After Second Round Scare, Mayweather Wakes Up, Dominates Mosley

In the first round, it looked like we had the makings of a tight scrap in the main event at the MGM Grand on Saturday night. In the second, it looked like the 4-to-1 underdog Shane Mosley was fixing to violently remove the 0 from Mayweathers record. But Mosley made a mistake: he pissed Mayweather off. After he got stung in the second round, Floyd got down to business, and started letting his hands go. His superior hand speed made Mosley look 48, let alone 38, as he touched Mosley, who looked more than a bit gunshy and bewildered quite often and sharply. After twelve rounds, ten of them lacking much in the way of competition, Mayweather got the unanimous decision, via scores of 119-110, 119-110, 118-110.

The former junior lightweight, lightweight, junior welterweight, welterweight and junior middleweight champion Mayweather (age 33; 40-0 with 25 KOs entering; from Michigan, living in Las Vegas) weighed 146 pounds, while the ex lightweight, junior middleweight, and current welterweight champion Mosley (age 38; 46-5-1 ND with 36 KOs; from California) was 147 pounds on Friday at the weigh in.

Adelaide Byrd, Robert Hoyle and Dave Moretti were entrusted to judge the scrap, while Kenny Bayless earned the ref slot.

In the first, Mosley came out jabbing to the body. They clinched several times early on. A right counter from Floyd told the crowd that his hand speed was superior. Mosleys glove hit the mat, on a slip at the 1:25 mark. Mosley was busier in the frame.

In the second, a hard right landed on Floyd. The right cross buzzed the crowd; did it buzz Floyd? Another right, thrown over a hook, buckled Floyds knees, and he grabbed on to clear his head. A Mosley chant ripped thru the building. Go back to boxing, his corner told Floyd after the round.

In the third, Floyd came out surly. Was he embarassed from the second round? Mosley moved laterally in the third, and made Floyd stalk him early. The right hand was getting in on Mosley now. Floyd grabbed hold of his destiny in this round.

In the fourth, Floyds jab stung. Shane didnt jab much at all. He ate another clean right, and it looked like Floyd was punching harder, earlier, than we typically see.

In the fifth, Mosley seemed a bit more comfortable. He slipped a bit better. But hed need to come up with offensive sets to win rounds. Trainer Naazim Richardson told Mosley to pile up punches, not look for the home run ball.

In the sixth, Mosley started out more active. But Floyds jabbing picked up, and then he mixed in the right follow. Shanes low left hand didnt pick off many, if any, rights. He pawed the jab, for the most part, and still looked like he hadnt decided on his gameplan. Mayweather-level hand speed will do that to a boxer. Floyd was up 4-2 at this juncture on the TSS-EM card.

In the seventh, Mayweather stung Shane with rights. He had the elder backing up, but late in the round, Mosley tried to press forward. Didnt work, Floyd just countered with ease. Gotta wake up for me, Shane, gotta wake up for me. Cant depend on one big shot, Richardson told Mosley after the round.

In the eighth, Mosley was warned hard for manhandling Floyd. Floyd smacked Shane while Mosley jawed at him, and the crowd lapped that up. Shane is looking his age, Manny Steward said. You got to force the exchange now, Richardson said. We gotta get him out of there.

In the ninth, Floyd reserved energy, but then impressed the judges with a counter right on a flat-footed Mosley.

In the 10th, Mosley flinched from feints. But he had his head snapped back a few times, and ref Bayless started taking a hard look at the 38-year-old. Im not gonna stand here and watch you take a beating, Richardson said, and then threatened to pull the plug. You gonna have to give me something.

In the 11th, Mosley pushed a weak jab. His left hook to the body appeared, finally, but it lacked the snap to bother Floyd. The only drama left–would Floyd go for a KO? He gotta go, Richardson commanded after the round.

In the 12th, Mayweather did more, Mosley looked slow and sort of weak. The story of the night. Wed go to the cards.

The stats favored Mayweather: he went 208-477, Mosley 92-452 .

After, Mayweather told Larry Merchant that if Manny Pacquiao wants to fight him, he knows how to find him. If Manny takes the blood and urine test, we can make the fight, if not, we got no fight, Floyd said.

Mosley said he started loading up too much after his buckling shot. He said he got tight, because he was looking for the kayo.

Check back for David Avilas ringside report, and Ron Borges take on Sunday.

SPEEDBAG Controversial singer Chris Brown sang the National Anthem, and drew some boos before he started, because was found guilty of felony assault on then girlfriend Rihanna in July 2009. His rendition was so-so.

—Merchant offered an interesting assessment Floyd righthand-man Leonard Ellerbe, calling him one of those self made men who worships his creator. Hmm. Mull that, will you? This comment came after the camera lingered on Floyd in his dressing room, and Jim Lampley told viewers that Floyd was making everyone wait, even though producers asked him to go to the ring. Was he trying to make Mosley edgy? Or just waiting to hear his entrance music? That was the OJays, the real live band, singing from center ring.

