Mayweather and then spent the next 10 rounds showing he is nowhere near what he once was. He couldn't score. He couldn't do much of anything following that right hand.
The fight grew longer, and Shane Mosley became more and more tired.
Hey, it's the price of being a 38-year-old fighter and drug-free.
Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618.
Source: lvrj.com
The rules don't change in boxing. It's like any sport.
You have to score to win.
Shane Mosley couldn't score after the second round Saturday night. He couldn't find a way inside.
He didn't stand a chance, really.
This wasn't the elite welterweight most believed Floyd Mayweather Jr. needed to solidify his undefeated resume. This was a slower, weaker 38-year-old fighter not near the level of his finest days.
Mosley at the MGM Grand Garden was what a guy not on performance-enhancing drugs looks like when fighting a superior opponent.
Another win for Mayweather, another unanimous decision, another megafight passes without the only real megafight anyone wants to see occurring.
Manny Pacquiao needs to rethink the whole Olympic drug-testing protocol and finally come to terms with Mayweather.Until then, it will be just more of what we saw Saturday.
The scores were predictably one-sided -- 119-109 on two judges' cards and 118-110 on a third -- but within another comfortable victory was a moment that clearly defined Mayweather's greatness.
He was hit, stunned, wobbled ... and didn't go down.
For one-punch shots, the right hand Mosley landed in the second round has to be among the hardest ever to catch Mayweather, but the fact he gathered himself enough not to hit the canvas says much about why he is now 41-0.
"It's a contact sport, and you're going to get hit," Mayweather said. "When you do, you suck it up and keep on fighting. That's what I did."
Said Mosley: "After that right hand, I knew I needed to knock him out and do it sooner rather than later. I couldn't adjust, and he did. I tried moving around (the punch), but he was too quick, and I was too tight.
"I still feel really good, but my neck is really tight. I think the layoff (from January of last year) hurt me. My neck is really tight."
Could be the layoff.
Could be all that lactic acid that builds up when you're not taking EPO.
Could be both.
Fact is, a tight neck didn't lose anything. Mayweather became more aggressive as things wore on because it became obvious he had little to no respect for Mosley's power once the rounds began to pass.
Everyone wants Mayweather to attack more, engage more, make fights more exciting for fans. But he is so precise when he does come forward, so accurate when he does counter, you can see why he doesn't. That's on offense.
His defense following the second round was again superb to the level Mosley landed just 20 percent of his 452 punches all night. Mosley threw 283 jabs. He landed 16 percent of them.
Mayweather might have ducked this matchup for years, but in the end it proved an intelligent decision. Afterward, he looked as though he had gone 12 rounds on "Dancing with the Stars" rather than against a future Hall of Famer.
"I think we could have gone on the attack a lot sooner and then gone for the knockout," Mayweather said. "I did what the fans came here to see, a toe-to-toe battle. That's not my style, but I wanted to give them that type of fight and knew I could do it."
Now, again, it's all in Pacquiao's corner.
Nothing has changed. Whether it was a supreme point of gamesmanship or that he truly wants to be the athlete credited with guaranteeing boxing is as clean a sport as possible, Mayweather demanding Pacquiao adhere to the type of Olympic drug testing that Saturday's fight was staged under has put a spotlight of doubt squarely on the Filipino's shoulders.
Each time Pacquiao balks at such testing, more and more questions about why should surface.
His reasons to date don't stand up.
"If Manny Pacquiao can take a blood and urine test, then we have a fight," Mayweather said. "If not, no fight. We tried to make it happen (late last year), it didn't work out, and we moved on. I'm going to continue to fight the best. Mosley was a warrior."
Mosley was an aging fighter who nearly landed the punch no one has against Mayweather and then spent the next 10 rounds showing he is nowhere near what he once was. He couldn't score. He couldn't do much of anything following that right hand.
The fight grew longer, and Shane Mosley became more and more tired.
Hey, it's the price of being a 38-year-old fighter and drug-free.
Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618.
Source: lvrj.com
Mayweather absorbs Mosley's early power, rolls to blowout win -- Las Vegas Review-Journal
By STEVE CARP, LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
He's still Mr. Perfect.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. did what he does best, which is make the other guy miss while hitting him more often. Shane Mosley learned that the hard way as Mayweather dominated the final 10 rounds to win a unanimous decision in their 12-round welterweight fight Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden.
Mayweather, now 41-0, won going away on the scorecards, with judges Adalaide Byrd and Dave Moretti scoring it 119-109 and Robert Hoyle 118-110.
"I came here to give the fans what they wanted -- a toe-to-toe fight," Mayweather said. "It wasn't the same style for me that I usually have, but I wanted to be more aggressive."
Mayweather, who weighed 146 pounds and earned $22.5 million, was a 4-1 betting favorite at the first bell before a crowd of 15,117. Mosley, the reigning WBA welterweight champ whose belt was not at stake, weighed 147 and made $7 million.
Mayweather came close to being knocked down when Mosley rocked him with a huge right hand just over two minutes into the second round. His knees buckled, but somehow Mayweather remained upright.
Mosley nailed him with four more big shots but could not drop Mayweather, who showed he can take a punch.
"It's a contact sport," Mayweather said. "You're going to get hit. You've just got to suck it up and keep fighting, and that's what I did."
Mosley said: "I hit him with the right hand, and after I landed it, I thought I needed to knock him out. But I needed to do it sooner than later, and when I didn't get it, he adjusted and I couldn't get to him. He was too quick, and I was too tight."
The second-round assault by Mosley appeared to serve as a wake-up call for Mayweather. He began to assume control, using his jab to set up Mosley for overhand shots, both left- and right-handed.
He had Mosley backpedaling from big right hands to the chin in the seventh and eighth rounds.
Mosley, who said he was hampered by a stiff neck, was starting to slow down, and Mayweather appeared to sense it. He kept up the pressure, kept throwing the jab and setting up the right hand that kept landing on Mosley's head.
"I think it was the long layoff that hurt me," said Mosley, who last fought Jan. 24, 2009, when he stopped Antonio Margarito. "I wasn't able to adjust."
Mayweather was in complete control as the fight reached its latter stages. His ability to physically compete with Mosley, a natural welterweight, was impressive. He never backed down or gave ground when Mosley leaned on him and tried to bully him. That and Mayweather's always-superb defense had him in front.
"The game plan was to lay on the attack," Mayweather said. "We probably could have pressed the attack a lot sooner."
During the second half of the fight, Mosley had little behind his punches and looked all of his 38 years old. He was constantly beaten to the punch by Mayweather, whose ring generalship remained superior and his right hand deadly accurate.
The final CompuBox stats showed Mayweather with edges in punches thrown (477 to Mosley's 452), punches landed (208-92), jabs landed (85-46) and power punches thrown and connected (267-169 thrown, 123-46 landed). Mosley's lone edge was in jabs thrown, 283-210.
"Mosley is a warrior," Mayweather said. "He came to fight, and he did what I asked him to do outside the ring (by submitting to random pre-fight drug-testing)."
In the co-feature, welterweight Saul Alvarez, Golden Boy's Mexican star of the future, struggled early against veteran Juan Miguel Cotto in his Las Vegas debut but dominated most of the fight to remain undefeated at 32-0-1 with a ninth-round technical knockout.
Alvarez, 19, nearly went down in the first round after Cotto (31-2-1) tagged him with a vicious left hook. But Alvarez scored a second-round knockdown of Cotto with a right to the face.
Alvarez, who led 78-73 on all three scorecards heading into the ninth round, pummeled Cotto with several big shots. With Cotto absorbing too much punishment, referee Tony Weeks stopped it with nine seconds remaining in the round.
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.
Source: lvrj.com
He's still Mr. Perfect.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. did what he does best, which is make the other guy miss while hitting him more often. Shane Mosley learned that the hard way as Mayweather dominated the final 10 rounds to win a unanimous decision in their 12-round welterweight fight Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden.
Mayweather, now 41-0, won going away on the scorecards, with judges Adalaide Byrd and Dave Moretti scoring it 119-109 and Robert Hoyle 118-110.
"I came here to give the fans what they wanted -- a toe-to-toe fight," Mayweather said. "It wasn't the same style for me that I usually have, but I wanted to be more aggressive."
Mayweather, who weighed 146 pounds and earned $22.5 million, was a 4-1 betting favorite at the first bell before a crowd of 15,117. Mosley, the reigning WBA welterweight champ whose belt was not at stake, weighed 147 and made $7 million.
Mayweather came close to being knocked down when Mosley rocked him with a huge right hand just over two minutes into the second round. His knees buckled, but somehow Mayweather remained upright.
Mosley nailed him with four more big shots but could not drop Mayweather, who showed he can take a punch.
"It's a contact sport," Mayweather said. "You're going to get hit. You've just got to suck it up and keep fighting, and that's what I did."
Mosley said: "I hit him with the right hand, and after I landed it, I thought I needed to knock him out. But I needed to do it sooner than later, and when I didn't get it, he adjusted and I couldn't get to him. He was too quick, and I was too tight."
The second-round assault by Mosley appeared to serve as a wake-up call for Mayweather. He began to assume control, using his jab to set up Mosley for overhand shots, both left- and right-handed.
He had Mosley backpedaling from big right hands to the chin in the seventh and eighth rounds.
Mosley, who said he was hampered by a stiff neck, was starting to slow down, and Mayweather appeared to sense it. He kept up the pressure, kept throwing the jab and setting up the right hand that kept landing on Mosley's head.
"I think it was the long layoff that hurt me," said Mosley, who last fought Jan. 24, 2009, when he stopped Antonio Margarito. "I wasn't able to adjust."
Mayweather was in complete control as the fight reached its latter stages. His ability to physically compete with Mosley, a natural welterweight, was impressive. He never backed down or gave ground when Mosley leaned on him and tried to bully him. That and Mayweather's always-superb defense had him in front.
"The game plan was to lay on the attack," Mayweather said. "We probably could have pressed the attack a lot sooner."
During the second half of the fight, Mosley had little behind his punches and looked all of his 38 years old. He was constantly beaten to the punch by Mayweather, whose ring generalship remained superior and his right hand deadly accurate.
The final CompuBox stats showed Mayweather with edges in punches thrown (477 to Mosley's 452), punches landed (208-92), jabs landed (85-46) and power punches thrown and connected (267-169 thrown, 123-46 landed). Mosley's lone edge was in jabs thrown, 283-210.
"Mosley is a warrior," Mayweather said. "He came to fight, and he did what I asked him to do outside the ring (by submitting to random pre-fight drug-testing)."
