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Reason #1 - The fathers have no filter...
Make no mistake about it... Floyd Sr. started the whole mess about Pacquiao; in my opinion the old man was bitter because Manny basically "messed his money up" and embarrassed him as a trainer. The old man is anything but shy and he'll take shots at Mosley that Mosley's father won't take lying down. Jack Mosley is a proud guy and takes satisfaction in his relationship (with Shane) and his parenting job, and he's snubbed his nose at the "Mayweather dynamic" on several occasions. In this "battle inside the battle" there's a persistent social theme that affects the African-American community. Middle class African-Americans with strong family structures have often looked down on their so-called ***********al counterparts. Imagine the Huxstables (The Cosby Show) debating the Evans family (Good Times), and therein lies the conflict. The way these two fighters contrast in demeanor is directly related to their fathers and both men feel they've done it the right way. Floyd Mayweather Sr. feels he is the best trainer in the world. Jack Mosley (sly and witty) will take every opportunity to point out that Floyd Sr. simply sired one of the best fighters in the world and nothing more. Both sons will defend their respective fathers with uncommon emotion and it will get personal. Just imagine the "my daddy can whip your daddy" playground game playing out between two men who are considered lethal weapons. Floyd Sr. will tell anyone who is listening that his son is superior to Shane and papa Mosley will point out what he believes to be a fear on Floyd's part to face top competition. By the time May 1st arrives, there will be more than welterweight and pound for pound bragging rights on the line. There will also be the passion of family pride.
Reason #2 - PED's, (short for performance enhancing drugs)...
I don't have to get too deep into Shane's admitted use of PED's in 2003 and only God knows whether it was deliberate or unknowingly. In my opinion it weighed him down. Yes, he was game late in his second battle with De La Hoya but he was throwing one hard punch at a time. After having won the public relations battle against Top Rank regarding Pacquiao and the more stringent testing, Floyd will use this platform to lord over Shane- and Shane won't like it. Yeah, I know Shane jumping at the chance for random testing is a good move on his part and though opening statements from Mayweather will be respectful; think about who we are dealing with. Once the lights are on and the microphones show the red light Mayweather will renege on the spin he promised Golden Boy he would stick to during the promotional tour. It's too juicy a fastball for Floyd, plus he's not as creative as Ali or Hopkins when it comes to downgrading an opponent. BALCO is the lowest hanging fruit for a sop****ric trash talker. De La Hoya let it be known that he'll be the first to applaud Mosley when he agrees to testing but doesn't think that Floyd won't flip his switch regarding his loss being to an enhanced version of Sugar Shane. The negotiations for this fight were smooth, as both parties needed one another, but look for Mayweather to stick a gag order (on Mosley's past use) as well as he stuck to coming in at 144lbs. for Marquez. Mosley won't take this lying down, not now, not after resurrecting himself from those allegations and a heartbreaking loss to Miguel Cotto. The fight represents more to him than Floyd because he had the pound for pound distinction ripped from him and it has eluded him for the later part of this decade. Mayweather is currently enjoying his role of PED crusader (taking shots at Pacquiao) but as the fight nears his focus will narrow on Mr. Mosley. Look for this subject matter to bring a usually good natured Mosley out of his chair and quickly over to where the "Money Man" is seated.
Reason #3 - Golden Boy is Mosley's Home...
Oscar's ability to represent Mayweather, (I mean Mayweather Promotions), interests in big fights is a marriage of commerce and nothing more. The "Golden Boy" is not an all time great in the ring but outside of it he gets my Michael Corleone award for business. It's never personal. Mosley, however, is a charter member of Oscar's fistic Rat Pack, the Sammy to Oscar's Frank and there's a deep respect dating back to when they were children. Mayweather is no fan of De La Hoya's and though he is benefiting from GBP's promotional power he will be sensitive to any form of slight no matter how petty. Add in the fact that Mayweather left GBP hanging high and dry on a possible return bout with Oscar (in 2008) and you can see how GBP will have little patience with Floyd. Mosley enjoys the comfort of being among people he works with daily, the same people he will be working with to build Shane Mosley Jr.'s pro career- it's family. Floyd will not only have to contend with Mosley and his trainer ****m Richardson at the podium but also Richard Schaefer, De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins who won't be shy about taking subtle shots at Floyd. From a promotional standpoint the run- up to this super fight is like a home game for Mosley and a sensitive guy like Mayweather will feel it. Look for Floyd to scream bloody murder if anyone from the Golden Boy camp says something he finds disrespectful. If they hit as many locations as Oscar and Floyd did in 2007 something will slip and it will bring out the worst in both combatants. Note to Golden Boy, make sure Mayweather's accommodations are just as swanky as Mosley's and by no means expect any gratitude.
Reason #4 - The trainers...
