By Alex P. Vidal/ PNS
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Oddsmakers who installed WBO 147-lb king Manny Pacquiao a solid pick to send Sugar Shane Mosley “packing into a retirement center” on May 7, have continued to invoke Mosley’s “old” age as main reason why many of them don’t see the American customer in the radar of victory.
“No matter how good you are, your body can not withstand the wear and tear factor if you are past your prime and over the hill,” commented boxing analyst Freddie Dawson, 62, who predicted a brutal ending for the 39-year-old Mosley before 12th round.
“I admire Mosley. He really is a powerful welterweight champion during his time, but his era is over. He hasn’t met an aggressive fighter in his career like Pacquiao who attacks relentlessly without let up.”
America’s No. 1 boxing writer Michael Marley, meanwhile, told this writer in the Media Center that “Mosley will start to deteriorate in the 7th and 8th rounds and fall in the 9th round.”
Marley wrote in the examiner.com: “This fight is going to be a mini-war for the first three rounds. By round two, both fighters will be throwing hammer blows. One or both may even briefly visit the canvas.”
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Marley added: “After nine minutes, the pace will slow markedly but Pacquiao will work at his usual frenetic pace and Mosley will be taking more shots than he ever has before. Mosley will see openings but his reflexes will now allow to capitalize on them.
“By the seventh round, the tide will be all Pacquiao and both referee Kenny Bayless and Mosley’s avuncular trainer, Naazim Richardson, will be mentally calculating the punishment Shane has taken and considering how much more he should be subjected to.
“Bayless will hesitate to stop the match even after a clean knockdown or maybe two. The ref will giving Mosley the respect due him for his career accomplishments.
“Fans will be wondering how much more pain Mosley can withstand through round eight. But it will be the respected trainer from Philadelphia who rides to Mosley’s rescue.
After nine full rounds, Mosley will return to the corner a beaten but unbowed man.”