In the co-feature, welterweight Saul Alvarez, Golden Boy's Mexican star of the future, struggled early against veteran Juan Miguel Cotto in his Las Vegas debut but dominated most of the fight to remain undefeated at 32-0-1 with a ninth-round technical knockout.
Alvarez, 19, nearly went down in the first round after Cotto (31-2-1) tagged him with a vicious left hook. But Alvarez scored a second-round knockdown of Cotto with a right to the face.
Alvarez, who led 78-73 on all three scorecards heading into the ninth round, pummeled Cotto with several big shots. With Cotto absorbing too much punishment, referee Tony Weeks stopped it with nine seconds remaining in the round.
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.
Source: lvrj.com
Oscar De La Hoya: Floyd Mayweather 'the best,' now can dictate terms to Manny Pacquiao -- Grand Rapids Press
By David Mayo, The Grand Rapids Press
LAS VEGAS -- Oscar De La Hoya
, who was curiously absent during fight week and gave business partner Shane Mosley advice on several consultations about how to fight Floyd Mayweather, found himself torn early in Mayweather’s 12-round unanimous decision victory Saturday night over Mosley.
By fight’s end, those mixed emotions turned to pride, he said, about being the only fighter to take Mayweather to a split decision, in 2007.
"I was thinking to myself I’m kind of proud of what I accomplished," he said. "Mayweather, he’s great -- and my fight with him was a tight fight."
De La Hoya lost twice to Mosley, in 2000 and 2003, and his partner in Golden Boy Promotions leveraged Mayweather’s failed talks with Manny Pacquiao to secure the welterweight blockbuster for himself.
Some considered it the most dangerous fight of Mayweather’s career because of Mosley’s speed and power -- attributes that combined to wobble the Grand Rapids native on a pair of crackling right hands in the second round.
Beyond that moment, it didn’t turn out that way.
"He fought a fighter, in Shane Mosley, that was supposed to be the most dangerous fight of his career, and Mayweather showed us that he’s the best," De La Hoya said. "Mayweather is on a different level. He’s on a different level because he’s a student of the game. He will dissect you outside the ring and finish you off inside the ring. He knows how to get in your head. He knows how to beat you mentally, then he will beat you physically."
De La Hoya said the efficiency of Mayweather’s one-sided victory "convinced me he is the best" in boxing today.
"Mayweather is special," he said. "So we have to respect that.
"He showed me true greatness because I felt that he was going to not be able to handle Mosley’s punch. And he just showed true greatness, what he’s all about -- all the hard work, the work ethic he has. It just shows you that Mayweather is the real deal. I’m a firm believer that Mayweather is the best we have right now."
De La Hoya also fought one opponent the world most wants Mayweather to face: Manny Pacquiao.
Pacquiao’s eighth-round technical knockout victory in 2008 was De La Hoya’s last fight.
"Being a student of the game, Pacquiao makes many mistakes," De La Hoya said. "And that will fall into Mayweather’s hands -- easy. It’ll be an entertaining fight, let me tell you, because there’s no stop in Pacquiao, there’s no quit in Pacquiao, that’s for sure."
A proposed Mayweather-Pacquiao fight fell apart last winter over a drug-testing issue but De La Hoya said Mayweather "is the one to dictate terms" based on his perfect record, victory over another pound-for-pound contender in Mosley, and marketability.
"Mayweather is the king of the world now," he said.
E-mail David Mayo: dmayo@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/David_Mayo
Source: mlive.com
LAS VEGAS -- Oscar De La Hoya
, who was curiously absent during fight week and gave business partner Shane Mosley advice on several consultations about how to fight Floyd Mayweather, found himself torn early in Mayweather’s 12-round unanimous decision victory Saturday night over Mosley.By fight’s end, those mixed emotions turned to pride, he said, about being the only fighter to take Mayweather to a split decision, in 2007.De La Hoya lost twice to Mosley, in 2000 and 2003, and his partner in Golden Boy Promotions leveraged Mayweather’s failed talks with Manny Pacquiao to secure the welterweight blockbuster for himself.
Some considered it the most dangerous fight of Mayweather’s career because of Mosley’s speed and power -- attributes that combined to wobble the Grand Rapids native on a pair of crackling right hands in the second round.
Beyond that moment, it didn’t turn out that way.
"He fought a fighter, in Shane Mosley, that was supposed to be the most dangerous fight of his career, and Mayweather showed us that he’s the best," De La Hoya said. "Mayweather is on a different level. He’s on a different level because he’s a student of the game. He will dissect you outside the ring and finish you off inside the ring. He knows how to get in your head. He knows how to beat you mentally, then he will beat you physically."
De La Hoya said the efficiency of Mayweather’s one-sided victory "convinced me he is the best" in boxing today.
"Mayweather is special," he said. "So we have to respect that.
"He showed me true greatness because I felt that he was going to not be able to handle Mosley’s punch. And he just showed true greatness, what he’s all about -- all the hard work, the work ethic he has. It just shows you that Mayweather is the real deal. I’m a firm believer that Mayweather is the best we have right now."
De La Hoya also fought one opponent the world most wants Mayweather to face: Manny Pacquiao.
Pacquiao’s eighth-round technical knockout victory in 2008 was De La Hoya’s last fight.
"Being a student of the game, Pacquiao makes many mistakes," De La Hoya said. "And that will fall into Mayweather’s hands -- easy. It’ll be an entertaining fight, let me tell you, because there’s no stop in Pacquiao, there’s no quit in Pacquiao, that’s for sure."
A proposed Mayweather-Pacquiao fight fell apart last winter over a drug-testing issue but De La Hoya said Mayweather "is the one to dictate terms" based on his perfect record, victory over another pound-for-pound contender in Mosley, and marketability.
"Mayweather is the king of the world now," he said.
E-mail David Mayo: dmayo@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/David_Mayo
Source: mlive.com
Mosley undecided about future after loss to Mayweather -- Las Vegas Sun
By Case Keefer, Las Vegas Sun
This was the fight Shane Mosley always wanted.
This was about a shot at shocking the world by beating the undefeated Mayweather and cementing his own legacy.
So, after a unanimous decision defeat to Mayweather, a legitimate question was whether or not Mosley was done with boxing. Mosley wouldn’t commit one way or the other after the fight.
“I will go back home and look at the tape and take it slow,” Mosley said. “When I get home, we’ll see what happens.”
Mosley announcing his retirement would come as a surprise. After all, he still holds a 46-6-1 record and was far from embarrassed against Mayweather.
The fight started with a fairly even first round. One judge awarded the round to Mosley, making his final scorecard 118-110 in favor of Mayweather, while the other two gave the edge to Mayweather for a final score of 119-109.
Mosley’s moment came in the second round when he landed a massive right and flustered Mayweather. It was arguably the biggest shot Mayweather (41-0) has taken in his career.
The crowd started chanting Mosley’s name. For an instant, it appeared that his upset aspirations weren’t so far-fetched.
“He’s a hell of a fighter,” Mayweather said. “He’s tough. He hit me with a good shot.”
But Mayweather adjusted and the fight became one-sided for the final 10 rounds.
Although Mosley never looked like he was on the verge of being knocked down, he couldn’t deal with Mayweather’s signature defense and quickness.
“I opened up too much and played into his hands,” Mosley said. “When I hit him with the big right hand, I thought I was going to get the knockout. He started to avoid the punches. He did surprise me.”
While Mayweather answered questions about a potential mega-fight against Manny Pacquiao after his victory, no one speculated on potential opponents for Mosley.
No one knows if there will be a next time, but there are certainly those hoping for one.
“Shane Mosley is a great champion,” said Oscar De La Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions and who lost to Mosley twice as a fighter. “He will always be a great champion.”
Nazim Richardson, Mosley’s trainer, had similar comments. Richardson only recently started working with Mosley after the fighter left the long-time tutelage of his father.
But Richardson said he had been around Mosley enough to know that he was special and had more to accomplish in his career. Richardson can only hope he gets the opportunity to continue his work with Mosley.
Right now, there’s no indication of that being a certainty.
“I’m going to take some time and relax,” Mosley said. “I’ll think about it.”
Source: lasvegassun.com
This was the fight Shane Mosley always wanted.
Mosley, the 38-year old boxing veteran and former world champion, swore he was no longer boxing for money leading up to Saturday night’s welterweight bout against Floyd Mayweather
at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.This was about a shot at shocking the world by beating the undefeated Mayweather and cementing his own legacy.“I will go back home and look at the tape and take it slow,” Mosley said. “When I get home, we’ll see what happens.”
Mosley announcing his retirement would come as a surprise. After all, he still holds a 46-6-1 record and was far from embarrassed against Mayweather.
The fight started with a fairly even first round. One judge awarded the round to Mosley, making his final scorecard 118-110 in favor of Mayweather, while the other two gave the edge to Mayweather for a final score of 119-109.
Mosley’s moment came in the second round when he landed a massive right and flustered Mayweather. It was arguably the biggest shot Mayweather (41-0) has taken in his career.
The crowd started chanting Mosley’s name. For an instant, it appeared that his upset aspirations weren’t so far-fetched.
“He’s a hell of a fighter,” Mayweather said. “He’s tough. He hit me with a good shot.”
But Mayweather adjusted and the fight became one-sided for the final 10 rounds.
Although Mosley never looked like he was on the verge of being knocked down, he couldn’t deal with Mayweather’s signature defense and quickness.
“I opened up too much and played into his hands,” Mosley said. “When I hit him with the big right hand, I thought I was going to get the knockout. He started to avoid the punches. He did surprise me.”
While Mayweather answered questions about a potential mega-fight against Manny Pacquiao after his victory, no one speculated on potential opponents for Mosley.
No one knows if there will be a next time, but there are certainly those hoping for one.
“Shane Mosley is a great champion,” said Oscar De La Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions and who lost to Mosley twice as a fighter. “He will always be a great champion.”
Nazim Richardson, Mosley’s trainer, had similar comments. Richardson only recently started working with Mosley after the fighter left the long-time tutelage of his father.
But Richardson said he had been around Mosley enough to know that he was special and had more to accomplish in his career. Richardson can only hope he gets the opportunity to continue his work with Mosley.
Right now, there’s no indication of that being a certainty.
“I’m going to take some time and relax,” Mosley said. “I’ll think about it.”
Source: lasvegassun.com
Mayweather mauls Mosley; must meet Manny -- Yahoo! Sports
By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports
LAS VEGAS – All of the attributes that have made Floyd Mayweather Jr. one of the elite fighters to have stepped into a boxing ring were on display in his one-sided victory over Shane Mosley on Saturday before a crowd of 15,117 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Mayweather’s blistering speed continually made Mosley look like he was stuck in quicksand. He adjusted after getting hurt with a punishing right hand in the second, proving his boxing IQ is second to none.
