Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Shane Mosley Predictions

It's fight night.  In approximately 3 hours, Floyd Mayweather Jr and Shane Mosley will be stepping into the ring to settle their differences.  We have gathered predictions from The Boxing Bulletin writers as well as some of the sport's leading blogger.

Let's get to them...

Lee Payton - The Boxing Bulletin

Mayweather is looking at something he's never seen before, and I think he's really nervous about it. He and his team know Shane is coming at him with everything. I think the great negotiator/matchmaker finally made a mistake.

Shane is bigger, stronger and hits harder. I believe he'll force Mayweather into making self-preservation the number one priority for long enough to win the fight. I expect a quick start and a strong finish from Sugar Shane, even at his age. Should be close after 12 rounds, with Mosley getting the nod because of the sound his fists produce when crashing into Mayweather's head and body.

I'll take the more proven fighter to win. Shane Mosley by split decision, officially.

Jeff Pryor - The Boxing Bulletin

I see an amped Mosley, midway through the first round, making Mayweather uncomfortable and skittishly sliding along the ropes to evade. Floyd will pop off a few on the run and maybe catch an over anxious Mosley a couple times, but I think by round 3 or 4 Mayweather will start having to stand and trade for longer moments than he likes. Ultimately the most eye catching shots from Mosley may come when Floyd is stepping back, sliding to the side in "escape" mode. Marquez reached him there, I think Mosley has a shot to really harm him, if that isn't shorn up for this fight.

Bottom line, I think Mosley will make Mayweather fight more than anyone for a long time, and he's a better opponent than Judah, De La Hoya or Hatton, who all showed varying degrees of success; none of whom were really top level opposition when they stepped in with "Money". If he just runs numbers for 7-8 rounds like Oscar succeeded at for half a fight, he can take it. The safe pick is Mayweather 8-4... 7-5. I could see that, particularly if Shane has regressed any with age, but I guess I'll go with the upset and say that Mosley opens eyes with his ability to tag the untouchable man. I think it's going to be a pretty good fight, and Mosley pulls out a close decision, or possibly KO's PBF in a shocker.

Scott Christ - Bad Left Hook - check out Scott's Full Preview

Mayweather is just that extra step too good for Mosley, I think, and Mosley's really, really good. Floyd's faster, better defensively, and uses an opponent's aggression so well that he could neutralize Mosley entirely. I don't fully count Shane out. Mosley has as good a shot at as anyone at beating Mayweather. My feeling overall is that nobody has all that great of a shot, but this isn't Marquez, either. Mayweather will earn this one. I expect his best performance to date, faced with an opponent who has the fire to beat him if he's not at his best. Mayweather UD-12

Mark Lyons - The Boxing Bulletin

I'm guessing that mayweather will start extremely cautiously and while Mosley may not land a lot clean with Floyd in full defensive mode, he will give him plenty to think about with bombs flying all around him. Mayweather always picks it up late, the guess here is he finds different sledding against a guy who comes on strong late with the best of them. Shane narrowly and controversially but I can't say I would be at all surprised with a clear mayweather win. Lets get it on!

Carlos Acevedo - The Cruelest Sport - check out Carlos' Full Preview

Mosley has been a little too inconsistent over the last few years and a long layoff might not be the best preparation to face a sharp boxer like Mayweather.  Is Mosley the guy who wrecked Margarito, or is he the guy who looked mediocre against Mayorga and who is 8-5-0-1 over his last 14 bouts, with one of those wins an unimpressive PED decision over Oscar De La Hoya?  

Tim Starks - The Queensbury Rules - Check out Tim's Mayweather-Mosley Ultimate Guide

This fight is about Mayweather's speed, defensive ability and ring intelligence versus Mosley's size, power, age/ring rust, self-belief, slightly lesser speed and lesser ring intelligence and trainer Naazim Richardson. That adds up to more total things for Mosley, but not all of them are good for him, are they? Richardson's the wild card who can discover weaknesses in Mayweather no one can, but I don't think Mosley will be able to pull it off entirely. Mayweather by unanimous decision in a fight where he's forced to put his full abilities on display against the best opponent of his career -- which, after all, is all we've ever wanted from him.

Sidney Boquiren - The Boxing Bulletin

My head tells me Mayweather will play it safe to a unanimous decision, but my heart wants to see the old man stop junior.

