Congratulations Manny Pacquiao

"He surprised me with that power, with that knockdown. That's the most legitimate knockdown on me in a long time." Sugar Shane Mosley

Boxing experts predict Pacquiao win

BY Josef Ramos

“Pacquiao who’s expected to rely on his blistering speed and footwork to neutralize attacks… Pacquiao will see them [punches] coming, slide to his right, duck under them and unleash his left,” he said. “It’ll be close and exciting for a few rounds until Pacquiao takes over, pounding Mosley down the stretch en route to a unanimous decision.”

Boxing experts favored Manny Pacquiao to win over Shane Mosley on May 7 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas but have differing opinions on how the Filipino ring icon would dominate the aging American boxer.

Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) columnist Joe Tessitore and ESPN, Reuters and HBO boxing writer Kieran Mulvaney predicted that Pacquiao would win by late technical knockout or via unanimous decision.

“Pacquiao is faster than this older edition of Shane Mosley. He’s viper-like with his quick-striking left cross and right hook,” wrote Tessitore on the official website of ESPN.

Even though he is convinced that the 39-year-old Mosley (46-6-1 win-loss-draw card with 39 knockouts) could hurt Pacquiao (52-3-2 with 38 KOs) with uppercuts and body shots, Tessitore explained these are not enough to chop down the pound-for-pound king.

“In the end, I see very few scenarios that include Mosley pulling off the upset, so it would be Pacquiao by late TKO,” he said.

Mulvaney, for his part, said Mosley’s punching power and longer reach would not suffice to destroy Pacquiao who’s expected to rely on his blistering speed and footwork to neutralize attacks.
“Pacquiao will see them [punches] coming, slide to his right, duck under them and unleash his left,” he said. “It’ll be close and exciting for a few rounds until Pacquiao takes over, pounding Mosley down the stretch en route to a unanimous decision.”

Dan Rafael, another ESPN writer said the fight would definitely be exciting since both fighters are very aggressive and are expected to collide head-on.

“Mosley is a proud fighter who still possesses heart, a great chin and good power. In his one moment of note against Floyd Mayweather Jr., he almost knocked him out in the second round,” said Rafael.

Rafael though admitted that Mosley is now slower and his punches no longer possessed the same authority as they used to be.

The PACQUIAO vs. MOSLEY equation

The renowned boxing bible, Ring Magazine, came up with a 20 category analysis of the Pacquiao-Mosley fight. “Paquiao is not the remorseless savage Duran (Roberto) was, but his ferocity still rates a 4.5. Mosley was a 5.0- quality finisher in his lightweight prime, but time and weight has compromised his capability,” says Ring Magazine. The renowned magazine adds Mosley is bigger and stronger, while Pacquiao is fresher and faster..!

MOSLEY vs. PACQUIAO

MOSLEY vs. PACQUIAO

Promoter Bob Arum said Tuesday night (Wednesday in Manila) that Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao versus Shane Mosley is set for May 7 in Las Vegas.
“We’ve agreed on all the major points of the fight, and a formal announcement will be made after the holidays,” Arum said by phone from Las Vegas.

Arum, who now promotes both Pacquiao and Mosley, declined to discuss the details of the fight until he has spoken personally to each of them.

He said both Pacquiao and Mosley would get the biggest paydays in the fight for Pacquiao’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao earned at least $20 million in his last fight against Antonio Margarito, while Mosley’s $7-million paycheck in his May showdown with unbeaten American welterweight star Floyd Mayweather Jr. was his biggest.

Arum, who attended Pacquiao’s 32nd birthday bash in the Philippines, said Mosley was chosen over other candidates because he is “the most recognizable opponent” and fighting him made the most sense, money-wise for PacMan.

Also considered for Pacquiao next fight were Mexican world lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez and World Boxing Council welterweight titlist Andre Berto.

The 32-year-old Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 by knockouts) is seven years younger than Mosley, a five-time world champion in four different weight classes.

Arum said that although Mosley looked unimpressive in a split decision win over Sergio Mora on September 18 in Los Angeles, he said Mosley’s fighting skills and speed would challenge Pacquiao.

Pacquiao, the consensus best boxer in the world pound for pound, just won a record eighth world title with a sensational shut-out win over former three-time welter champion Margarito on November 13 at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium.

Arum stressed that Mosley (46-6-1, 39 knockouts) stopped Margarito in their January 24, 2009 welterweight title fight in one of his biggest wins.

He added that Mosley gave Mayweather a scare, almost knocking out thrash-talking former pound-for-pound kingpin in the second round of their May match-up only to fade out and lose by unanimous decision. BY JUN MEDINA