His legendary defensive skills held Mosley to fewer than 100 punches landed and just a 20 percent connect rate.
Yet it was offense that won the fight for Mayweather. He walked down a man who was touted as too big, too strong and too hard a puncher.
He won 10 rounds on judge Bobby Hoyle’s card and took all but the second on the cards of Dave Moretti and Adalaide Byrd. Yahoo! Sports scored it 118-110.
He did it by stalking Mosley and putting on an offensive show that makes it even more imperative that he meet Manny Pacquiao
sometime later this year to determine in the ring the sport’s best fighter.
Mayweather, who has been tortured by critics for not fighting what were perceived to be legitimate welterweights, went after Mosley and had the No. 3 pound-for-pound fighter in the world in full retreat and hanging on in the second half of the fight.
By about the ninth round, it was obvious Mosley was just hoping to make it to the finish line on his feet.
Mayweather was spoiling for a fight from the early moments. In the middle of the bout, after repeated incidents in which they would wrestle on the inside and then touch gloves, they began to jaw at each other. As Mosley was talking, Mayweather cracked him with a right hand in the nose.
“I said, ‘Let’s quit talking and quit touching gloves and let’s fight,’ ” Mayweather said.
There had to be many jaws that dropped upon hearing those words from Mayweather, who abandoned his defensive shell and won over many of the Mosley supporters in the crowd in the process.
It was such a brilliant performance that promoter Oscar De La Hoya, who lost bouts to Pacquiao, Mayweather and Mosley, the three men who sit atop the Yahoo! Sports rankings, said Mayweather’s seemingly outrageous pre-fight boast of being the greatest fighter of all time isn’t even that much out of line.
“We’ve just witnessed the best fighter, the best boxer, on the planet,” De La Hoya said. “Mayweather is, no doubt about it in my mind, in Mosley’s mind, and anybody’s mind, he is the best. He keeps on proving it over and over and over again. Tonight convinced me.
“He is the best, possibly – possibly, and there are a lot of people who will argue this – but he is maybe the best of all time.”
It was heady praise coming from a future Hall of Famer, but it is clear Mayweather deserves a spot among the best who have lived.
Before the fight, Mosley’s trainer Naazim Richardson heaped praise upon Mayweather, which many took as a tactic to try to lull Mayweather to sleep. Richardson had said before the fight that if Mosley hurt Mayweather, Mayweather would turn into a dragon.
Richardson clearly was prophetic, because after the second of two blistering straight rights in the second, Mayweather was in trouble. But he regrouped and began to attack Mosley.
“He came back spitting fireballs,” Richardson said.
Mayweather has been derided as a runner and a safety-first fighter, but on this night, he took the center of the ring and carried the fight to a man who had knocked out nearly 80 percent of the men he had faced.
Mayweather repeatedly fired a straight right that was snapping Mosley’s head and began to raise welts around his eyes by the fifth round. When Mosley would try to jab, Mayweather would revert to one of the best punches in his arsenal, the pull counter. He’d rock back and then fire over the top of the jab.
Mosley blew his only chance, when he hurt Mayweather in the second and failed to capitalize.
“I was this close,” Mosley said with a grimace, holding his fingers an inch or so apart. He never came close again. He has spent the last several months behind Pacquiao on most pound-for-pound lists, but made a statement Saturday.
According to CompuBox, he connected on an amazing 123 of 267 power shots, an almost unheard of number against a fighter the quality of Mosley.
Pacquiao was the toast of the boxing world after his spectacular stoppage of Miguel Cotto in November, but Mayweather may have won back a lot of the critics after his effort against Mosley.
“I’m not saying Manny Pacquiao’s not a good fighter [because] he is a good fighter,” Mayweather said. “But I have the will to win when I get up under them lights. Like I said before, we may all hit the bag alike. We may all do the pad work alike. We may all jump rope the same. But we don’t all perform under the lights the same.”
Pacquiao is the only man in the sport performing at anywhere near Mayweather’s level. He’s the only man at welterweight who would have the ability to push Mayweather and make him so much as strain.
The same issue that scuttled a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight in January – Mayweather’s insistence on random blood and urine testing and Pacquiao’s reluctance to give blood – still exist.
There is little love lost between Mayweather and Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum, which also will be an impediment to getting the bout the world wants to see made.
Further complicating the issue may be the success of Saturday’s pay-per-view. Early indications are the Mayweather-Mosley fight will do around 1.5 million on pay-per-view, which would make it the second-largest non-heavyweight pay-per-view bout ever, behind only De La Hoya-Mayweather.
Mayweather and Pacquiao had agreed on a 50-50 monetary split in January, but with Mayweather outdrawing Pacquiao at the pay-per-view window yet again, it’s unlikely he’ll make that concession.
If it happens, it will be even more highly anticipated than it was while it was being discussed in December, because now Mayweather has proven his offensive skills.
“He’s a hell of a fighter,” Mosley said in tribute.
And Mayweather-Pacquiao is a hell of a fight.
The onus is now on Mayweather’s team of Leonard Ellerbe, Al Haymon and Richard Schaefer and Pacquiao’s team of Arum and Michael Koncz to find common ground and make the fight.
The sport is a joke if that fight doesn’t occur.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
LAS VEGAS – All of the attributes that have made Floyd Mayweather Jr. one of the elite fighters to have stepped into a boxing ring were on display in his one-sided victory over Shane Mosley on Saturday before a crowd of 15,117 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Mayweather’s blistering speed continually made Mosley look like he was stuck in quicksand. He adjusted after getting hurt with a punishing right hand in the second, proving his boxing IQ is second to none.
His legendary defensive skills held Mosley to fewer than 100 punches landed and just a 20 percent connect rate.
Yet it was offense that won the fight for Mayweather. He walked down a man who was touted as too big, too strong and too hard a puncher.
He won 10 rounds on judge Bobby Hoyle’s card and took all but the second on the cards of Dave Moretti and Adalaide Byrd. Yahoo! Sports scored it 118-110.
He did it by stalking Mosley and putting on an offensive show that makes it even more imperative that he meet Manny Pacquiao sometime later this year to determine in the ring the sport’s best fighter.Mayweather, who has been tortured by critics for not fighting what were perceived to be legitimate welterweights, went after Mosley and had the No. 3 pound-for-pound fighter in the world in full retreat and hanging on in the second half of the fight.
By about the ninth round, it was obvious Mosley was just hoping to make it to the finish line on his feet.
Mayweather was spoiling for a fight from the early moments. In the middle of the bout, after repeated incidents in which they would wrestle on the inside and then touch gloves, they began to jaw at each other. As Mosley was talking, Mayweather cracked him with a right hand in the nose.
“I said, ‘Let’s quit talking and quit touching gloves and let’s fight,’ ” Mayweather said.
There had to be many jaws that dropped upon hearing those words from Mayweather, who abandoned his defensive shell and won over many of the Mosley supporters in the crowd in the process.
It was such a brilliant performance that promoter Oscar De La Hoya, who lost bouts to Pacquiao, Mayweather and Mosley, the three men who sit atop the Yahoo! Sports rankings, said Mayweather’s seemingly outrageous pre-fight boast of being the greatest fighter of all time isn’t even that much out of line.
“We’ve just witnessed the best fighter, the best boxer, on the planet,” De La Hoya said. “Mayweather is, no doubt about it in my mind, in Mosley’s mind, and anybody’s mind, he is the best. He keeps on proving it over and over and over again. Tonight convinced me.
“He is the best, possibly – possibly, and there are a lot of people who will argue this – but he is maybe the best of all time.”
It was heady praise coming from a future Hall of Famer, but it is clear Mayweather deserves a spot among the best who have lived.
Before the fight, Mosley’s trainer Naazim Richardson heaped praise upon Mayweather, which many took as a tactic to try to lull Mayweather to sleep. Richardson had said before the fight that if Mosley hurt Mayweather, Mayweather would turn into a dragon.
Richardson clearly was prophetic, because after the second of two blistering straight rights in the second, Mayweather was in trouble. But he regrouped and began to attack Mosley.
“He came back spitting fireballs,” Richardson said.
Mayweather has been derided as a runner and a safety-first fighter, but on this night, he took the center of the ring and carried the fight to a man who had knocked out nearly 80 percent of the men he had faced.
Mayweather repeatedly fired a straight right that was snapping Mosley’s head and began to raise welts around his eyes by the fifth round. When Mosley would try to jab, Mayweather would revert to one of the best punches in his arsenal, the pull counter. He’d rock back and then fire over the top of the jab.
Mosley blew his only chance, when he hurt Mayweather in the second and failed to capitalize.
“I was this close,” Mosley said with a grimace, holding his fingers an inch or so apart. He never came close again. He has spent the last several months behind Pacquiao on most pound-for-pound lists, but made a statement Saturday.
According to CompuBox, he connected on an amazing 123 of 267 power shots, an almost unheard of number against a fighter the quality of Mosley.
Pacquiao was the toast of the boxing world after his spectacular stoppage of Miguel Cotto in November, but Mayweather may have won back a lot of the critics after his effort against Mosley.
“I’m not saying Manny Pacquiao’s not a good fighter [because] he is a good fighter,” Mayweather said. “But I have the will to win when I get up under them lights. Like I said before, we may all hit the bag alike. We may all do the pad work alike. We may all jump rope the same. But we don’t all perform under the lights the same.”
Pacquiao is the only man in the sport performing at anywhere near Mayweather’s level. He’s the only man at welterweight who would have the ability to push Mayweather and make him so much as strain.
The same issue that scuttled a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight in January – Mayweather’s insistence on random blood and urine testing and Pacquiao’s reluctance to give blood – still exist.
There is little love lost between Mayweather and Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum, which also will be an impediment to getting the bout the world wants to see made.
Further complicating the issue may be the success of Saturday’s pay-per-view. Early indications are the Mayweather-Mosley fight will do around 1.5 million on pay-per-view, which would make it the second-largest non-heavyweight pay-per-view bout ever, behind only De La Hoya-Mayweather.
Mayweather and Pacquiao had agreed on a 50-50 monetary split in January, but with Mayweather outdrawing Pacquiao at the pay-per-view window yet again, it’s unlikely he’ll make that concession.
If it happens, it will be even more highly anticipated than it was while it was being discussed in December, because now Mayweather has proven his offensive skills.
“He’s a hell of a fighter,” Mosley said in tribute.
And Mayweather-Pacquiao is a hell of a fight.
The onus is now on Mayweather’s team of Leonard Ellerbe, Al Haymon and Richard Schaefer and Pacquiao’s team of Arum and Michael Koncz to find common ground and make the fight.
