By Luis Sandoval
Shane Mosley is one of two fighters in the sport that have shared the ring with both Floyd Mayweather and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and can actually give an insider’s account of what each fighter brings to the table. Mayweather and Alvarez will be squaring off on September 14th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV in what promises to be one of the biggest fights in the sports history.
Mayweather decided to fight above the Welterweight limit for the third time in his career in order to make the fight with Alvarez happen. The perception is Alvarez will be the bigger fighter and puncher but according to Mosley, he doesn’t think there is a difference in the hitting power.
“Canelo is stronger than Floyd physically. He’s bigger and stronger than him physically and he has the youth and everything but as far as hitting power, it’s about the same. Canelo doesn’t really hit much harder, too much harder than Floyd and I think that’s because Canelo snaps his punches real good. He’s faster than what people think and that’s what knocks you out; it’s the speed. It’s not as much the strength and the power, it’s the speed” said Mosley.
Mayweather and Mosley were both blessed with fast hands which has been a vital factor in their success and advantage over other fighters. Alvarez has often been criticized for being slow of foot but when it comes to his hand speed, many think that’s a department he’s underrated in.
Mosley believes punching power isn’t achieved from physical strength and muscles but rather the element of surprise that comes with having fast hands.
“Physically, I’m strong as hell. I’m real strong. I’m stronger than a lot of fighters and they think they can get in there and they can wrestle with me and play around but I’m stronger than a lot of fighters. But it’s not my strength; it’s my speed and snap that knocks the guys out. That’s why Floyd gets those knockouts when they come at him. That’s why Canelo gets the knock outs because he’s surprising them and getting that snap and that power and punching” Mosley would tell BoxingScene.
Mosley still isn’t sure if he’ll make the trek to Las Vegas to watch this fight live but he says if he doesn’t, he’ll definitely be at home with a soda pop and some popcorn and will enjoy the fight as a fan.
You can follow Luis Sandoval on Twitter @truewet007. You can also tune in to Boxingscene’s official audio show The Boxing Lab every Tuesday from 6-8PM PST with host Ernest Gabion, Luis Sandoval, and Ryan Burton.