–Interesting that Floyd chooses to have Ellerbe, and his soothing encouragement, rather than dad Floyd Sr, and his boxing knowledge, alongside Uncle Roger in his corner…

MAYWEATHER VS. MOSLEY POST-FIGHT QUOTES

FLOYD MAYWEATHER

If Manny Pacquaio wants to fight, it is not hard to find me. We were going to make the fight a couple of months back but it didnt happen. I take my hat off to Mosley. He had problems in the past but hes a warrior. He took the blood and urine tests. I just want everyone to be on an even playing field. If every athlete is clean in the sport of boxing, take the test. If Manny Pacquaio takes the blood and urine tests, we can fight. If he doesnt, we wont make the fight.

Here was another tremendous fight, another tremendous turn out.

There was a point to prove; to see who was the best welterweight out there.

Do I have to fight? No I dont have to fight, absolutely not. I truly believe the numbers we did are unbelievable.

I always say, put them in front of me, Ill beat them.

My dad, Roger and I have chemistry. The game plan was unbelievable. I looked back at my dad and hes telling me something. I looked back at Roger and hes telling me the same thing.

Ive got the will to win under the lights, but we all dont form under the lights the same.

After a while I think Mosley went into survival mode. All he was trying to do was survive.

Every fight is different, every fighter is different. Everyone was talking about how Mosley is stronger, how Mosley is faster. I rocked him more than he rocked me.

At one point I thought he was going to cough it up, but he held on valiantly.

Ive been dominating fighters since the 90s, but I always say Im closer to 40 than I am to 21. Im not chasing fighters.

Even with the second round, I knew I was the strongest guy form the beginning. Every fighter is totally different.

Mentally in the fight I was talking to him. Telling him Your jab isnt faster than mine; if it is let me see.

Over the years, when Im at home, I never study an opponent. They are going to be totally different in the ring.

I believe that its not bragging or boasting if you can back it up.

The ultimate goal it to try to find a fighter than can beat me. Theres a lot of young tough fighters out there that I take my hat off to, that I want to see do well.

As of right now we just want to go home, reevaluate a few things, and see what we come up with. As of right now I just want to spend some time with my family.

Im here to just fight the best thats out there and be the best you can be.

Zab Judah hit me with a better shot and DeMarcus Chop Chop Corley hit me with a better shot.

I think he tried, but its just me being able to show my versatility to adapt and adjust. My game plan was going to work, break him down in every way.

I think a lot of people are surprised. I just believe in myself, these types of things happen in big fights.

SUGAR SHANE MOSLEY

I tried, it was a good fight, it was that close. Hes a hell of a fighter. Hes a great fighter. He did what he needed to do to win the fight.

I tip my hat to him. I thank him for taking the challenge.

He was hurt real bad when I hit him with that shot.

I think after I caught him with that big right hand I opened up to much and played into his hands. I was too tight. When I hit him with the big right hand, I thought I was going to get the knockout.

He started to avoid the punches. He did surprise me. Once I tried to get my timing back, I couldnt adjust and he did. I am happy I took the fight. He is a true champion. Now you will see him and Manny, if Manny takes the blood test.

I will go back home and look at the tape, take it slow when I get home and well see what happens.

ROGER MAYWEATHER, Mayweathers Trainer

Mosley has very fast hands, but he doesnt have a jab. He had tremendous hand speed, but it means nothing if you cant hit the target. Youve got to be able to hit the target. Mosley is fast if he fights somebody slow, but its different if its somebody faster.

He (Mayweather) boxed his ass off, and the fight wasnt even close.

NAAZIM RICHARDSON, Mosleys Trainer

It was a great ride the outcome wasnt what we anticipated.

I just got back from cursing out Shane. He was mad, saying that he didnt listen to his trainer and that he didnt follow his training. I had to tell him no one talks badly about my fighter, not even him.

Floyd Mayweather is special. Hes trained by special people.

Nothing I saw surprised me.

That fireball hit us, when that fireball hit us, our heads got kind of hot in there.

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President of Golden Boy Promotions

We have to really respect what we have just witnessed. The best boxer on the planet is Mayweather, in my mind, in Mosleys mind, in everybodys mind. He is the best. Tonight convinced me that he is the best

He has the talent, he has the work ethic and people all over the world are become fans.

He fought Shane Mosely, which was supposed to be the most dangerous fight of his career, and he showed us why he is the best.

Mayweather can decide who he wants to fight now. He can decide who, when and where.

Mayweather is on he is on a different level because he a student of the game he will dissect you outside the ring and finish you inside the ring

Special boxers like Mayweather, we talk about them forever.

He showed me true greatness because I felt that he was going to go down. That he was not going to be able handle Mosleys punch. It just shows you Mayweather is the real deal. I am a firm believer Mayweather is the best we have.

RICHARD SCHAEFER, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions

Great crowd, it really is Las Vegas and many stars showed up. That is what Las Vegas brings, the glitz and the glamour.

When the fight started people were yelling Mosley because there were a lot of haters, in the end, they were yelling Money Mayweather.

It was certainly a big night for Money Mayweather. Its going to be big, big pay-per-view numbers, that I can assure you.