Pacquiao – Mosley: Speed Versus Quickness

One interesting take on this weekend’s blockbuster matchup between Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao and ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley is pitting Pacquiao’s overall speed advantage against Mosley’s quick and powerful right hand. We’ve already compared their power and durability and have agreed that Pacquiao owns both departments, but today let’s take a look at speed.

They say speed kills and Pacquiao has made a killing by showing the world what first class speed looks like and how it completely trumps anything opponents have to offer. But will Pacquiao’s speed be effective against a savvy ring veteran like Mosley with killer speed of his own?

Gone are the days when Pacquiao was simply thought of as one-dimensional, today he uses both his hands with equal power and speed. It’s a given, Pacquiao has been blazing fast since the world first took notice of him over 10 years ago in the Bantamweight division, after destroying then elite opposition in Lenoholo Ledwaba. Since then he has used his speed quite effectively in dismantling the best of the best of the sport. Probably none more so than Oscar Dela Hoya.

Prior to the Dela Hoya fight, it was the general consensus that Pacquiao would be too small to face ‘The Golden Boy’. That Pacquiao’s speed would not be enough of an advantage to overcome the huge disparity in size and weight. I for one, was nervously watching in my seat prior to the opening bell, afraid that Dela Hoya would simply be too large for our Pinoy hero.

Boy was I wrong.

Oscar Dela Hoya had the advantage in nearly every category prior to witnessing the colossal upset. Power, size, chin, experience, skills and overall ring generalship were his and he was able to use none of it. None of it! Pacquiao only had speed to his advantage and he used that to completely take Dela Hoya out of his game.

After that, Pacquiao went on to use that same speed in taking apart Hatton, Cotto, Clottey and Margarito.

And it’s not just the hand speed we’re talking about here, it’s more of the overall fleetness of the feet. Pacquiao has that invaluable ability to dart in and launch a flurry of powerful attacks and dart back out or circle away and out of harms way before the counter-attack is initiated. This is something Mosley has to find the answer to once he finally gets a taste of Pacquiao’s freakish speed advantage.

Shane Mosley is no pushover either. His hand speed, even pushing 40 years of age (and experience), is still top notch in the business and is good enough to catch even Floyd Mayweather, who sports the one of the best defenses in Boxing.

In the 2nd round of their fight nearly a year ago, he caught Mayweather with a lead right hand and momentarily buckled the self proclaimed G.O.A.T. Mayweather hung on for dear life. Moments after that, Mosley wobbled him again with the same punch.

Watch the round in slow motion, check out the replay. Mayweather was in complete defensive mode before the punch landed. He had his shoulder ready to roll and deflect, his eyes locked on to Mosley with heightened awareness, expecting Mosley to launch a straight right hand. Mosley’s right hand was so fast and snappy, though telegraphed, it broke right through the defense and for a few seconds separated Mayweather from his senses.

That was Mosley’s chance to score the upset, but lack of agression and the lack of a follow up attack forced him to miss that chance and Mayweather went on to cruise to a shutout in the succeeding rounds.

Still, Mosley’s hand speed is quick enough to catch Manny Pacquiao and if he does, he can end it in one punch.

So which will prove to be a bigger factor come fight night, Manny Pacquiao’s furiously speedy attack, or Shane Mosley’s quickness of the hands?

The answer is obvious. Pacquiao’s speed will once again be the difference in this fight. He’ll be out of there before Mosley can even think about countering. Pacquiao’s speed is what makes him special and everyone knows it. We can take David Diaz’s word for it, “He’s just too fast!”.

But I think Max Kellerman said it best, right after the Cotto fight.

“Whatever your gameplan is, Pacquiao will take you completely out of it.”

Source: fightcardboxing.net