So, What Do You Want - Mayweather-Mosley Or Mayweather-Pacquiao?

by James Slater ESB Judging solely by the remarks left by fight fans via the comments facility afforded this great boxing web site, the desire is for Floyd Mayweather Junior to face one of two opponents in his next outing. Though the man getting most of the votes is current pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao, Sugar Shane Mosley is a fighter many thousands of fans clearly want to see "Money" test his quite sublime skills against. In an ideal world, 32-year-old Mayweather (who, interestingly, has just been given the P-4-P #2 spot in the Ring on line ratings because of his points win over Juan Manuel Marquez this past Saturday) would take on both Mosley and Pacquiao, even more ideally, one after the other.. But knowing Floyd, this is a long shot to happen. But surely, hopefully, the 40-0 star will face one of these two also superb fighters next. If it does come down to a case of having to pick between "Sugar" and "Pac-Man," who do you want Floyd to get it on with; the 38-year-old genuine welterweight? Or the 30-year-old pumped up lightweight? With regards to picking Mosley. Despite his age, Shane is probably the only fighter out there capable of matching Mayweather's blurring and accurate hand speed, as well as his sheer boxing skill. Also, more than big enough to be able to give it a shot at forcing Mayweather to fight a physical fight and to even push him around, Mosley figures to give the man many fans love to hate a real battle. Mosley certainly wants the fight, and thanks to the excitement he caused by approaching Floyd while he was being interviewed by Max Kellerman on Saturday, more and more fans are talking about this fight, too. Pacquiao, though he is a man who has muscled up and worked his way to the 142-pound range, has thus far proven he is a man capable of beating bigger men and he has also maintained his own not inconsiderable hand speed. And though some fans will take offence at my description of the Filipino legend as a pumped up lightweight, it is an accurate one. But "Pac-Man," because of a combination of his raw power and his sheer greatness, has been able to meet and defeat a welterweight (Oscar De La Hoya) and a light-welterweight (Ricky Hatton). Assuming he can get past a 145-pound (at the weigh-in) Miguel Cotto in November, the fans will simply demand that Mayweather fights him. A lot depends on how Manny looks against Cotto, and how damaging the fight is for him. But assuming he wins, it looks like he will land the big one with Floyd (maybe at yet another catch-weight?). But would Pacquiao really give Mayweather a better fight than Mosley would? Mosley, after all, has smashed even bigger men than himself as well - and really big guys like the huge for the weight Antonio Margarito and a solid light-middleweight in Ricardo Mayorga. As great as Pacquiao undeniably is, Mosley, with his size, strength and technique would be my pick for pushing Mayweather the furthest of the two of them in a welterweight bout (things will perhaps need a revised look at if Pacquiao can get Mayweather to agree to face him at a lower weight than 147, however). If Pacquaio does beat Cotto, though, it's as sure a thing as possible that the fans will demand he fight Floyd; a situation which will probably leave Mosley with match-ups like him Vs. Andre Berto and, if it can be rescheduled, Joshua Clottey. Both possible fights for Mayweather are most intriguing, but I feel it should be Mosley for him next. I'm not saying "Sugar" would beat Mayweather, but I am saying Pacquiao would not beat Floyd. Of the two great fighters, Mosley pushes Mayweather harder and longer than does Pacquiao.