By Rick Reeno
When Floyd Mayweather (34-0, 23 KOs) steps in the ring to face former junior welterweight champion Sharmba Mitchell (56-4, 30 KOs), he takes his first step towards a welterweight title clash with former friend Zab Judah. A few years ago this fight would have had hardcore boxing fans drooling. Today, most experts view the bout as a mismatch.
Both men are taking a leap into uncharted waters, the welterweight division. One man will move forward towards the unified cup held by Zab Judah.
The staff of BoxingScene come together to voice their predictions, opinions and fighter strategies for the upcoming welterweight clash.
David Sauvage - Let's see. Here's the best pound for pound fighter in the world, coming off his biggest win to date. Going up against a B+ fighter. Who recently lost to a guy who recently lost. Um, the only question is, will Mitchell choke like he did against Tszyu? Or will he manage to run the whole twelve rounds? I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Floyd wins every round in a boring unanimous squashing.
James Blears - I'd like to say this one could depend on hands and knees. Whether Floyd's porcelain kid glove hands and Shamba's wonky knee will stand up to the strain. But following Mitchell's KO loss to Kostya Tszyu just over a year ago, going down four times before the action was stopped in round three, his durability has been dented.
If Floyd's sufficiently motivated and focused, it won't last more than five. He's not classified as the best pound for pound fighterfor nothing.
Tim Smith - The fight will be stopped on cuts in the fifth round, giving Mayweather a TKO victory.
Dr. Peter Edwards – It won’t be as easy as Gatti, but Mayweather will blow Mitchell away in 9.
Dave Wilcox - Sharmba Mitchell was blown away by Kostya Tzyzu, but this is a different type of fight. With both guys being boxers here, I can't see any quick knockouts in this one. Mitchell will hold his own for 5 or 6 rounds until “Pretty Boy” finally begins to show his dominance. Mayweather is one of the best boxer/punchers I have ever seen, and this fight will further his pound for pound supremacy. I look for Mayweather to stop Mitchell by a late TKO, probably around the 10th or 11th round.
Adam Pollack - Mayweather with little to no difficulty. Just depends on how much Sharmba decides to stink it out.
Tom Donelson - Sharmba Mitchell is a crafty veteran with a lot of experience in big fights. Unfortunately, he is going against one of the most prolific talents in boxing today. Mitchell’s southpaw stance is in his favor but at 35, he is not the boxer that he once was and this was clearly shown in his last fight with Kostya Tszyu. Tszyu destroyed Mitchell and that was after a near two- year layoff.
Mayweather is on top of his game and looking to make history. He wants to make a statement and he will. This won't be as one-sided as Mayweather-Gatti, but it won't be close either. Mayweather by TKO or knockout.
Mike Indri - This fight will serve as another showcase for "Flamboyant Floyd", who will further prove that he is the most talented and skilled boxer today. Moving up to the 147lb. division, without a hitch, Mayweather will dominate the very capable and still dangerous Mitchell, who will fall victim to this "once in a generation" fighter.
"Flamboyant Floyd" Mayweather over Sharmba Mitchell via unanimous decision or late round TKO.
Sammy Rozenberg – I think Mitchell will go for broke in the probably the last big fight of his career. Unfortunately, going for broke will not be enough in this bout. Mayweather by a 9th round TKO.
Jacquie Richardson - Mayweather in the early rounds. Mitchell is a very good boxer and a left handed fighter with GOOD punching power, but Mayweather's speed will blind him.
Matteo Alderson - I remember when Sharmba was coming up and fighting on the USA network. In one bout he got his trunks pulled down by Rocky Lockridge, and then knocked out in subsequent bouts by the two Johnsons. Still Mitchell is a decent fighter and he was at 140 for a long time, but he’s a small welterweight so I don’t think the weight will make that much of a difference.
Pretty Boy is just wasting his time with Sharmba, who won’t hear the bell for the tenth even though he might give Mayweather fits in various spots. If Mayweather wants to be a superstar and not just a boxing star, he better start participating in some superfights. Everyone thinks Oscar and Sugar Ray were big just because they were Olympians, but that’s not true. Those guys always went after the big fights. If Floyd ends up fighting and beating Mosley, Kostya, and Judah in a span of 12 months, he’ll be making a minimum of 10 million a fight.