The sport is a joke if that fight doesn’t occur.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
Mayweather wants Pacquiao after stylish win over Mosley -- CNN
CNN
(CNN) -- Floyd Mayweather Jr. saw off the obdurate challenge of Shane Mosley then renewed his challenge to Filipino star Manny Pacquiao
to face him in a lucrative superbout.
Mayweather scored a unanimous points victory over the 38-year-old Mosley in Las Vegas to extend his perfect record to 41 fights, but the talk then turned to a possible fight later this year against Pacquiao.
Mayweather insisted that he was ready to meet Pacquiao but only on his terms.
"If Manny Pacquiao will take the blood and urine tests, we can make the fight happen for all the fans."
The 33-year-old Mayweather dominated the welterweight contest against Mosley but was rocked by a heavy punch in the second round before taking control.
Watched by a multitude of celebrities and film stars, Mayweather pressed hard for a knockout win, but could not put away the battling Mosley, who survived to hear the judges' verdict despite a pummeling in the later rounds.
Mayweather paid tribute to the courage of his opponent while pleased with his own performance.
"I gave the fans what they wanted to see. They wanted to see me moving, and coming forward and that's what I did tonight.
He also shrugged off his early difficulties against Mosley, who has 46 wins from a distinguished 52-fight career.
"That's all with the territory of boxing - only the strongest survive," he said.
"This is a contact sport, some time you are going to get hit with big shots, you must suck it up and keep fighting hard like a warrior."
But attention will now turn to a possible November fight against Pacquiao, who is standing as a candidate in elections in his native country later this month after beating Ghana's Joshua Clottey in his latest bout in March.
Source: edition.cnn.com
(CNN) -- Floyd Mayweather Jr. saw off the obdurate challenge of Shane Mosley then renewed his challenge to Filipino star Manny Pacquiao
to face him in a lucrative superbout.Mayweather scored a unanimous points victory over the 38-year-old Mosley in Las Vegas to extend his perfect record to 41 fights, but the talk then turned to a possible fight later this year against Pacquiao.
The pair were due to contest what was predicted to be the richest contest in boxing history, but the match-up never materialized because of a disagreement over dope testing procedures.
Mayweather insisted that he was ready to meet Pacquiao but only on his terms."If Manny Pacquiao wants to fight, it's not hard to find me," he told reporters.
"If Manny Pacquiao will take the blood and urine tests, we can make the fight happen for all the fans."
The 33-year-old Mayweather dominated the welterweight contest against Mosley but was rocked by a heavy punch in the second round before taking control.
Watched by a multitude of celebrities and film stars, Mayweather pressed hard for a knockout win, but could not put away the battling Mosley, who survived to hear the judges' verdict despite a pummeling in the later rounds.
Mayweather paid tribute to the courage of his opponent while pleased with his own performance.
"I gave the fans what they wanted to see. They wanted to see me moving, and coming forward and that's what I did tonight.
He also shrugged off his early difficulties against Mosley, who has 46 wins from a distinguished 52-fight career.
"That's all with the territory of boxing - only the strongest survive," he said.
"This is a contact sport, some time you are going to get hit with big shots, you must suck it up and keep fighting hard like a warrior."
But attention will now turn to a possible November fight against Pacquiao, who is standing as a candidate in elections in his native country later this month after beating Ghana's Joshua Clottey in his latest bout in March.
Source: edition.cnn.com
If Mayweather isn’t fighting Pacquiao, look away -- Yahoo! Sports
By Martin Rogers, Yahoo! Sports
LAS VEGAS – Boxing wouldn’t be boxing without fighters talking smack before major events, but Floyd Mayweather took it to the next level in the run-up to the year’s biggest letdown, telling an outright lie and an absolute truth in the same breath.
“I am the past, the present and the future of sports entertainment,” Mayweather said. “Once I get in the ring, I get great results.”
Mayweather’s points victory over Shane Mosley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday night was a masterful display of technical boxing and the work of a brilliant athlete at his peak.
And it was boring as hell.
The result, a near shutout of Mosley, Yahoo! Sports’ No. 3 pound-for-pound fighter coming into the bout, was indeed laced with greatness. The “entertainment,” though, was pretty non-existent. Outside of boxing purists, the fight generated as much excitement as a late-night infomercial.
By the end of 12 lopsided rounds – except for a brief early flurry when Mosley rocked Mayweather with a pair of fierce shots to the chin and ear – you could almost hear a pin drop as a lifeless crowd got ready to shuffle off into the Vegas night.
Of course there was plenty of predictable hype and hyperbole from Mayweather, plus his promoters Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer.
“Mayweather is the best boxer on the planet,” De La Hoya said. “I don’t understand how anybody could not appreciate his skills.”
Saturday night’s fight proved that there is only one contest involving Mayweather worth watching right now: the much-debated, politically-contentious and potentially record-breaking blockbuster against Manny Pacquiao that the sport desperately needs. Until that fight can be made, personality clashes, drug-testing arguments and other trivialities aside, there is nothing to be gained from witnessing Mayweather or Pacquiao taking on anyone else.
They are too good, too far ahead of the pack, for any other bout to offer serious interest.
What a letdown the past couple of months have been for boxing fans. First was the collapse of the superfight just when it was on the verge of being finalized, then two dull events involving the two men who should have been squaring off against each other.
No one left the MGM buzzing with excitement. No one seemed to think $1,250 for a ringside seat was a great deal, and those who shelled out up to $65 for the pay-per-view telecast must have felt their cash could have been better invested in a couple more 12-packs.
The biggest winner on this night could have been mixed martial arts, where unless Anderson Silva is in the cage, you pay your money and you get your action.
Mosley failed to make this an enthralling spectacle, going into his shell in the middle rounds and never emerging from it. The Californian looked every one of his 38 years by the end, and landed only 92 punches all night.
Mayweather did more to press the action than he has in the past, throwing right hands and coming close to knocking out Mosley late – yet it wasn’t enough to get fans on the edge of their seats.
“Early on a lot of people were chanting for Mosley,” said Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “There were a lot of people jealous of Mayweather. But by the end they were for Mayweather.”
If allegiance had in fact shifted as strongly as Schaefer suggested, it was done pretty quietly. In comparison to recent fight nights involving Pacquiao at the same venue, when he crushed Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto, the vibe was remarkably subdued.
The PPV numbers, likely to be released later this next week, will be solid and the projected gate of $11 million is expected to be in the top 10 of all time. But how many fringe fans will return for more of this? How many of those who don’t have a deep-rooted love of boxing will muster the will and the cash to see another big fight that is more technical than terrific.
Boxing needs its superfight. And it needs it soon.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
LAS VEGAS – Boxing wouldn’t be boxing without fighters talking smack before major events, but Floyd Mayweather took it to the next level in the run-up to the year’s biggest letdown, telling an outright lie and an absolute truth in the same breath.
“I am the past, the present and the future of sports entertainment,” Mayweather said. “Once I get in the ring, I get great results.”
Mayweather’s points victory over Shane Mosley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday night was a masterful display of technical boxing and the work of a brilliant athlete at his peak.
And it was boring as hell.
The result, a near shutout of Mosley, Yahoo! Sports’ No. 3 pound-for-pound fighter coming into the bout, was indeed laced with greatness. The “entertainment,” though, was pretty non-existent. Outside of boxing purists, the fight generated as much excitement as a late-night infomercial.
By the end of 12 lopsided rounds – except for a brief early flurry when Mosley rocked Mayweather with a pair of fierce shots to the chin and ear – you could almost hear a pin drop as a lifeless crowd got ready to shuffle off into the Vegas night.
Of course there was plenty of predictable hype and hyperbole from Mayweather, plus his promoters Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer.
“Mayweather is the best boxer on the planet,” De La Hoya said. “I don’t understand how anybody could not appreciate his skills.”
Saturday night’s fight proved that there is only one contest involving Mayweather worth watching right now: the much-debated, politically-contentious and potentially record-breaking blockbuster against Manny Pacquiao that the sport desperately needs. Until that fight can be made, personality clashes, drug-testing arguments and other trivialities aside, there is nothing to be gained from witnessing Mayweather or Pacquiao taking on anyone else.
They are too good, too far ahead of the pack, for any other bout to offer serious interest.
What a letdown the past couple of months have been for boxing fans. First was the collapse of the superfight just when it was on the verge of being finalized, then two dull events involving the two men who should have been squaring off against each other.
No one left the MGM buzzing with excitement. No one seemed to think $1,250 for a ringside seat was a great deal, and those who shelled out up to $65 for the pay-per-view telecast must have felt their cash could have been better invested in a couple more 12-packs.
The biggest winner on this night could have been mixed martial arts, where unless Anderson Silva is in the cage, you pay your money and you get your action.
Mosley failed to make this an enthralling spectacle, going into his shell in the middle rounds and never emerging from it. The Californian looked every one of his 38 years by the end, and landed only 92 punches all night.
Mayweather did more to press the action than he has in the past, throwing right hands and coming close to knocking out Mosley late – yet it wasn’t enough to get fans on the edge of their seats.
“Early on a lot of people were chanting for Mosley,” said Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “There were a lot of people jealous of Mayweather. But by the end they were for Mayweather.”
If allegiance had in fact shifted as strongly as Schaefer suggested, it was done pretty quietly. In comparison to recent fight nights involving Pacquiao at the same venue, when he crushed Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto, the vibe was remarkably subdued.
The PPV numbers, likely to be released later this next week, will be solid and the projected gate of $11 million is expected to be in the top 10 of all time. But how many fringe fans will return for more of this? How many of those who don’t have a deep-rooted love of boxing will muster the will and the cash to see another big fight that is more technical than terrific.
Boxing needs its superfight. And it needs it soon.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
Mosley knew what to do but couldn't -- ESPN
By Arash Markazi, ESPNLosAngeles.com
LAS VEGAS -- It was the moment Naazim Richardson had warned Shane Mosley about. The burly trainer from Philadelphia who talks as aggressively as he trains had continually told Mosley that once he hit Floyd Mayweather with a right hand, Mayweather would, "grow wings with fangs out his mouth like a dragon."
"When he turns into a dragon I'm going to tell Shane to move laterally so that the fireballs don't hit you," Richardson said before the fight. "Step on his tail, and drive shots to the body. Even if he turns into a dragon we're not going to surrender the fight."
The most dramatic moment of Mayweather's career -- the one instance where it looked as if the elusive undefeated (41-0) fighter would fall -- came a minute into the second round when Mosley hit Mayweather with a right hand to the side of his head and buckled his knees. The shot forced Mayweather to grab Mosley to prevent him from falling before Mosley landed another right before the end of the round. In the time in between the second and third rounds Mayweather would grow those wings and fangs Richardson had predicted.
