Op-Ed: The Probable Repercussions of the Mayweather-Mosley Match

If anything came out good for Floyd Mayweather Jr. after the failed negotiation with Filipino pound-for-pound king Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, he finally agrees to fight a true welterweight in Pomona, California native Sugar Shane Mosley (46-5, 39 KO).

Yes boxing folks, it’s true. A couple hours ago, Lem Satterfield of Boxing FanHouse reported the news straight from Judd Burstein, Mosley’s attorney, that Mayweather had signed the dotted line to face Mosley for a May 1 title bout. Indeed, to “confirm” is to believe, and the contract will enable Golden Boy Promotions to push its promotional campaign to the hilt --- and unless a lower back pain, a severe diarrhea or a terrible toothache afflicts “Pretty Boy” in the next few days or weeks, this fight is definitely a go. Two interesting details of their fight contract caught every boxing fan’s eye and rightfully so. First is the stipulation of a provision emphasizing the need for random blood testing -- the grey area of the supposed Pacquiao-Mayweather tiff. To recall, Pacquiao and Top Rank had suggested a 24-day window before the day of the fight but was rejected by Mayweather through his Golden Boy Promotions reps. In essence, Pacquiao has agreed to undergo three separate blood tests – the first around the time of the kick-off presscon to announce the fight, the second a month before the fight date and the third right after the bout. There is no iota of doubt as to Pacquiao submitting to the three blood tests as he and promoter Bob Arum counter-offered but was turned down anyway by Team Mayweather. So fans and writers are now wondering --- what are the specifics of the random blood testing proviso for this Mosley fight? Will the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) administer it since it will take place in Las Vegas? Is it appropriate to finalize and sign the fight contract without consulting or requesting the permission of NSAC which will have over-all supervision of all laboratory (urine and blood) tests? Assuming Manny hurdles Joshua Clottey in Texas this March, the winner in May 1 instantly attracts a potential mega-fight with the “PacMan”, of course depending on the level of negotiations and personalities involved. Looking at the bigger picture however, the Mayweather-Mosley match-up may augur well for the Filipino WBO welterweight champion. The fight itself will afford Team Pacquiao, led by indefatigable head trainer Freddie Roach, to identify and assess the strengths and weaknesses of both fighters (especially the boxer now based in Las Vegas).

Oliver Iglesias

Floyd Mayweather

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Mayweather’s ring tendencies have been gradually studied by Roach while speed and power are Mosley’s main arsenals in the business, not so different from Pacquiao’s style which has bulldozed his opponents the last five years. In the end, it lays a wonderful blueprint for Roach to dissect all angles to defeat either fighter. The Mayweather-Mosley match-up sets up a precedent as a result, and how the different parties act throughout the entire random blood testing process until the day of the fight will be duly-observed by boxing fans and the like. By having them undergo such random testing, it will enlighten all followers of the sport if these tests will be truly effective, and whether or not such procedure becomes an advantage in the long run. Shall boxing need this kind of testing, or just adopt a simple blood test before and right after the fight aside from urine tests, or throw these out altogether? Public and expert opinions abound. Allow Mayweather to inject this type of additional testing for “sweet science” (if he could) but it also raises eyebrows as there have been none of it from the start to totally justify his immaculate 40-0 win-loss record. Secondly, leaving no stone unturned and cognizant of this dangerous fight to Mayweather, Golden Boy Promotions included a rematch provision in the contract in case “Pretty Boy” loses. It boggles the mind that the Mayweathers are actually open to the idea of defeat this time [Jr. has an unblemished 40-0, 25 KO) record]. In the event Mayweather wins and when the stars finally align for a bout versus Pacquiao, will there also be a similar rematch proviso? The lingering question is, who will demand for such? Pacquiao is so popular in the sport and the widely-regarded pound-for-pound # 1 so he also has the privilege to ask for it. But knowing the “bad blood” that has brewed between the opposing camps, affording the loser in the first fight the opportunity for a revenge in the second (or the winner clinically beating up the other, again) would still be fun and exciting to watch. But then again, this is about Mayweather vs Mosley. As soon as the formal media presser is staged in New York this week, Shane Mosley would have a big smile on his face and is glad to finally face Floyd Jr. after all these years. It is time.