Dave Walsh - Head Kick Legend

I hope Mosley takes this, but my gut says this will be another easy Mayweather UD. I think the Margarito fight flattered Mosley. I remember how bad he looked in his previous fight against Mayorga. Margarito must have been mentally ruined before he entered the ring against Mosley. And they say sports is 90% mental. And you can't compare Margarito's style to Mayweather's; it's light night and day.

I hope I'm wrong, but I say an easy 12 rd UD; say around 118-110 range.

Paul Magno - The Boxing Tribune - more from Paul How to Beat Floyd Mayweather

For some reason people are making this out to be a walk in the park for Mayweather. I have to assume those people are caught up in the whole cult of personality surrounding this fight and are either die-hard Mayweather fanatics or dedicated Mayweather haters, looking to diminish a win by diminishing Mosley.

The fact of the matter is that Mosley is the most dangerous opponent that Mayweather has ever fought and I’m not 100% certain that Floyd is as sharp as he should be coming in. While Mosley can’t match the speed and technique of Mayweather, he understands the style and has proven himself a master at interrupting his opponent’s execution. Shane is precisely the type of fighter who will beat Mayweather: Smart, disciplined, and accurate. Mayweather won’t be able to count on taking advantage of opponent mistakes in this one; He’ll have to actively go in there and force the issue against Mosley…and that is something that Mayweather hasn’t had to do in ages. I’m still going with Mayweather in this one, via Split Decision, but it’ll be a legit scrap with Floyd having to dig deep to pull out the win in the later rounds.

Daffyd Thomas - The Boxing Tribune

It's hard to pick against Mayweather in any contest, but if there's one fighter that's going to push him to the limit in any contest, it's Mosley. It will be interesting to see how Mayweather adapts to Mosley's strategy, be it fighting on the back foot or through affective aggression. It's not a case of Mosley attempting to emulate Castillo, which worked for the Mexican on the night, but Mayweather copying De La Hoya's blueprint laid down in 2003.

I feel that Mosley's win over Margarito is slightly overrated and overused, as Mayweather is definitely not that easy to hit. Against Marquez, Mayweather proved that he was still great, and I think that this fight will be a closer, and hopefully, more gripping version of the fight. I'm picking Floyd Mayweather Jr. by unanimous decision via scores of 117-111, 116-112, 116-112. Mayweather W-UD-12

Brent Brookhouse - Bloody Elbow

Shane Mosley is really strong and can hurt anyone with punches, but the thing about hurting someone is that you have to be able to put your gloves on them.  No one does a better job of avoiding being touched than Floyd Mayweather Jr.  Shane is going to be there for 12 rounds trying to make something happen, but I just don't think he'll be able to land enough for his power to matter.  Speaking purely as a fan I'd love nothing more than to see Mosley hurt Shane with a steady stream of body shots and then go upstairs and finish him off...I just can't realistically see anything other than Floyd Mayweather winning by a clear unanimous decision.

Ja Dawson - Fight Insight

Simply put, I feel that Floyd "Money" Mayweather is going to win a highly-competitive unanimous decision against "Sugar" Shane Mosley.

Shane has advantages in strength, physical strength, and recent competition. However, these will be trumped by Mayweather's slight edge in hand speed as well as his considerable edges in the area of defense, foot speed and ring generalship. Fighting in his (Mayweather) adopted hometown of Las Vegas will not hurt his cause either if/when it goes to the scorecards.

The final scores will read something like, 116-112 (twice) and 115-113 for Floyd Mayweather. Read more...

Michael Nelson - The Boxing Bulletin

Shane's best chance in this fight is to muck it up, wrestle with Floyd on the inside, and make a concerted effort to pound the body (Mosley's still a premier body puncher).  I think he'll have some success doing that, but Floyd's going to make it difficult with an active jab and lively legs. 

I see Floyd taking over the bout in the middle rounds with Shane rallying late, (Floyd has a tendency to step completely off the pedal in the 12th rounds of his fights), and making the time before the final bell and the scorecard revelation a tense one.  In the end, I think Mayweather wins a competitive bout.

Andrew Fruman - The Boxing Bulletin

I'll be rooting for Mosley, but I just don't see him landing enough to win, and while he has a chance at the stoppage, it's a long-shot.  He's an old fighter, and at this stage in his career, he really needs an opponent that's going to come to him and present him with the opportunities.  Floyd's not going to do that.  I see Shane doing a lot of following, while Floyd cautiously picks his spots in a tactical fight, that's ultimately short on thrills.

Mayweather by 117-111 type scores.