Soon after came the fireballs that would continue to fly at the 38-year-old fighter's head for the next 10 rounds, which were dominated by Mayweather. Two ringside judges scored it 119-109 for Mayweather, while the third had it 118-110 with all of them having Mayweather winning every round after the second. Ringside punch statistics had Mayweather landing 208 of 477 punches with Mosley hitting only 92 of 452.
"That fireball hit us and our [behind] got kind of hot in there," Richardson said. "It's a matter of adjustments. You have to make adjustments and you have to make them exceptionally quick. Opportunities open up on Floyd, but those opportunities will close as fast as they open."
After the fight, a dejected Mosley stood in front of his dressing room, taking full blame for the loss and saying Richardson told him exactly what to do, but he wasn't able to execute the plan. Richardson would have none of it, laying into Mosley verbally as hard as Mayweather had physically.
"I just got finished cussing out Shane, because he was making excuses -- 'My trainer told me what to do, and I didn't do it' -- and I told him, 'Nobody trashes my fighter, including the fighter,' " Richardson said. "There's only one person wants to hear excuses -- your mom. She's always going to ask, 'What happened baby?' Shane's an important dude to me."
Mosley was so injured after the fight, promoters said he wouldn't be available for the post-fight news conference, but he appeared from the back as Richardson and Oscar De La Hoya answered questions in his place. Still flashing his signature smile even in defeat, Mosley shook his head as he walked up to the podium, still thinking about how close he was to potentially putting Mayweather on the canvas in the second round.
"I tried, but it was a good fight. I was that close to getting him," the Pomona native Mosley said, holding his thumb and index finger less than an inch apart. "But he's a hell of a fighter. He did what he needed to do to win the fight. I take my hat off to him. I thank him for taking the challenge. He did, and he succeeded."
Watching Mosley take questions for a few moments before he was taken to the hospital to get his neck checked was tough for Richardson and De La Hoya, who basically knew what Mayweather would do in the fight but also knew how difficult it would be for Mosley to stop it. Richardson wasn't worried about the 16-month layoff Mosley had in between fights, recalling how he instructed Mosley to go on vacation only to get pictures back from Mosley of him sparring in Bolivia with some stranger in a concrete ring. This wasn't so much about Mosley's inability to adapt to Mayweather's adjustments but Mayweather's ability to adapt to whatever Mosley threw his way.
"He made adjustments and he didn't make that same mistake," Mosley said. "He was hurt. He was hurt real bad. That's the most he's ever been hurt in his entire career. But he's a warrior."
De La Hoya, who called Mayweather the best fighter in the world following the win, told Mosley to stick with his jab, but he never really utilized it. Even after the fight, as he put his arm around Mosley, he continued to shadow jab and tell him how much it would have helped him maintain the control he had built through the first two rounds.
"I went over it with Mosley, jab, you have to jab," De La Hoya said. "Don't get lazy, because he feints you. We didn't see that Mosley tonight. But a lot of that has to do with what Mayweather does to you. We can't keep making excuses. He lost, to a better man."
Roger Mayweather, Floyd's uncle and trainer, had a simpler reason why Mosley never utilized the one move De La Hoya told him to use against his nephew.
"Mosley has very fast hands, but he don't have a jab," he said. "It doesn't matter how fast you are if you can't hit the target. People say, 'Mosley fast.' And I say, 'Yeah, he's fast if you fight someone slow.' "
As he left the podium at the MGM Grand, Mosley was asked what the future held for him and he simply smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know," he said. "I'll go back to the drawing board and see. Take a vacation, relax, and enjoy myself."
Knowing Mosley, that probably means he will be sparring with somebody in an exotic location in preparation for his next fight, whenever that may be.
Arash Markazi is a reporter and columnist for ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Source: sports.espn.go.com
LAS VEGAS -- It was the moment Naazim Richardson had warned Shane Mosley about. The burly trainer from Philadelphia who talks as aggressively as he trains had continually told Mosley that once he hit Floyd Mayweather with a right hand, Mayweather would, "grow wings with fangs out his mouth like a dragon."
"When he turns into a dragon I'm going to tell Shane to move laterally so that the fireballs don't hit you," Richardson said before the fight. "Step on his tail, and drive shots to the body. Even if he turns into a dragon we're not going to surrender the fight."
The most dramatic moment of Mayweather's career -- the one instance where it looked as if the elusive undefeated (41-0) fighter would fall -- came a minute into the second round when Mosley hit Mayweather with a right hand to the side of his head and buckled his knees. The shot forced Mayweather to grab Mosley to prevent him from falling before Mosley landed another right before the end of the round. In the time in between the second and third rounds Mayweather would grow those wings and fangs Richardson had predicted.
Soon after came the fireballs that would continue to fly at the 38-year-old fighter's head for the next 10 rounds, which were dominated by Mayweather. Two ringside judges scored it 119-109 for Mayweather, while the third had it 118-110 with all of them having Mayweather winning every round after the second. Ringside punch statistics had Mayweather landing 208 of 477 punches with Mosley hitting only 92 of 452.
"That fireball hit us and our [behind] got kind of hot in there," Richardson said. "It's a matter of adjustments. You have to make adjustments and you have to make them exceptionally quick. Opportunities open up on Floyd, but those opportunities will close as fast as they open."
After the fight, a dejected Mosley stood in front of his dressing room, taking full blame for the loss and saying Richardson told him exactly what to do, but he wasn't able to execute the plan. Richardson would have none of it, laying into Mosley verbally as hard as Mayweather had physically.
"I just got finished cussing out Shane, because he was making excuses -- 'My trainer told me what to do, and I didn't do it' -- and I told him, 'Nobody trashes my fighter, including the fighter,' " Richardson said. "There's only one person wants to hear excuses -- your mom. She's always going to ask, 'What happened baby?' Shane's an important dude to me."
Mosley was so injured after the fight, promoters said he wouldn't be available for the post-fight news conference, but he appeared from the back as Richardson and Oscar De La Hoya answered questions in his place. Still flashing his signature smile even in defeat, Mosley shook his head as he walked up to the podium, still thinking about how close he was to potentially putting Mayweather on the canvas in the second round.
"I tried, but it was a good fight. I was that close to getting him," the Pomona native Mosley said, holding his thumb and index finger less than an inch apart. "But he's a hell of a fighter. He did what he needed to do to win the fight. I take my hat off to him. I thank him for taking the challenge. He did, and he succeeded."
Watching Mosley take questions for a few moments before he was taken to the hospital to get his neck checked was tough for Richardson and De La Hoya, who basically knew what Mayweather would do in the fight but also knew how difficult it would be for Mosley to stop it. Richardson wasn't worried about the 16-month layoff Mosley had in between fights, recalling how he instructed Mosley to go on vacation only to get pictures back from Mosley of him sparring in Bolivia with some stranger in a concrete ring. This wasn't so much about Mosley's inability to adapt to Mayweather's adjustments but Mayweather's ability to adapt to whatever Mosley threw his way.
"He made adjustments and he didn't make that same mistake," Mosley said. "He was hurt. He was hurt real bad. That's the most he's ever been hurt in his entire career. But he's a warrior."
De La Hoya, who called Mayweather the best fighter in the world following the win, told Mosley to stick with his jab, but he never really utilized it. Even after the fight, as he put his arm around Mosley, he continued to shadow jab and tell him how much it would have helped him maintain the control he had built through the first two rounds.
"I went over it with Mosley, jab, you have to jab," De La Hoya said. "Don't get lazy, because he feints you. We didn't see that Mosley tonight. But a lot of that has to do with what Mayweather does to you. We can't keep making excuses. He lost, to a better man."
Roger Mayweather, Floyd's uncle and trainer, had a simpler reason why Mosley never utilized the one move De La Hoya told him to use against his nephew.
"Mosley has very fast hands, but he don't have a jab," he said. "It doesn't matter how fast you are if you can't hit the target. People say, 'Mosley fast.' And I say, 'Yeah, he's fast if you fight someone slow.' "
As he left the podium at the MGM Grand, Mosley was asked what the future held for him and he simply smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know," he said. "I'll go back to the drawing board and see. Take a vacation, relax, and enjoy myself."
Knowing Mosley, that probably means he will be sparring with somebody in an exotic location in preparation for his next fight, whenever that may be.
Arash Markazi is a reporter and columnist for ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Source: sports.espn.go.com
Floyd Mayweather Jr. defeats Shane Mosely in unanimous decision -- Los Angeles Times
By Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times
Reporting from Las Vegas
Floyd Mayweather Jr. predicted a cakewalk, and Saturday night he called his own number in a brilliant rally from second-round trouble to dissect Shane Mosley in a unanimous decision before 15,117 at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
That number would be 41.
By unleashing his patented speed, precise punching and staying out of harm's way after nearly falling to the Mosley onslaught twice in the second, Mayweather improved to 41-0, adding a victory at the same spot on the career ledger where other greats such as George Foreman, Felix Trinidad and Sugar Ray Robinson first lost.
Judges Adalaide Byrd and Dave Moretti scored the welterweight nontitle bout 119-109 in Mayweather's favor, and judge Robert Hoyle had it 118-108.
Mosley, looking all of 38 years and even older as the fight dragged on, fell to 46-6.
"I came here tonight to give the fans what they wanted to see: a toe-to-toe battle," said Mayweather, a six-time world champion. "It wasn't the same style, but I wanted to be aggressive and I knew I could do it."
Mosley buckled Mayweather's knees twice in a stirring second round, stunning the crowd with massive rights that created a scene never before viewed in a Mayweather fight.
"Money" was in big trouble. He tried to smile off the first big blow but took another seconds later. Mosley kept on him, but Mayweather remained upright.
The question of whether Mosley could penetrate Mayweather's superb defense had been answered.
But there was another question: Could he sustain the effort?
The answer of the night was no.
"Well, it's a contact sport, and you're going to get hit," Mayweather said. "You got to suck it up and keep on fighting."
Mosley complained that neck tightness, possibly from his 16-month layoff, dulled his ability to follow up on the damage: "I tried to move around, but he was too quick and I was too tight. I thought I had to knock him out."
From the third round on, Mayweather reverted to his classic advantage of being able to beat the other guy to the punch. His mastery at belting Mosley with scoring rights was as impressive as any other performance the charismatic fighter has produced.
The sellout crowd at MGM Grand Garden Arena included Muhammad Ali, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jay-Z, Paris Hilton, Diddy, Mike Tyson and several New York Jets. Mayweather, wearing a dark, fur-covered red outfit, entered the ring to the sound of gunfire-like pops and members of The O'Jays singing "For the Love of Money," with Las Vegas characters tossing fake money to the fans.
