By Lem Satterfield
LAS VEGAS -- Jack Mosley trained his son, Shane Mosley, to sustain a high pace over the course of fights -- a technique that he calls "power boxing," this, resulting in a number of victories, including two decisions over Oscar De La Hoya.
"When I was training Shane, power boxing was something that required a lot of energy and a lot of intensity. And you used a lot of power. If the knockout comes, then it comes," said Jack Mosley, who was replaced by Naazim Richardson as Shane's corner man prior to his son's January, 2009, ninth-round knockout of Antonio Margarito.
"It's like the effect of a jackhammer hitting cement. You know, you can hit the same spot over and over again and nothing happens," said Jack Mosley.
"But if you do that continuously, then, eventually, that cement surface is going to give way to that jackhammer," said Jack Mosley. "That's sort of what the power boxing technique is. You just hit that guy with power over and over again until he breaks down."
Jack Mosley believes that Shane Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs) will need to employ that strategy against eight division titlist Manny Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs) if he is to dethrone Pacquiao as WBO welterweight champion, ending his winning streak at 13 straight fights, including eight knockouts.
"You need a good jab, and you need some good feints, and you need some power, and you need energy," said Jack Mosley. "I think that that would help Shane to do the job on Manny in this fight."
Most observers, however, are picking the 32-year-old Pacquiao to out-last the 39-year-old Mosley down the stretch, due in larger part to a perceived higher ability to sustain his stamina and power over the course of the fight.
Richardson disagrees.
"I've heard stories of Shane as a child where, while other kids are sleeping, he still riding around on his tricycle," said Richardson. "Well, the other day, I told him, I said, 'Shane, get off your tricycle and put your but in bed and sit down.' Because he's up, and he's got that energy again that's just a part of him."
In addition to the energy, however, Shane Mosley simply needs to rely on his own experience and to be himself.
"I'm confident that Shane can win this fight. Because it's not about people saying, 'Can he match Pacquiao's speed?' It's not about him trying to be like Pacquiao. What we forget is that he's a legend. We get caught up in watching Manny Pacquiao, but this is Shane Mosley," said Richardson.
"This is not Johnny Farr down the street sitting over here. This is the real deal. So he doesn't have to be Manny Pacquiao. All that he's got to do is be Sugar Shane Mosley, and then, Pacquiao is going to have to make adjustments to deal with Sugar Shane Mosley," said Richardson. "So I'm not asking him to match Manny Pacquiao's speed, I'm asking him to do what we worked on in camp. If he can be the best Sugar Shane Mosley that we have, then Pacquiao's got problems."