****m Richardson, in the last several years based on his work with Hopkins and Mosley, is becoming a "Belicheckian" (that's my new word) in boxing circles. Cited with rejuvenating Mosley, Richardson is a great tactician, something Mosley's father isn't. In 2009 he became a darling of the media for his "game" and the discernment that busted Antonio Margarito for illegal hand wraps prior to entering the ring for his January 2009 bout with Mosley. Matching wits with the Philly native is nothing to take lightly, unless you are a man who takes shots at Angelo Dundee. Roger Mayweather is only distinguishable as a trainer for his work with nephew Floyd and this alone leads him to believe he's the best. It is well documented that Roger can be just as disparaging toward opponents and trainers as Floyd -but on a more demeaning "gutter" level. This is a man who made light of Freddie Roach's Parkinson's, even challenged him to fisticuffs all to the blind eye of Floyd Jr. "Brotha ****m" may be different in personality but he won't take any nonsense from Roger, he'll put him in check (albeit respectfully) the minute he gets out of pocket. Roger, as indiscernible as he is, has become dependable in conference calls for saying things that rub everybody the wrong way. With his legal troubles mounting, look for his fuse to be even shorter than usual, and the repeated questioning about his nephew "finally" fighting someone is a ticking time bomb.
And Lastly #5 History
Since the days when Floyd Mayweather burst on the championship radar with his dismantling of Genaro Hernandez, we have been dreaming of this fight. Floyd was a precocious young champion at junior lightweight when he started calling out the Sugar man. Mosley understandably started his career a little harder and having pulled himself up to notoriety and a lightweight title (in 1997) he had his eyes on De La Hoya. A lot of us remember those days, when Floyd used to call Mosley out and a lot of us felt he had a legitimate shot at winning. Personally I felt Floyd was the best fighter in the world as far back as 2001 but by then Shane was on a level above (in a marketing sense) and did not "need" the challenge. Floyd never forgot, and once he became the man in Boxing (in 2007) and Mosley was cast as veteran ex-champion trying to regain status, Floyd let him know about it. The two camps have exchanged shots for years and as recent as Mosley's double dip with Vargas did the potential fight become a regular post-fight question. There was the now infamous, "I have to spend time with my family/get some dental work" response by Mosley and the most recent "bum rush" of Mayweather by Shane and B-Hop after the Marquez exhibition. The history between the two easily spans a decade, from the days of buying your glossy fight-game (Bert Sugar) at the bookstore to the many website choices and social networking we have today. No matter the medium this is real, a genuine rivalry and with promotional obligations to be filled-with close proximity, it will get nasty.
By Martin Wade
Make no mistake about it... Floyd Sr. started the whole mess about Pacquiao; in my opinion the old man was bitter because Manny basically "messed his money up" and embarrassed him as a trainer. The old man is anything but shy and he'll take shots at Mosley that Mosley's father won't take lying down. Jack Mosley is a proud guy and takes satisfaction in his relationship (with Shane) and his parenting job, and he's snubbed his nose at the "Mayweather dynamic" on several occasions. In this "battle inside the battle" there's a persistent social theme that affects the African-American community. Middle class African-Americans with strong family structures have often looked down on their so-called ***********al counterparts. Imagine the Huxstables (The Cosby Show) debating the Evans family (Good Times), and therein lies the conflict. The way these two fighters contrast in demeanor is directly related to their fathers and both men feel they've done it the right way. Floyd Mayweather Sr. feels he is the best trainer in the world. Jack Mosley (sly and witty) will take every opportunity to point out that Floyd Sr. simply sired one of the best fighters in the world and nothing more. Both sons will defend their respective fathers with uncommon emotion and it will get personal. Just imagine the "my daddy can whip your daddy" playground game playing out between two men who are considered lethal weapons. Floyd Sr. will tell anyone who is listening that his son is superior to Shane and papa Mosley will point out what he believes to be a fear on Floyd's part to face top competition. By the time May 1st arrives, there will be more than welterweight and pound for pound bragging rights on the line. There will also be the passion of family pride.
Reason #2 - PED's, (short for performance enhancing drugs)...
I don't have to get too deep into Shane's admitted use of PED's in 2003 and only God knows whether it was deliberate or unknowingly. In my opinion it weighed him down. Yes, he was game late in his second battle with De La Hoya but he was throwing one hard punch at a time. After having won the public relations battle against Top Rank regarding Pacquiao and the more stringent testing, Floyd will use this platform to lord over Shane- and Shane won't like it. Yeah, I know Shane jumping at the chance for random testing is a good move on his part and though opening statements from Mayweather will be respectful; think about who we are dealing with. Once the lights are on and the microphones show the red light Mayweather will renege on the spin he promised Golden Boy he would stick to during the promotional tour. It's too juicy a fastball for Floyd, plus he's not as creative as Ali or Hopkins when it comes to downgrading an opponent. BALCO is the lowest hanging fruit for a sop****ric trash talker. De La Hoya let it be known that he'll be the first to applaud Mosley when he agrees to testing but doesn't think that Floyd won't flip his switch regarding his loss being to an enhanced version of Sugar Shane. The negotiations for this fight were smooth, as both parties needed one another, but look for Mayweather to stick a gag order (on Mosley's past use) as well as he stuck to coming in at 144lbs. for Marquez. Mosley won't take this lying down, not now, not after resurrecting himself from those allegations and a heartbreaking loss to Miguel Cotto. The fight represents more to him than Floyd because he had the pound for pound distinction ripped from him and it has eluded him for the later part of this decade. Mayweather is currently enjoying his role of PED crusader (taking shots at Pacquiao) but as the fight nears his focus will narrow on Mr. Mosley. Look for this subject matter to bring a usually good natured Mosley out of his chair and quickly over to where the "Money Man" is seated.