In the seventh round, those punches turned more powerful, as Mayweather hurt Mosley with combinations, then belted him in the jaw with a right that backed the Pomona fighter to the ropes. Mayweather hurt Mosley again in the eighth, adding salt to the wound by trash-talking between the big blows. Mosley's corner pleaded, "You trained too hard."
So did Mayweather.
He might talk too much for many people's liking, but Mayweather can say whatever he wants after efforts such as Saturday's. He buried a right uppercut into Mosley's face in the ninth, then added two more big rights while dodging Mosley's best efforts.
The rest of the fight was a formality.
Afterward, Mayweather said in the ring that he remains willing to fight Manny Pacquiao as long as the Filipino star agrees to Olympic-style drug testing, as Mayweather and Mosley did for Saturday's fight.
"If [Pacquiao] wants to fight, he knows where to find me," Mayweather said. "If Manny takes the test, we can make the fight. If he doesn't, we don't have a fight."
Mosley, meanwhile, said he will review the fight and "see what went wrong, take it slow and go from there."
lance.pugmire@latimes.com
Copyright © 2010, The Los Angeles Times
Source: latimes.com
Reporting from Las Vegas
Floyd Mayweather Jr. predicted a cakewalk, and Saturday night he called his own number in a brilliant rally from second-round trouble to dissect Shane Mosley in a unanimous decision before 15,117 at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
That number would be 41.
By unleashing his patented speed, precise punching and staying out of harm's way after nearly falling to the Mosley onslaught twice in the second, Mayweather improved to 41-0, adding a victory at the same spot on the career ledger where other greats such as George Foreman, Felix Trinidad and Sugar Ray Robinson first lost.
Judges Adalaide Byrd and Dave Moretti scored the welterweight nontitle bout 119-109 in Mayweather's favor, and judge Robert Hoyle had it 118-108.
Mosley, looking all of 38 years and even older as the fight dragged on, fell to 46-6.
"I came here tonight to give the fans what they wanted to see: a toe-to-toe battle," said Mayweather, a six-time world champion. "It wasn't the same style, but I wanted to be aggressive and I knew I could do it."
Mosley buckled Mayweather's knees twice in a stirring second round, stunning the crowd with massive rights that created a scene never before viewed in a Mayweather fight.
"Money" was in big trouble. He tried to smile off the first big blow but took another seconds later. Mosley kept on him, but Mayweather remained upright.
The question of whether Mosley could penetrate Mayweather's superb defense had been answered.
But there was another question: Could he sustain the effort?
The answer of the night was no.
"Well, it's a contact sport, and you're going to get hit," Mayweather said. "You got to suck it up and keep on fighting."
Mosley complained that neck tightness, possibly from his 16-month layoff, dulled his ability to follow up on the damage: "I tried to move around, but he was too quick and I was too tight. I thought I had to knock him out."
From the third round on, Mayweather reverted to his classic advantage of being able to beat the other guy to the punch. His mastery at belting Mosley with scoring rights was as impressive as any other performance the charismatic fighter has produced.
The sellout crowd at MGM Grand Garden Arena included Muhammad Ali, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jay-Z, Paris Hilton, Diddy, Mike Tyson and several New York Jets. Mayweather, wearing a dark, fur-covered red outfit, entered the ring to the sound of gunfire-like pops and members of The O'Jays singing "For the Love of Money," with Las Vegas characters tossing fake money to the fans.
In the seventh round, those punches turned more powerful, as Mayweather hurt Mosley with combinations, then belted him in the jaw with a right that backed the Pomona fighter to the ropes. Mayweather hurt Mosley again in the eighth, adding salt to the wound by trash-talking between the big blows. Mosley's corner pleaded, "You trained too hard."
So did Mayweather.
He might talk too much for many people's liking, but Mayweather can say whatever he wants after efforts such as Saturday's. He buried a right uppercut into Mosley's face in the ninth, then added two more big rights while dodging Mosley's best efforts.
The rest of the fight was a formality.
Afterward, Mayweather said in the ring that he remains willing to fight Manny Pacquiao as long as the Filipino star agrees to Olympic-style drug testing, as Mayweather and Mosley did for Saturday's fight.
"If [Pacquiao] wants to fight, he knows where to find me," Mayweather said. "If Manny takes the test, we can make the fight. If he doesn't, we don't have a fight."
Mosley, meanwhile, said he will review the fight and "see what went wrong, take it slow and go from there."
lance.pugmire@latimes.com
Copyright © 2010, The Los Angeles Times
Source: latimes.com
Mayweather says no Pacquiao fight without blood tests -- Sydney Morning Herald
AFP
Floyd Mayweather overwhelmed Shane Mosley by unanimous decision to remain unbeaten on Saturday, then vowed he will not fight Manny Pacquiao unless the Filipino star accepts his blood test plan.
Mayweather was staggered early but dominated the last 10 rounds to win by judges' scores of 119-109, 119-109 and 118-110, the 33-year-old American improving to 41-0 while dropping 38-year-old countryman Mosley to 46-6.
"My ultimate goal was to box early and start pressing the attack later in the fight," Mayweather said. "I should have started pressing the attack earlier. Perhaps we could have gotten the knockout."
Mosley was a substitute foe after talks broke down on a mega-fight between Mayweather and unbeaten Philippines hero Pacquiao, who instead fought Ghana's Joshua Clottey on March 13, beating him by unanimous decision in Dallas.
Mayweather insisted on random pre-fight blood tests, beyond typical governing body doping tests, before he would face Pacquiao.
When the Asian star refused, Mayweather broke off talks. Critics said it was Mayweather's way of avoiding a fight against a foe who could beat him, a charge Mayweather denied even though he did not relent on his blodd test demand.
"If Manny Pacquiao wants to fight, it's not hard to find me," Mayweather said moments after the victory. "If Manny Pacquiao takes the blood and urine test, we can satisfy all the fans."
But if not?
"We don't got no fight," Mayweather said.
That dealbreaking condition means boxing fans will likely continue to suffer without real hope of seeing the two stars of the era meet in the ring in their pugilistic prime.
Mosley agreed to the tests in order to make the fight with Mayweather happen.
"He done what I asked him to do. He took a blood and urine test," Mayweather said. "If every athlete in the sport of boxing is clean, take the test.
"I want to be on an even playing field. That's all I ask."
When Mosley was asked about the chances for a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, the blood test was foremost in his thoughts.
"If Manny takes the blood test, you'll see him fight Manny," Mosley said.
Mosley, a Maori tribal tatoo adorning his left shoulder, landed a hard right cross early in the second round that staggered Mayweather and followed with several more punches that threatened to end the fight early.
But Mayweather weathered the storm and slowly began to use his speed and skill to seize command.
"That comes with the territory," Mayweather said. "Sometimes you're going to get hit with hard shots. You have to suck it up and keep fighting."
By the sixth round, Mayweather was landing hard rights and getting inside to work on Mosley time after time, dominating all the way to the finish.
"I thought I was going to knock him out sooner or later," Mosley said. "He started being able to avoid the punches. He didn't surprise me. I just couldn't adjust and he adjusted. That's why he won the fight."
Mosley had not fought since a ninth-round stoppage of Antonio Margarito in January of last year.
"I'm happy I took the fight," Mosley said. "I'm happy he gave me the opportunity."
Mayweather declined to fight for Mosley's World Boxing Association welterweight title because he did not wish to surrender three percent of the purse total to the sanctioning body.
© 2010 AFP
This story is sourced direct from an overseas news agency as an additional service to readers. Spelling follows North American usage, along with foreign currency and measurement units.
Source: news.smh.com.au
Floyd Mayweather overwhelmed Shane Mosley by unanimous decision to remain unbeaten on Saturday, then vowed he will not fight Manny Pacquiao unless the Filipino star accepts his blood test plan.
Mayweather was staggered early but dominated the last 10 rounds to win by judges' scores of 119-109, 119-109 and 118-110, the 33-year-old American improving to 41-0 while dropping 38-year-old countryman Mosley to 46-6.
"My ultimate goal was to box early and start pressing the attack later in the fight," Mayweather said. "I should have started pressing the attack earlier. Perhaps we could have gotten the knockout."
Mosley was a substitute foe after talks broke down on a mega-fight between Mayweather and unbeaten Philippines hero Pacquiao, who instead fought Ghana's Joshua Clottey on March 13, beating him by unanimous decision in Dallas.
Mayweather insisted on random pre-fight blood tests, beyond typical governing body doping tests, before he would face Pacquiao.
When the Asian star refused, Mayweather broke off talks. Critics said it was Mayweather's way of avoiding a fight against a foe who could beat him, a charge Mayweather denied even though he did not relent on his blodd test demand.
"If Manny Pacquiao wants to fight, it's not hard to find me," Mayweather said moments after the victory. "If Manny Pacquiao takes the blood and urine test, we can satisfy all the fans."
But if not?
"We don't got no fight," Mayweather said.
That dealbreaking condition means boxing fans will likely continue to suffer without real hope of seeing the two stars of the era meet in the ring in their pugilistic prime.
Mosley agreed to the tests in order to make the fight with Mayweather happen.
"He done what I asked him to do. He took a blood and urine test," Mayweather said. "If every athlete in the sport of boxing is clean, take the test.
"I want to be on an even playing field. That's all I ask."
When Mosley was asked about the chances for a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, the blood test was foremost in his thoughts.
"If Manny takes the blood test, you'll see him fight Manny," Mosley said.
Mosley, a Maori tribal tatoo adorning his left shoulder, landed a hard right cross early in the second round that staggered Mayweather and followed with several more punches that threatened to end the fight early.
But Mayweather weathered the storm and slowly began to use his speed and skill to seize command.
"That comes with the territory," Mayweather said. "Sometimes you're going to get hit with hard shots. You have to suck it up and keep fighting."
By the sixth round, Mayweather was landing hard rights and getting inside to work on Mosley time after time, dominating all the way to the finish.
"I thought I was going to knock him out sooner or later," Mosley said. "He started being able to avoid the punches. He didn't surprise me. I just couldn't adjust and he adjusted. That's why he won the fight."
Mosley had not fought since a ninth-round stoppage of Antonio Margarito in January of last year.
"I'm happy I took the fight," Mosley said. "I'm happy he gave me the opportunity."
Mayweather declined to fight for Mosley's World Boxing Association welterweight title because he did not wish to surrender three percent of the purse total to the sanctioning body.
© 2010 AFP
This story is sourced direct from an overseas news agency as an additional service to readers. Spelling follows North American usage, along with foreign currency and measurement units.
