I have watched Shane Mosley fight for half my life. He has been one of my favorite fighters to watch. He always tried and always-showed effort even when it seemed as if that effort would still amount to a loss. That means something to me. I mean there are some fighters that fold their hand as soon as the pot is raised (see Devon Alexander and his pitiful effort in basically quitting against Timothy Bradley).
Say what you want about Shane, but he has never backed down and his record shows it, hell, his last effort against Sergio Mora showed some of the effects of all the punishment he has taken throughout his Hall of Fame career.
When I say Mosley deserves this payday, I don’t mean to confuse anyone with the fact that this is a bad fight and a terrible matchup, because it’s both of those things. I just mean to say that after all he has given us as boxing fans, all the thrilling fights (both De La Hoya fights, his destructions of Antonio Margarito & Fernando Vargas, and many more…) and all the fights he forced the action in and kept from being boring. He kept those fights from being boring at the expense of actually using his superior talent, which would have led to him fighting more like the most recent incarnation of Floyd Mayweather Jr. Which is to say Shane, unlike Floyd, isn’t afraid to exchange and force the fight and that, more times than not, will lead to a more entertaining fight.
(Side note: Remember at one point Shane Mosley was 38-0, 35 KO’s, he was Floyd before Floyd.)
I suppose I just have a soft spot for “Sugar” Shane. This leads me to have a dual personality for the upcoming Manny Pacquiao-Mosley fight (May 7, Showtime PPV).
On one hand I use my brain and the logic it has to tell me that Manny the Great is going to completely overwhelm Shane inside of five rounds resulting in a KO/TKO victory. On the other hand my heart is hoping against all hope that Mosley can do as some all-time greats do and pull that one last great effort out of his hat and not only be competitive in a fight he has no business being competitive in, but actually have a chance to win.
I realize that what my logical brain is telling me is true. I also know that I won’t be able to stop myself, my boxing fan self, from openly rooting for one of my long time favorites being able to bring his ending career one last great fight.
Don't Kid Yourself (sports edition) 
Absolutely, Will. Here’s hoping it will be in this effort against Manny, The Modern Day Wonder, that Shane Mosley–for however long the bout lasts– returns to his very best form; returns to greatness!
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Frank James Davis – I think that is what I am hoping for more than anything, that Shane can just muster up enough of his former self that his fans can come away from the fight at at least think to themselves, “He lost, but damn he put up one hell of a fight!”
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I see what you’re saying, I do agree to some extent. but don’t you think that if Sugar Shane is too game and makes this a competitive fight then Mayweather will use that as leverage to keep avoiding Manny? I love Shane too, he’s actually one of my all-time favorites. but I could totally see a quote from ol’ Roger the next day about why Floyd does’t need to waste his time fighting Manny, since he barely got past Shane.
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gary b – I agree 100%. My thought is that Floyd has so much going on in his personal life right now, combined with the fact that Manny said he is going to retire in 3 years and I don’t think the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather fight will ever be made.
I would absolutely love for it to happen, but everything leads me to think it won’t ever be in the cards. (Here’s to hoping I’m wrong!)
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