Homecourt advantage for Mosley?

MANILA, Philippines - For Sugar Shane Mosley, fighting WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 7 is like enjoying the homecourt advantage and that suits him just fine because it’s the venue where he beat Fernando Vargas, Jose Luis Cruz and Oscar de la Hoya.

“Mosley has delivered so often at the MGM that his camp nicknamed the building Mosley’s Greatest Moments (for MGM),” said writer Greg Bishop.

But in May last year, Mosley failed to capitalize on his “home” turf as he lost a unanimous 12-round decision to Floyd Mayweather Jr. He had a fleeting moment of glory in the second round when a straight right hand to the face wobbled Mayweather who reeled back into the ropes as chants of “Mosley, Mosley, Mosley” reverberated throughout the stadium.

Mayweather weathered the storm and Mosley gradually faded away. Mosley’s trainer Nazim Richardson begged him to let his hands go down the stretch. But Mosley had neither the lungs nor the legs to keep it close. Two of the three judges gave Mosley only the second round in a lopsided verdict that belied his age. Mosley turns 40 in September.

Back at the MGM Grand, Mosley will try to relive his fabled past when he takes on Pacquiao. Age will be a handicap particularly as Pacquiao, 32, is at the peak of his career and Mosley appears to be on the decline. In his most recent outing last September, Mosley had to win the last two rounds to salvage a split 12-round draw with Sergio Mora at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Mosley is convinced he can fight well into his 40s. Ring Magazine writer William Dettloff said, “Sugar Shane will still beat a lot of guys ... give him a pressure guy and he’ll look like he’s 25 again...if you’re looking for a retirement announcement, forget it.”

Mosley turned pro in 1993, two years before Pacquiao, and has held the lightweight, welterweight and superwelterweight crowns. The most he has weighed for a fight was 154 pounds, hitting the superwelterweight limit twice in the draw with Mora and in losing a majority decision to Winky Wright in 2004.

“People have tried to put limits on my career for a long time,” said Mosley in L’Uomo Vogue. “I know I don’t have much time but I want to make the most of it and still fight the best.” L’Uomo Vogue writer Nicola Scevola described Mosley as “a phenomenon of longevity.”

In boxing, it’s not often a fighter gets better with age although there are exceptions. George Foreman was 45 years, nine months and 26 days old when he knocked out Michael Moorer in 1994 to claim the world heavyweight title. Archie Moore captured the world lightheavyweight title at 39 and was 47 when his reign ended. Bernard Hopkins, Virgil Hill, Bob Fitzsimmons and Giacobbe Fregomeni ruled as world titlists in their 40s.

Top Rank chairman Bob Arum isn’t taking any chances and has inserted a rematch clause in case Mosley upsets Pacquiao. Bettors stand to earn $475 for every $100 wager on a Mosley win so high-risk gamblers are hoping for an end to Pacquiao’s 13-fight win streak dating back to 2005.

Writer Gary Todd, reporting in the Australian trade paper World of Boxing, has predicted a Mosley win by stoppage in the late rounds. “I don’t think Pacquiao can get close enough without paying for it,” said Todd. “As the fight goes on, Mosley will catch him coming in to win by a TKO late. It’s going to be a great fight for the fans and just remember, kids, too much sugar is bad for youth health.”

Todd said Mosley has nothing to lose and everything to gain. “This is a dangerous fight for Pacquiao,” he went on. “Mosley is a huge underdog going in and not too many people are expecting him to perform well, let alone win the fight and I can’t understand why. Mosley is a fighter with a lot to gain and really, not too much to lose and with no one giving him a shot at beating the pound-for-pound champion, all he has to do is prepare the best he can and show up on the night to go into battle. No pressure. I feel Mosley will try to establish his long jab, doubling up, then follow through with his big right hand. He still has big power and he has to throw it.”

Mosley has been fighting as a welterweight since 1999 when Pacquiao lost his WBC flyweight crown on the scales. There’s no question who’s more comfortable at the 147-pound category. Mosley has a seven-inch reach edge and that’s major. It won’t be easy for Pacquiao to penetrate Mosley’s defense if Sugar Shane keeps pumping the left jab. Mosley has boxed 376 rounds to Pacquiao’s 329 and totes a higher knockout percentage, 72.2 to 66.7. Experience is on Mosley’s side.

Mosley has figured in six fights against southpaws so far. He lost twice to Winky Wright, beat Luis Collazo knocked out Mauricio Aceves and had a no-contest with Raul Marquez.