Quote Originally Posted by Jimboogie View Post
Mosley would be a fool to follow Oscar. Oscar kept a nice tight guard for 80% of the fight... I wouldn't be surprised if Floyd's accuracy level were at an all time low... He sure did seem to be hitting a lot of glove earlier in the fight.
Mosley wouldn't know the 1st thing about a tight guard.
Baldomir was bigger than Mosley, but Mosley is stronger. You can't judge anything from the Baldomir fight. Also, Oscar's tight, HIGH guard (like Winky, like Forrest, even Cottos) limits the effectiveness of Mosley's right hand. Against Cotto and Oscar, Mosley was forced to "hook with the hookers." Mayweather defends against the right hand primarily by rolling and slipping. That works great when you are much faster then the other guy and the right hands are coming from the same angle.

When a conventional, high guard fighter jabs, he protects his chin by tucking it into his left shoulder and snaps his left hand back to protect against the right hand counter. If the jab is properly executed, can only be countered with superior speed with a right hand, anticipation and timing of the jab, or slipping and countering. Floyd was able to do this to Oscar because of his speed, timing, and accuracy. Mosley doesn't throw that pin-point, sniper right hand (like Floyd). Floyd had the perfect answer for Oscar's jab.

The up-jab, to the body from from a shell fighter like Mayweather presents opportunities for a fighter with a fast right hand or great jab. Here's the problem with that jab. If you use your jab to take advantage of the opening, Mayweather will counter your counter with a straight, powerful, and accurate right cross. A fighter can land the jab against Mayweather for a few rounds, but eventually, you get countered so much you stop throwing it.

So that leaves the straight right as plan 'B' once Mayweather times your jab and finds his range and starts counter you. Oscar has a decent right hand, but it's not his bread and butter. It has some pop if he lands, but it's pretty standard and predictable and it comes from only one angle. Mayweather could roll it off and counter.

Mosley has a different and stronger right. He can throw his right hand with power from a variety of angles. Mosley can counter the up-jab to the head or body with an overhand right to Floyd's left eye, a short direct straight, or an uppercut. . If you only throw a classic cross, it will be blocked with the shoulder, but a fast right from a higher angle can find a mark. Not a KO blow, but a mark. So will an uppercut. If you start to defend those, the short straight can land. Over the course of rounds, it will take it's toll.

Now the left hook comes into play. Normally, you can't hit Floyd with a a left hook to the head, and he can deflect the right hand with a shoulder roll. If he's getting hit in the left eye with right hands, he will need roll more to his right or start slipping to the left. Rolling more opens you up to a left hook. Slipping opens you up to a different spots, depending on where he shifts his guard.

Mosley is not a bad matchup for Mayweather, but he's more intereting and challenging. IMHO, these fighters are bad matchups for Floyd. Judah was a bad matchup on paper. Pacman is a bad matchup in reality. Historically his nightmares would be Benny Leonard, Ray Robinson, Ray Leonard, Pernell Whitaker, and a prime Duran. Maybe a few others, but those are the ones that come to mind immediately.

If Shane was still training with his father, I wouldn't give him much chance, but if anybody can devise a plan to beat Mayweather and convince Mosley to execute that plan, it's Naseem. Richardson will be able to give him a plan A, B, and C, and for most of Shane's career, he's only had plan A, his usual way of doing things.