Reason #3 - Golden Boy is Mosley's Home...
Oscar's ability to represent Mayweather, (I mean Mayweather Promotions), interests in big fights is a marriage of commerce and nothing more. The "Golden Boy" is not an all time great in the ring but outside of it he gets my Michael Corleone award for business. It's never personal. Mosley, however, is a charter member of Oscar's fistic Rat Pack, the Sammy to Oscar's Frank and there's a deep respect dating back to when they were children. Mayweather is no fan of De La Hoya's and though he is benefiting from GBP's promotional power he will be sensitive to any form of slight no matter how petty. Add in the fact that Mayweather left GBP hanging high and dry on a possible return bout with Oscar (in 2008) and you can see how GBP will have little patience with Floyd. Mosley enjoys the comfort of being among people he works with daily, the same people he will be working with to build Shane Mosley Jr.'s pro career- it's family. Floyd will not only have to contend with Mosley and his trainer ****m Richardson at the podium but also Richard Schaefer, De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins who won't be shy about taking subtle shots at Floyd. From a promotional standpoint the run- up to this super fight is like a home game for Mosley and a sensitive guy like Mayweather will feel it. Look for Floyd to scream bloody murder if anyone from the Golden Boy camp says something he finds disrespectful. If they hit as many locations as Oscar and Floyd did in 2007 something will slip and it will bring out the worst in both combatants. Note to Golden Boy, make sure Mayweather's accommodations are just as swanky as Mosley's and by no means expect any gratitude.
Reason #4 - The trainers...
****m Richardson, in the last several years based on his work with Hopkins and Mosley, is becoming a "Belicheckian" (that's my new word) in boxing circles. Cited with rejuvenating Mosley, Richardson is a great tactician, something Mosley's father isn't. In 2009 he became a darling of the media for his "game" and the discernment that busted Antonio Margarito for illegal hand wraps prior to entering the ring for his January 2009 bout with Mosley. Matching wits with the Philly native is nothing to take lightly, unless you are a man who takes shots at Angelo Dundee. Roger Mayweather is only distinguishable as a trainer for his work with nephew Floyd and this alone leads him to believe he's the best. It is well documented that Roger can be just as disparaging toward opponents and trainers as Floyd -but on a more demeaning "gutter" level. This is a man who made light of Freddie Roach's Parkinson's, even challenged him to fisticuffs all to the blind eye of Floyd Jr. "Brotha ****m" may be different in personality but he won't take any nonsense from Roger, he'll put him in check (albeit respectfully) the minute he gets out of pocket. Roger, as indiscernible as he is, has become dependable in conference calls for saying things that rub everybody the wrong way. With his legal troubles mounting, look for his fuse to be even shorter than usual, and the repeated questioning about his nephew "finally" fighting someone is a ticking time bomb.
And Lastly #5 History
Since the days when Floyd Mayweather burst on the championship radar with his dismantling of Genaro Hernandez, we have been dreaming of this fight. Floyd was a precocious young champion at junior lightweight when he started calling out the Sugar man. Mosley understandably started his career a little harder and having pulled himself up to notoriety and a lightweight title (in 1997) he had his eyes on De La Hoya. A lot of us remember those days, when Floyd used to call Mosley out and a lot of us felt he had a legitimate shot at winning. Personally I felt Floyd was the best fighter in the world as far back as 2001 but by then Shane was on a level above (in a marketing sense) and did not "need" the challenge. Floyd never forgot, and once he became the man in Boxing (in 2007) and Mosley was cast as veteran ex-champion trying to regain status, Floyd let him know about it. The two camps have exchanged shots for years and as recent as Mosley's double dip with Vargas did the potential fight become a regular post-fight question. There was the now infamous, "I have to spend time with my family/get some dental work" response by Mosley and the most recent "bum rush" of Mayweather by Shane and B-Hop after the Marquez exhibition. The history between the two easily spans a decade, from the days of buying your glossy fight-game (Bert Sugar) at the bookstore to the many website choices and social networking we have today. No matter the medium this is real, a genuine rivalry and with promotional obligations to be filled-with close proximity, it will get nasty.
By Martin Wade
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