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The fight is not until next weekend, but I wanted to get this out there first: Shane Mosley beats Floyd Mayweather.
There you go, I've said it. You can quote me on it. Tune into Sky Sports in the early hours of May 2nd and you will see the end of Mayweather, I'm telling you.
Like most people, I've been thinking about this fight a lot. And the more I think about, the more I analyse it, the more I look at the fighters involved, the more I think Mosley is going to win.
When this fight was first made, I'll admit I was siding with Mayweather. But then I started to think. I started to think back to after that comeback win over Juan Manuel Marquez, when Mosley jumped in the ring, interrupted his interview and started calling him out.
We were all sat there rightly reflecting on a great performance from Mayweather, then all of a sudden, Mosley came tearing into view shouting his mouth off. I have never been one to jump on the Mayweather bandwagon, but at the time, I had plenty of sympathy for him because it was his moment.
The first thing I thought back then was 'pick on someone your own size, stop bullying him'. And the more I think about it, that is the crucial factor here: Mosley is just too big. And fast. And probably too strong. In fact, compared to Floyd he is massive.
Reputations
That means, for the first time in 14 years and 41 fights as a professional, Mayweather is going to be taken out of his comfort zone. Never mind the greatest boxer in history, he should go down as the greatest match-maker in history because he books the best fights for himself; the right fighters at the right time. But for some reason, I think he's blown it this time, I really do.
I know Emanuel Steward shares the same view - that Floyd loves the comfort zone. I was also talking to HBO's Larry Merchant out in Florida the other weekend and he agrees.
He made the point that Mayweather is considered a great fighter but has never really been in a fight, never mind a great fight. Now I know dear old Larry might take an eternity to say something, but he knows his boxing inside out and doesn't pander to people's egos or reputations. And I think he's right.
That is what makes this fight so exciting for us all. Because he is bigger, and at least as quick, Mosley will make Floyd fight. And none of us, not even the man himself, know what is going to happen then. What happens when it all falls down, when he's got nothing else in there? What have you got Floyd? What have you got?
Yes, he has great skills and he is a master of defensive boxing, but what will happen when the call to arms comes? I think he will be found wanting, I really do.
Rejuvenated
Mayweather is considered a great, but I am starting to have second thoughts as to whether he can be considered a true great. I remember covering his fights in places like Portland, Fresno and Grand Rapids at a time when none of the casinos in Las Vegas wanted to touch him.
He was president of the 'Who Wants Him? Club' and I can't recall one boxer down the years who has managed to re-invent himself so dramatically to go from being grossly unpopular to an all-time great.
I actually think Ricky Hatton had a lot to do with where Floyd is now. Ricky's draw and his fan-base raised Mayweather's profile because until then, what he had showed us, wasn't exactly box office, was it?
Shane Mosley though, is a rejuvenated fighter. I am not sure he will ever be as good as he was when he beat Oscar de la Hoya but certainly last time out against Antonio Margarito, he looked sharp, he looked slick and he looked like he was back in love with fighting.
And that is one thing we have never been able to say about Floyd Mayweather. When it comes down to it, I am not sure he has the heart to go to war...
There you go, I've said it. You can quote me on it. Tune into Sky Sports in the early hours of May 2nd and you will see the end of Mayweather, I'm telling you.
Like most people, I've been thinking about this fight a lot. And the more I think about, the more I analyse it, the more I look at the fighters involved, the more I think Mosley is going to win.
When this fight was first made, I'll admit I was siding with Mayweather. But then I started to think. I started to think back to after that comeback win over Juan Manuel Marquez, when Mosley jumped in the ring, interrupted his interview and started calling him out.
We were all sat there rightly reflecting on a great performance from Mayweather, then all of a sudden, Mosley came tearing into view shouting his mouth off. I have never been one to jump on the Mayweather bandwagon, but at the time, I had plenty of sympathy for him because it was his moment.
The first thing I thought back then was 'pick on someone your own size, stop bullying him'. And the more I think about it, that is the crucial factor here: Mosley is just too big. And fast. And probably too strong. In fact, compared to Floyd he is massive.
Reputations
That means, for the first time in 14 years and 41 fights as a professional, Mayweather is going to be taken out of his comfort zone. Never mind the greatest boxer in history, he should go down as the greatest match-maker in history because he books the best fights for himself; the right fighters at the right time. But for some reason, I think he's blown it this time, I really do.
I know Emanuel Steward shares the same view - that Floyd loves the comfort zone. I was also talking to HBO's Larry Merchant out in Florida the other weekend and he agrees.
He made the point that Mayweather is considered a great fighter but has never really been in a fight, never mind a great fight. Now I know dear old Larry might take an eternity to say something, but he knows his boxing inside out and doesn't pander to people's egos or reputations. And I think he's right.
That is what makes this fight so exciting for us all. Because he is bigger, and at least as quick, Mosley will make Floyd fight. And none of us, not even the man himself, know what is going to happen then. What happens when it all falls down, when he's got nothing else in there? What have you got Floyd? What have you got?
Yes, he has great skills and he is a master of defensive boxing, but what will happen when the call to arms comes? I think he will be found wanting, I really do.
Rejuvenated
Mayweather is considered a great, but I am starting to have second thoughts as to whether he can be considered a true great. I remember covering his fights in places like Portland, Fresno and Grand Rapids at a time when none of the casinos in Las Vegas wanted to touch him.
He was president of the 'Who Wants Him? Club' and I can't recall one boxer down the years who has managed to re-invent himself so dramatically to go from being grossly unpopular to an all-time great.
I actually think Ricky Hatton had a lot to do with where Floyd is now. Ricky's draw and his fan-base raised Mayweather's profile because until then, what he had showed us, wasn't exactly box office, was it?
Shane Mosley though, is a rejuvenated fighter. I am not sure he will ever be as good as he was when he beat Oscar de la Hoya but certainly last time out against Antonio Margarito, he looked sharp, he looked slick and he looked like he was back in love with fighting.
And that is one thing we have never been able to say about Floyd Mayweather. When it comes down to it, I am not sure he has the heart to go to war...
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