FIGHT PREVIEW AND PREDICTION

Preview: The biggest fight of the year thus far takes place on May 1 in Las Vegas, as Floyd Mayweather fights Shane Mosley. It is a rare match between two fighters who have been at or near the top of the pound-for-pound best list for the past decade. They are both still very viable and in great form. Boxing fans eagerly await this fight.

Floyd Mayweather is the favorite, a perk that comes with being undefeated over a career that spans nearly 14 years. The 33-year-old has bad hands, but is generally well preserved, having not been subjected to beatings and hard fights. Some might say this is due to careful matchmaking or perhaps it is just due to Mayweather’s brilliance. The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.

Putting the questions surrounding the quality of recent Mayweather opponents aside, he is facing a top guy in this fight and deserves credit. Mosley is coming off a destructive knockout of fearsome Antonio Margarito. Shane looked renewed after some had begun to write him off. He battered Margarito at will, looking as good as ever in the process. Sure he is 39, but he has lived a Spartan lifestyle that allows him to still be a top guy.

Floyd doesn’t have the losses Mosley has, but he might if he fought the same level of competition. Mosley’s resume reads like a who’s-who of boxing over the last 2 decades, highlighted by two wins over a prime Oscar De La Hoya. He lost twice each to Vernon Forrest and Winky Wright and dropped a close one to a then-undefeated Miguel Cotto. His win over Margarito, however, confirmed his stature at the top of the sport is still solid.

Mayweather could grow old overnight. Fighters don’t continue unabated forever. He will have had only fight in 28 months by the time he climbs into the ring on May 1. Mosley hasn’t been too active himself, as this is his first fight since beating Margarito in January of last year. Old pros like these shouldn’t have too much of a problem. Sometimes layoffs are good for aging fighters.

I think Mosley will be Mayweather’s toughest fight in quite a while. Mosley has great speed and can still hit extremely hard. He is probably the puncher in this fight. Mayweather is just so clever in the ring, knowing how to shade the conditions in his favor. He is a master of distance and a defensive whiz. After over a decade at the world-class level, he has yet to be in deep peril. His chin and fighting pride are also strong suits.

Prediction: I see a fast-paced and even encounter over the first half of the fight. Mayweather will be troubled by Mosley’s speed and combinations, while keeping Mosley honest with snappy counters and a strong jab. As the fight wears on, Mayweather will settle into more of a groove and begin to better time Mosley with combinations that will take a little wind out of his sails. I see Mayweather’s ring IQ playing a major role. Mosley, a clever fighter himself, will not be able to adjust late as the fight gets away from him. Mayweather will outbox Mosley to win a clear unanimous decision.

Source: belmont.com