Mosley to capitalize on reach edge

MANILA, Philippines – Sugar Shane Mosley will be the rangiest fighter ever to face Manny Pacquiao when they cross paths in a 12-round bout for the WBO welterweight title at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 7.

Mosley has a 74-inch wingspan compared to Pacquiao’s 67. The fighting Congressman from Sarangani has never battled anyone with a reach as wide as Mosley’s. Antonio Margarito and Oscar de la Hoya both boasted of a 73-inch reach while Erik Morales’ wingspan was measured to be 72 inches and Joshua Clottey’s and Marco Antonio Barrera’s at 70 inches each. Pacquiao lost to Morales on points in March 2005 but came back to knock out the Mexican twice in rematches. The defeat to Morales was Pacquiao’s last as he hasn’t been beaten in five years to compile 13 straight victories.

Mosley has fought 10 bouts weighing more than 147 pounds, including five at 154, the superwelterweight limit while Pacquiao has never tipped the scales more than 145 3/4 – the heaviest in his career for the Clottey match last March. But Mosley had little success at 154, winning once, losing twice, drawing once and figuring in a no-contest.

Mosley will likely outweigh Pacquiao by at least five pounds when they enter the ring and his seven-inch reach advantage will be evident. Pacquiao’s antidote will be his speed but Mosley isn’t a slowpoke although at 39, he’s getting on in years and it may tell in the late rounds.

In a recent Ring Magazine interview, Mosley said he will probably box more against Pacquiao than Floyd Mayweather to whom he lost last May.

“Pacquiao’s very fast,” said Mosley. “I’m fast too, but I’d have to use my size and reach advantage on him. With Mayweather, everybody goes after him and gets hit with counters.”

Mosley has won world titles in the lightweight, welterweight and superwelterweight divisons. Pacquiao has also claimed championships in those three weight divisions and five more to establish a record as the only fighter ever to win world crowns in eight categories.

While Pacquiao was able to handily beat bigger fighters like Margarito, Clottey, Miguel Cotto and De la Hoya, Mosley may not fit in the same mold as those victims. Mosley’s right hand is a killer and he’s the only fighter ever to knock out Margarito, known for his durability and warrior’s mentality. Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach said Mosley is a dangerous opponent because he throws power punches with either hand. Mosley is a crafty technician, almost like Pacquiao’s nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez, and has the ability to slip, slide and slither.

Age is something that doesn’t bother Mosley although it showed in his fight against Mayweather. Mosley wobbled Mayweather with a pair of vicious rights in the second round but let him off the hook, probably preserving his energy for a long haul instead of risking it all to later run out of gas. Last September, Mosley was held to a split 12-round draw by Sergio Mora who came in three pounds over the limit. Most ringsiders felt Mosley was robbed but the scorecards showed he had to win the 11th and 12th rounds to salvage the draw.

While the conventional thinking is the Pacquiao-Mosley duel was hatched purely for financial considerations, Sugar Shane said he’s fighting for legacy. “My goal is to not just be a world champion,” he said. “But to be one of the greats in the history of the sport and a lot of great fighters who loved the game like I do fought this long – they never got tired of it ... I just love to work out. Boxing is fun to me, not a job. It’s actually fun. I enjoy training at anything.”

Mosley said he plans to fight until he’s about 43. “I don’t feel my age at this point,” he insisted. “It’s remarkable how I’m maturing. Boxing is a mental game and as I get older, I’m relaxing more. If you believe in yourself, anything can happen. That’s what I’m finding out as I get older. I want to fight until I can’t fight no more.”

Mosley said he patterned himself like the legendary Roberto (Hands of Stone) Duran during his reign as lightweight champion. He ruled from 1997 to 1999, repulsing eight challengers in a row by knockout. “What sets the old-time guys apart from us is that they had more heart, more will power,” he said. “Back in the day, they never quit in the ring. They would get knocked out instead. They fought with everything they had. I think I’ve adopted a little bit of the new-era style and the old-era style. That’s why I can be considered in that realm of great lightweights. I would have much rather competed in the old days because those guys actually fought. I have the heart of a throwback fighter who liked to get in there and mix it up.”

Mosley’s record is 46-6-1, with 39 KOs compared to Pacquiao’s 52-3-2, with 38 KOs. Sugar Shane turned pro two years before Pacquiao but has logged three less fights. Since 2006, Pacquiao has picked up 12 straight wins while Mosley has compiled a record of 5-2-1.

Mosley has never been knocked out although he was floored twice in losing to Vernon Forrest in 2002. His defeats were all on points to Mayweather, Cotto, Winky Wright (twice) and Forrest (twice).

Mosley will be a huge underdog in the fight against Pacquiao but that won’t faze him. He was a 4-1 pick to lose to Margarito but defied the odds.