I'd rather wait til after Mosley-Berto to answer this. The Mosley-Margarito fight may have been quite a bit misleading and I'd rather see how Shane does against a faster guy who actually punches back. It'll also show how much Shane has left.
As you have alluded to Shane has been outboxed before. If Berto punches with him It can get interesting.
If Shane gets outboxed by Berto of all people he seriously needs to retire. It was bad enough he let Cotto do it, but Berto might have one of the worst boxing IQ's around for the level he's competeing at.
WASTE of time. Kentucky Floyd Chicken won't fight EITHER of them. Will he DEMAND Olympic style testing of his G stablemate?
mosley wont get outboxed by berto. outworked, perhaps, but not outboxed. have you fellas seen berto fight before?
A few years ago i would thought Mosley, but now that Manny has proven he can hang with welterweights i have to say Pacquiao.
Mosley is impatient & wild as a pressure fighter. Floyd will have an awkward, ugly but ultimately comfortable night with him. Pac by far.
Schaefer said from now on, random Olympic drug testing will be a staple of every Floyd fight from now on. If you think about it, Floyd is in a position where he has to do it, otherwise his credibility is damaged (the 'level playing field' reason for the contract demand with Manny will be seen as fraudulent) and fingers will definately be pointed at him. But back on topic, I used to think Shane before I saw Manny against Cotto. Mosley is bigger and stronger than Floyd, w/ better handspeed than Floyd @ 147. I still think Floyd can control alot of rounds with is jab and eek out a decision (IF Floyd wins thats how I see it happening). However Manny is a fast southpaw, with a high workrate who throws unorthodox punches from odd angles. Oh yeah, he is a hard puncher as well. He also has the footspeed to keep up with Floyd. Thats the main way I can see someone beating Floyd, Floyd has excellent timing and accuracy, but how do you time something you can't see coming? Also Manny's punches are coming in bunches at him every round and his mobility allows him to get out of range for a Floyd counter. Also Mannys' workrate/speed/power don't decrease as the rounds go on. I actually pick Floyd to win against Manny (60/40), but if Manny wins this is how I see him winning it. The fight might look like Hopkins/Calzaghe only Manny's combos are like night and day against Calzaghes amatuerish swings, and he'd be landing more.
Pacquiao is the perfect challenge for floyd. He brings speed, power and stamina and a lefty stance. Mosley can't deal with a jab, and would get outboxed.
Right now I'd agree Pacquiao gets the nod by a landslide. After all Shane is older, slower, and gets outboxed. Meanwhile Manny has one of the best fight strategizers maybe in the history of the sport and Roach said he was already working on Floyd's style and habits. So I think it'd have to be Manny.
I agree that the testing is a MUST for any of Floyd's opponent's from now on. Floyd feeds on his opponent's aggression. Almost everything a smaller slower fighter throws at Floyd he COUNTERS if not he dodges and sometimes as someone in the forum pointed out, he dips BELOW his opponents midsection level. The problem is Manny is constantly PRESSURING, Mayweather won't be able to see everything as he usually does. If Pacquaio gets his rhythm going, it's going to get ugly in a hurry. Mayweather will potshot, try to slow the fight down to less than 30 punches a round, with movement, feints, clinching. It would be interesting but Floyd put hurdles into the negotiations...