Source: news.smh.com.au
Floyd Mayweather to Manny Pacquiao: Take the drug tests, otherwise there's no fight -- Grand Rapids Press
By David Mayo, The Grand Rapids Press
LAS VEGAS -- Floyd Mayweather reiterated a stance that couldn’t be clearer Saturday night: If Manny Pacquiao is willing to submit to Olympic-style drug testing, they can fight next.
Otherwise, no fight.
Mayweather’s position of the last several months did not change one iota in the aftermath of his dominant 12-round unanimous decision over Shane Mosley at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
“If Manny Pacquiao wants to fight, it’s not hard to find me,” Mayweather said. “We were going to make the fight a couple of months back but it didn’t happen.
“I take my hat off to Mosley. He had problems in the past but he’s a warrior. He took the blood and urine tests. I just want everyone to be on an even playing field.”
The reference was to Mosley using steroids in 2003, which he disclosed in grand-jury testimony related to the BALCO investigation, information which became public after a federal judge ruled that lawyers for former baseball player Barry Bonds should have access to previously sealed testimony.
Several members of the Mayweather camp have openly expressed suspicions that Pacquiao has used performance-enhancing drugs.
Their inability to reach agreement on drug testing ultimately doomed their proposed March 13 fight. Pacquiao fought, and defeated, Joshua Clottey on that date instead.
“If every athlete is clean in the sport of boxing, take the test,” Mayweather said. “I take the test. If Manny Pacquiao takes the blood and urine tests, we can fight. If he doesn’t we won’t make the fight.
“Everybody’s entitled to their own fight. I will continue to fight the best out there. Floyd Mayweather wants to fight everyone on an even plane. That’s all I asked.”
Mayweather defeated Mosley by a widespread margin, winning 11-1 in rounds on two judges’ scorecards, and 10-2 on the third. Robert Hoyle gave Mosley the first two rounds. All three judges gave Mosley the second round, when two knee-buckling right hands hurt Mayweather worse than he has ever been hurt in his career.
“This is a contact sport and that comes with boxing,” Mayweather said. “Sometimes you get with some shots, you have to suck it up and be a warrior. He’s a future Hall of Famer, I’m a future Hall of Famer.”
Mosley said that punch might have been his undoing, in some ways.
“I think after I caught him with that big right hand, I opened up too much and played into his hands,” Mosley said. “I was too tight. When I hit him with the big right hand, I thought I was going to get the knockout. He started to avoid the punches. He did surprise me. Once I tried to get my timing back, I couldn’t adjust and he did. I am happy I took the fight. He is a true champion.
“Now, you will see him and Manny -- if Manny takes the blood test.”
E-mail David Mayo: dmayo@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/David_Mayo
Source: mlive.com
LAS VEGAS -- Floyd Mayweather reiterated a stance that couldn’t be clearer Saturday night: If Manny Pacquiao is willing to submit to Olympic-style drug testing, they can fight next.
Otherwise, no fight.
Mayweather’s position of the last several months did not change one iota in the aftermath of his dominant 12-round unanimous decision over Shane Mosley at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
“If Manny Pacquiao wants to fight, it’s not hard to find me,” Mayweather said. “We were going to make the fight a couple of months back but it didn’t happen.
“I take my hat off to Mosley. He had problems in the past but he’s a warrior. He took the blood and urine tests. I just want everyone to be on an even playing field.”
The reference was to Mosley using steroids in 2003, which he disclosed in grand-jury testimony related to the BALCO investigation, information which became public after a federal judge ruled that lawyers for former baseball player Barry Bonds should have access to previously sealed testimony.
Several members of the Mayweather camp have openly expressed suspicions that Pacquiao has used performance-enhancing drugs.
Their inability to reach agreement on drug testing ultimately doomed their proposed March 13 fight. Pacquiao fought, and defeated, Joshua Clottey on that date instead.
“If every athlete is clean in the sport of boxing, take the test,” Mayweather said. “I take the test. If Manny Pacquiao takes the blood and urine tests, we can fight. If he doesn’t we won’t make the fight.
“Everybody’s entitled to their own fight. I will continue to fight the best out there. Floyd Mayweather wants to fight everyone on an even plane. That’s all I asked.”
Mayweather defeated Mosley by a widespread margin, winning 11-1 in rounds on two judges’ scorecards, and 10-2 on the third. Robert Hoyle gave Mosley the first two rounds. All three judges gave Mosley the second round, when two knee-buckling right hands hurt Mayweather worse than he has ever been hurt in his career.
“This is a contact sport and that comes with boxing,” Mayweather said. “Sometimes you get with some shots, you have to suck it up and be a warrior. He’s a future Hall of Famer, I’m a future Hall of Famer.”
Mosley said that punch might have been his undoing, in some ways.
“I think after I caught him with that big right hand, I opened up too much and played into his hands,” Mosley said. “I was too tight. When I hit him with the big right hand, I thought I was going to get the knockout. He started to avoid the punches. He did surprise me. Once I tried to get my timing back, I couldn’t adjust and he did. I am happy I took the fight. He is a true champion.
“Now, you will see him and Manny -- if Manny takes the blood test.”
E-mail David Mayo: dmayo@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/David_Mayo
Source: mlive.com
Mayweather handles hapless Mosley -- ESPN
By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com
LAS VEGAS -- Floyd Mayweather Jr. made it look easy.
"Money" might not be the best fighter of all time, as he likes to proclaim, but when the time came to make a welterweight statement against Shane Mosley, he did it.
Despite a rough first two rounds, they were but a distant memory by the time the final bell rang and Mayweather had claimed a lopsided decision victory in the year's biggest fight so far on Saturday night at the star-studded MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Mayweather had won six world titles in five divisions from junior lightweight to junior middleweight and beaten several prime opponents, but all in the smaller weight classes.
At welterweight, where he has campaigned since late 2005, Mayweather was heavily -- and rightly -- criticized for hand-picking smaller and non-elite opponents despite a division that boasted such top foes as Mosley, Antonio Margarito, Miguel Cotto, Paul Williams and, of course, Manny Pacquiao.
Can't say that anymore.
Finally, Mayweather took on Mosley (46-6, 39 KOs), the de facto champion of the division, and toyed with him.
"I came here to give the fans what they wanted to see, a toe-to-toe battle," Mayweather said. "That's how I wanted to fight and what I wanted to give the fans. It wasn't the same style for me but I wanted to be aggressive and knew I could do it. This is a fight the fans asked for a long time. the fans asked for long time and they got it."
Mosley's alphabet 147-pound belt was not on the line -- Mayweather did not want to pay a sanction fee or accept the belt, which he said would only collect dust -- but it hardly mattered.
This was a big fight.
A really big fight.
The crowd was filled with movie and music stars -- Maria Carey, Jay Leno, Usher, Jay-Z and Will Smith, to name a few, as well as Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Boxing royalty also turned out -- Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Heaarns, Roberto Duran and others.
It was that kind of night for the sport.
And it was that kind of night for Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs), who closed as a 4-1 favorite and backed it up every bit.
Judges Adalaide Byrd and Dave Moretti each scored it 119-109 for Mayweather while judge Robert Hoyle had it 118-110. ESPN.com also had it for Mayweather, 117-110.
Mosley, 38 and fighting for the first time in 16 months, sure looked his age, unable to get off shots consistently.
But he did give us a glimpse, at long last, of what would happen if Mayweather was presented with significant adversity.
We learned he can handle it like a champ.
Those drama-filled moments came early in the fight, when Mosley looked good. His best chance to end Mayweather's undefeated run came and went in the second round when Mayweather, 33, survived a perhaps the roughest spot of his professional career.
Mosley landed a tremendous right hand that shook Mayweather to his boots. He was grabbing on to keep from going down, and Mosley kept firing.
He landed at least two more big right hands and had Mayweather in huge trouble.
But Mosley couldn't capitalize on his moment.
It was gone like that.
"I caught him with my big right hand and I tried to move around, but by that time he was too quick and I was too tight," said Mosley, who earned $6.75 million plus a percentage of the pay-per-view, which many expect to be in the 1.5 million to 2 million-plus ballpark. "After the right hand, I thought I need to knock him out and I need to do it sooner than later. I couldn't adjust and he did."
Mayweather downplayed the drama.
"It's a contact sport and you're gonna get hit," said Mayweather, who was guaranteed $22.5 million plus a cut of the pay-per-view profits. "What you gotta do it suck it up and keep on fighting. That's what I did when I got hit with that shot."
He adjusted beautifully. He came out for the fourth round and rolled while Mosley, a three-division champion, could do little to combat his speed or penetrate his tight defense.
Mayweather also began landing his right hand. And landing it. And landing it.
He was landing it nearly at will against a Mosley who was looking every bit his age.
"I still feel really good but my neck was really tight I think it was the long layoff that hurt me," said Mosley, who hadn't fought since knocking out Margarito in the ninth round in an upset in January 2009. "I am happy I got this fight and he gave me the opportunity, but now I am going to go home, look at the tapes and see what went wrong. Take it slow and go from there."
At one point in the eighth round, Mayweather was talking to Mosley and taunting him because it was so easy for him to land. In the ninth, it was a right uppercut that caught Mosley's attention.
"I went over the plan with my dad [Floyd Mayweather Sr.] and uncle [and trainer] Roger [Mayweather] when we were sitting around the house," Mayweather said. "They watched the tapes of Shane and said to box and lay on the attack. I think I could have attacked earlier and then we would have gotten the knockout."
Now the attention will turn making the fight the world has wanted to see, Mayweather against Pacquiao.
Although the pound-for-pound mantle still belongs to Pacquiao until proven otherwise, that is by far the biggest fight in boxing.
Mayweather was only fighting Mosley because talks to fight Pacquiao fell apart in January over the kind of drug testing they would epmploy. Pacquiao wouldn't agreee to Mayweather's insistence on strict testing. Mosley did agree on the testing, which was overseen by the United States Anti-Doping Agency.
If a fight with Pacquiao is to happen, Mayweather said it will be because the Filipino idol accepts his drug testing terms.
"If he wants to fight it's not that hard to fight me," Mayweather said. "We tried to fight before and it didn't work, and we moved on. Mosley did what I asked him to do and if every athlete in the sport would do that we know we would have a clean sport. Everyone should take the test. I am willing to take the tests.
"If Manny takes the test we can make the fight happen. If he doesn't we don't have a fight.
I'm going to continue to fight the best. Shane Mosley is a helluva a fighter and I am going to keep on fighting the best."
That means fighting Pacquiao.
Let's hope it happens.
Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.
Source: sports.espn.go.com
LAS VEGAS -- Floyd Mayweather Jr. made it look easy.