Don Colgan - Mayweather by TKO in 8. Too much power, too much hand speed, too much confidence, too much talent! Mitchell should be a notable improvement from Arturo Gatti and should be able to land on Mayweather on occasion, yet the contest will be very one sided.
David P. Greisman - This fight should go one of two ways, neither favoring Sharmba Mitchell. The initial expectation is that Floyd Mayweather Jr. will stop Mitchell within the first seven rounds, embarrassing the former champion, a result that will surprise few. Otherwise, the fight will go the distance, a flashy stinker, still in favor of the Pretty Boy. Mayweather over Mitchell, and then hopefully Floyd will sign for Zab Judah, Ricky Hatton or Antonio Margarito.
Andy Rivera - Mayweather late round stoppage over Mitchell. Unusually it is Mitchell who is the fighter that has the edge in hand and foot speed, but now he is facing the number one pound for pound fighter in the world and will see hand speed that he is not accustomed to.
Plus "Pretty Boy" Floyd has been showing his aggression, more and more with each fight. Tzsyu, who of course is one of the best punchers in boxing, stopped Mitchell last year with a punch Sharmba never saw coming. Mayweather can also hit him with a similar unforeseen shot. This is Mitchell’s last shot for a big time fight, but I can't see this more being anything other than another blowout for Mayweather.
Keith Terceira - Mayweather in my opinion is the best pound for pound fighter in the sport today. Mitchell, though worthy of this opportunity will come up short in the speed and skill categories. I don't see this fight going to completion as reports from Mayweather's camp has the champion in top form against top twenty contenders. I expect to see Mayweather to win this bout in the late rounds by TKO.
My prediction is Mayweather by TKO in 10
Matthew Hurley - This is the last pass I will give to Floyd Mayweather for participating in yet another walkover. If he doesn't take on a Zab Judah, Ricky Hatton or Antonio Margarito in his next fight, he'll lose his number one position in my pound for pound list. This isn't a knock on Sharmba Mitchell, who was once a flashy fighter with good hand and foot speed. Unfortunately that fighter is long gone and even at his best, he was never in Mayweather's league.
I can see this turning into a boring jab-a-thon with Floyd a bit hesitant at this new weight. but my gut tells me he'll knock Mitchell out in or around the sixth round.
Rey Danseco - I think Floyd will have no problems against the southpaw from Washington. I can say, youth will prevail against the experience of the aging Mitchell. Mayweather's faster feet and hands that knocked out 23 guys in his career, will make him the winner within five rounds.
Larry Tornambe - I don't see Mayweather having any problem with the southpaw style of Mitchell. Although Sharmba looked good in his most recent fight, I see Mayweather performing as well as he did in his most recent outing against Gatti. Mayweather by TKO in 6th or 7th round.
Mark Workman - Floyd Mayweather has said, "To be the best, you have to beat the best." Then why is he not doing it? Sharmba Mitchell has very little chance of beating Mayweather, probably the most gifted boxer on the planet. In his debut at welterweight, Floyd will dazzle us with his speed and ring wizardry and stop Mitchell inside of 6 rounds. I think he's going to use this fight to make a big statement of his arrival at 147 pounds. And then, hopefully, we'll see him fighting tougher competition such as Zab Judah in the near future.
Rusty Rubin - It's really not much of a fight. An always in shape and top rated pound for pounder vs. an aging veteran. Mitchell is a good fighter, no longer in the same class as Mayweather, or even close.
Mayweather by decision or later stoppage.
Rick Reeno - I don't think Floyd is doing himself justice by taking on a crafty boxer like Sharmba Mitchell. Based upon Tszyu's 3 round wipeout of Mitchell, Floyd has to stop the aging southpaw in order to reinforce his pound for pound status. If the fight goes the distance or turns into a chess match, Mayweather could stand to lose some of the hype he gained from dominating Arturo Gatti. Floyd has to set the tempo early and put constant pressure on Mitchell.
It will be interesting to see how much both fighters weigh on fight night and if the extra pounds affect their performance. I see this fight going the distance. I heard from several reliable sources, including Emanuel Steward, that Mitchell was killing himself to make weight for the Tszyu rematch. I think the added weight will benefit him more than Floyd, thus making the fight more difficult than originally planned. Floyd is still going to find a way to breeze through, but Mitchell should game in his last shot at glory.