Pacquiao – Mosley: The Prediction

It’s clear Pacquiao owns the more significant categories. Mosley may have a slight edge in ring generalship, but it may not be enough to offset Pacquiao’s overall dominance.

Keys to Victory: PACQUIAO

Freddie Roach’s gameplan is simple, avoid Shane Mosley at all costs and stave off the early onslaught. Team Pacquiao believes, and for good reason, that Mosley will go all out in the opening rounds in trying to score an upset. Then when the time is right, pick Mosley apart with angles and combination punching to possibly score a knockout in the middle to late rounds. Pacquiao must keep the fight at the center of the ring and avoid being caught on the ropes, Mosley is a different type of power puncher and has better knockout power compared to Margarito or Cotto.

Keys to Victory: MOSLEY

I feel sorry for Mosley, he’s a living legend, an ambassador of the sport that we all love so much yet he is counted out so quickly against the Filipino. Aside from the ‘punchers chance’ everyone says he has, Mosley has a much more logical chance of trying to win the fight on points. If he employs a good powerful jab to time Pacquiao whenever he tries to launch an attack, he can frustrate Pacquiao and throw him off his rhythm. Mosley then must use his intelligence and cutoff the ring and try to corner Pacquiao to do some real damage. Both Margarito and Cotto were able to have some success with this and there’s no reason why Shane can’t do the same. If he wins enough rounds just fighting smart, he may be able to keep the fight close and leave it up to the judges. He has a better chance of winning by decision than by knockout.

THE PREDICTION:

This fight, when it was conceived, was frowned upon as a complete mismatch. And frankly, nothing has changed since then. At this point in their respective careers, Pacquiao will simply be too much for Mosley. Pacquiao is faster, stronger and more durable than Mosley at this stage. It’s a mountain that is too steep for Mosley to climb – however, one punch can turn that mountain into a hill.

If everything moves logically, then expect Pacquiao to score a late round TKO or cruise to a Unanimous Decision. Judging by Pacquiao’s last few fights: He went the full twelve with Miguel Cotto (although there was a stoppage); He was never able to seriously hurt Clottey; and Margarito was able to hear the final bell – all points to Pacquiao not being able to have that ‘one-punch’ knockout power that he once had specially in the Welterweight division where fighters are big enough to take his shots. However, speed kills and that’s exactly what he’s used to beat the sport’s elite, even at 147 lbs. Mosley will be a step too slow especially late in the fight. He won’t have the speed or the stamina to thwart Pacquiao’s attacks which get stronger and busier as the fight progresses. Pacquiao will use volume punching to batter and bruise Mosley en route to a late round stoppage (barring the upset of course which has been the story of 2011).

Source: fightcardboxing.net