"Money" might not be the best fighter of all time, as he likes to proclaim, but when the time came to make a welterweight statement against Shane Mosley, he did it.
Despite a rough first two rounds, they were but a distant memory by the time the final bell rang and Mayweather had claimed a lopsided decision victory in the year's biggest fight so far on Saturday night at the star-studded MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Mayweather had won six world titles in five divisions from junior lightweight to junior middleweight and beaten several prime opponents, but all in the smaller weight classes.
At welterweight, where he has campaigned since late 2005, Mayweather was heavily -- and rightly -- criticized for hand-picking smaller and non-elite opponents despite a division that boasted such top foes as Mosley, Antonio Margarito, Miguel Cotto, Paul Williams and, of course, Manny Pacquiao.
Can't say that anymore.
Finally, Mayweather took on Mosley (46-6, 39 KOs), the de facto champion of the division, and toyed with him.
"I came here to give the fans what they wanted to see, a toe-to-toe battle," Mayweather said. "That's how I wanted to fight and what I wanted to give the fans. It wasn't the same style for me but I wanted to be aggressive and knew I could do it. This is a fight the fans asked for a long time. the fans asked for long time and they got it."
Mosley's alphabet 147-pound belt was not on the line -- Mayweather did not want to pay a sanction fee or accept the belt, which he said would only collect dust -- but it hardly mattered.
This was a big fight.
A really big fight.
The crowd was filled with movie and music stars -- Maria Carey, Jay Leno, Usher, Jay-Z and Will Smith, to name a few, as well as Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Boxing royalty also turned out -- Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Heaarns, Roberto Duran and others.
It was that kind of night for the sport.
And it was that kind of night for Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs), who closed as a 4-1 favorite and backed it up every bit.
Judges Adalaide Byrd and Dave Moretti each scored it 119-109 for Mayweather while judge Robert Hoyle had it 118-110. ESPN.com also had it for Mayweather, 117-110.
Mosley, 38 and fighting for the first time in 16 months, sure looked his age, unable to get off shots consistently.
But he did give us a glimpse, at long last, of what would happen if Mayweather was presented with significant adversity.
We learned he can handle it like a champ.
Those drama-filled moments came early in the fight, when Mosley looked good. His best chance to end Mayweather's undefeated run came and went in the second round when Mayweather, 33, survived a perhaps the roughest spot of his professional career.
Mosley landed a tremendous right hand that shook Mayweather to his boots. He was grabbing on to keep from going down, and Mosley kept firing.
He landed at least two more big right hands and had Mayweather in huge trouble.
But Mosley couldn't capitalize on his moment.
It was gone like that.
"I caught him with my big right hand and I tried to move around, but by that time he was too quick and I was too tight," said Mosley, who earned $6.75 million plus a percentage of the pay-per-view, which many expect to be in the 1.5 million to 2 million-plus ballpark. "After the right hand, I thought I need to knock him out and I need to do it sooner than later. I couldn't adjust and he did."
Mayweather downplayed the drama.
"It's a contact sport and you're gonna get hit," said Mayweather, who was guaranteed $22.5 million plus a cut of the pay-per-view profits. "What you gotta do it suck it up and keep on fighting. That's what I did when I got hit with that shot."
He adjusted beautifully. He came out for the fourth round and rolled while Mosley, a three-division champion, could do little to combat his speed or penetrate his tight defense.
Mayweather also began landing his right hand. And landing it. And landing it.
He was landing it nearly at will against a Mosley who was looking every bit his age.
"I still feel really good but my neck was really tight I think it was the long layoff that hurt me," said Mosley, who hadn't fought since knocking out Margarito in the ninth round in an upset in January 2009. "I am happy I got this fight and he gave me the opportunity, but now I am going to go home, look at the tapes and see what went wrong. Take it slow and go from there."
At one point in the eighth round, Mayweather was talking to Mosley and taunting him because it was so easy for him to land. In the ninth, it was a right uppercut that caught Mosley's attention.
"I went over the plan with my dad [Floyd Mayweather Sr.] and uncle [and trainer] Roger [Mayweather] when we were sitting around the house," Mayweather said. "They watched the tapes of Shane and said to box and lay on the attack. I think I could have attacked earlier and then we would have gotten the knockout."
Now the attention will turn making the fight the world has wanted to see, Mayweather against Pacquiao.
Although the pound-for-pound mantle still belongs to Pacquiao until proven otherwise, that is by far the biggest fight in boxing.
Mayweather was only fighting Mosley because talks to fight Pacquiao fell apart in January over the kind of drug testing they would epmploy. Pacquiao wouldn't agreee to Mayweather's insistence on strict testing. Mosley did agree on the testing, which was overseen by the United States Anti-Doping Agency.
If a fight with Pacquiao is to happen, Mayweather said it will be because the Filipino idol accepts his drug testing terms.
"If he wants to fight it's not that hard to fight me," Mayweather said. "We tried to fight before and it didn't work, and we moved on. Mosley did what I asked him to do and if every athlete in the sport would do that we know we would have a clean sport. Everyone should take the test. I am willing to take the tests.
"If Manny takes the test we can make the fight happen. If he doesn't we don't have a fight.
I'm going to continue to fight the best. Shane Mosley is a helluva a fighter and I am going to keep on fighting the best."
That means fighting Pacquiao.
Let's hope it happens.
Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.
Source: sports.espn.go.com
Floyd Mayweather too much for Shane Mosley from third round on -- Washington Post
By Gene Wang, Washington Post
LAS VEGAS -- In a career filled with memorable performances, Floyd Mayweather put together another for the ages by thoroughly dismantling Shane Mosley in their non-title welterweight fight in front of 15,117 fans at the MGM Grand on Saturday night.
In winning by unanimous decision, Mayweather was not seriously challenged after the second round and continued to make the case for himself as the best pound-for-pound fighter now and perhaps of all-time. He was too quick, too resilient and too resourceful for Mosley, who won just that one round on two of the judges' scorecards and the first and second rounds on the other.
Now the boxing world waits to see if and how soon the undefeated Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs) can get a deal completed to fight Manny Pacquiao in what surely would be the most highly anticipated prize fight in several years.
Immediately following the fight, spectators began yelling, "Pacquiao," and during a postfight interview in the ring, Mayweather was asked about that possibility. He remained noncommittal about a fight that appeared set to happen until negotiations between the sides broke down in January over drug testing requests by Mayweather's camp.
The buildup to Mayweather-Mosley led many in the boxing establishment as well as the casual fight fan to believe this fight could be on par with some of the transcendent non-heavyweight clashes from generations ago. It was, however, a far cry from Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns or Leonard-Marvin Hagler.
Mayweather, 33, instead turned this into a rout from the third round forward. Some of his most inspired fighting came in the fourth when he landed consecutive rights to the head of Mosley and in the fifth with several right jabs and a solid left.
Then Mayweather continued to assert his will with a right cross in the sixth round that snapped back Mosley's head. Clearly shaken from that and previous blows, Mosley, 38, was unable to mount a counterattack the rest of the match and frequently had to cover up just to avoid further damage.
"I think we could have pressed the attack a lot earlier," said Mayweather, who was stunned momentarily by a hard right from Mosley in the second. "It's a contact sport. You're going to get hit. When you get hit, you just suck it up and keep on fighting."
At the end of a convincing seventh round in which he connected cleanly on two right crosses, Mayweather looked back toward his opponent's corner and nodded as if he knew the fight was his.
Then in the eighth, Mayweather left no doubt. That's when Mosley (46-6, 39 KOs) threw Mayweather into the ropes, drawing a warning from the referee. Mosley appeared to let down his guard for a moment following that sequence, and Mayweather landed a shot to the head. Stunned by the blow, Mosley looked at Mayweather and said, C'mon dog."
The rest of the right from there was all but a formality, as Mosley showed his age and Mayweather showed more excellence of execution.
"I still feel really good, but my neck was tight," said Mosley, whose last fight was a commanding victory over Antonio Margarito on Jan. 24, 2008. "I think the long layoff hurt me."
Source: washingtonpost.com
LAS VEGAS -- In a career filled with memorable performances, Floyd Mayweather put together another for the ages by thoroughly dismantling Shane Mosley in their non-title welterweight fight in front of 15,117 fans at the MGM Grand on Saturday night.
In winning by unanimous decision, Mayweather was not seriously challenged after the second round and continued to make the case for himself as the best pound-for-pound fighter now and perhaps of all-time. He was too quick, too resilient and too resourceful for Mosley, who won just that one round on two of the judges' scorecards and the first and second rounds on the other.
Now the boxing world waits to see if and how soon the undefeated Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs) can get a deal completed to fight Manny Pacquiao in what surely would be the most highly anticipated prize fight in several years.
Immediately following the fight, spectators began yelling, "Pacquiao," and during a postfight interview in the ring, Mayweather was asked about that possibility. He remained noncommittal about a fight that appeared set to happen until negotiations between the sides broke down in January over drug testing requests by Mayweather's camp.
The buildup to Mayweather-Mosley led many in the boxing establishment as well as the casual fight fan to believe this fight could be on par with some of the transcendent non-heavyweight clashes from generations ago. It was, however, a far cry from Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns or Leonard-Marvin Hagler.
Mayweather, 33, instead turned this into a rout from the third round forward. Some of his most inspired fighting came in the fourth when he landed consecutive rights to the head of Mosley and in the fifth with several right jabs and a solid left.
Then Mayweather continued to assert his will with a right cross in the sixth round that snapped back Mosley's head. Clearly shaken from that and previous blows, Mosley, 38, was unable to mount a counterattack the rest of the match and frequently had to cover up just to avoid further damage.
"I think we could have pressed the attack a lot earlier," said Mayweather, who was stunned momentarily by a hard right from Mosley in the second. "It's a contact sport. You're going to get hit. When you get hit, you just suck it up and keep on fighting."
At the end of a convincing seventh round in which he connected cleanly on two right crosses, Mayweather looked back toward his opponent's corner and nodded as if he knew the fight was his.
Then in the eighth, Mayweather left no doubt. That's when Mosley (46-6, 39 KOs) threw Mayweather into the ropes, drawing a warning from the referee. Mosley appeared to let down his guard for a moment following that sequence, and Mayweather landed a shot to the head. Stunned by the blow, Mosley looked at Mayweather and said, C'mon dog."
The rest of the right from there was all but a formality, as Mosley showed his age and Mayweather showed more excellence of execution.
"I still feel really good, but my neck was tight," said Mosley, whose last fight was a commanding victory over Antonio Margarito on Jan. 24, 2008. "I think the long layoff hurt me."
Source: washingtonpost.com
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