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 Mayweather Sr. Vs. Jack Mosley
By David A. Avila (September 13, 2003) Photo © J.P. Yim
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Two distinct boxing philosophies will go head to head like fire and oil when Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley fight this Saturday.
Floyd Mayweather Sr., the jabbering trainer of De La Hoya will present his defense-oriented model versus the power-boxing style of Jack Mosley and his son.
And more than that, it’s hate versus hate because they plain don’t like each other.
“Jack don’t know Jack,” said Mayweather, who attacks all other trainers in boxing except a few. “Those are two stupid fools.”
Jack Mosley said he doesn’t hate Mayweather “but man oh man,” and punches the air.
When Mosley and De La Hoya meet tonight for the WBA and WBC junior middleweight titles at the MGM Grand Resort and Casino, the winner’s guru will most probably be named Trainer of the Year.
Jack Mosley has won the award twice.
“You don’t go from winning Trainer of the Year back to back to being a bad trainer,” Shane Mosley said of his father, who has been hit hard with criticism from the media after losing two consecutive fights.
In 1999 and 2000 Jack Mosley was Trainer of the Year according to several organizations including the World Boxing Hall of Fame. The 6-foot-1 in height trainer is a former boxer who sparred with former heavyweight champion Mike Weaver. He’s been in his son’s corner from the beginning.
Power boxing is the style preached by Mosley: a form of fighting at a rapid pace while trying to land lethal power shots.
Mayweather, whose son Floyd Mayweather Jr. is considered one of the elite fighters of the world, tutors his boxer’s toward a more defensive counter-punch style of fighting that relies on relaxation and accurate punching. He fought professionally and went 10 rounds against Sugar Ray Leonard in 1978.
The opposing styles will clash amid 17,000 raucous fans and millions more watching around the world. Strategy is key to both trainers.
In the first fight between De La Hoya and Mosley, the taller East Los Angeles fighter started stronger with his accurate jab that caused a pain in Mosley’s back from the whiplash effect it had on his head snapping back.
On the advice of his father, Shane reverted to an indirect style of in and out maneuvering that utilized his foot and hand speed to perfection. He won the fight on points by capturing the last round.
Mayweather, who was not in De La Hoya’s corner that night, described the Golden Boy in that fight as one-dimensional fighter whose trainer was a sub-novice. He calls Jack Mosley a novice.
“Oscar fought like a robot,” said Mayweather. “I’m surprised he did as well as he did fighting that style.”
THE STRATEGIES
Mayweather suggests that his fighter will be using his three-inch height advantage more and not letting Mosley get off too many combinations without paying for it. He alludes to the fight becoming a tactical warfare that will have De La Hoya providing a moving target.
“He’s more agile, more flexible and more creative overall. He’s now a two-handed fighter. He’s no longer a robotic fighter you saw three years ago. You’re going to see a totally different fight because of the style, the stance and the things he is learning now,” said Mayweather.
In De La Hoya’s career numerous trainers have imparted different techniques to the Golden Boy including Robert Alcazar, Jesus “The Professor” Rivero, Emanuel Steward and Gil Clancy. Each had their impact on De La Hoya. Rivero taught defense and balance, Steward imparted his power punching style and Clancy his stalwart fight plan preparation.
With Mayweather, De La Hoya has been force-fed old style training habits such as wood chopping, shoulder blocking techniques and the art of conserving energy by hanging the lead hand loose.
De La Hoya revels at the simple things learned from Mayweather and they feel tuned in to each other.
“We’re like right there with each other. We know what we have to do. Our mind frames are exactly the same,” De La Hoya said as he casually looked over at Mayweather who was speaking to a radio crew. “I’m not thinking knockout and he’s not thinking just go out there and cruise and win. We’re thinking the same thing and that’s what makes us a great team.”
The Mosleys are not impressed.
“Whatever Oscar brings to Shane, we’ll adapt. It don’t matter,” said Jack. “These fighters have learned their craft since the age of eight and they don’t vary that much. They can try.”
Shane actually feels De La Hoya has slipped and is no longer a virtuoso prizefighter.
“I don’t think he’s preparing himself for someone like me. To me, that style that he’s implementing is for a guy who comes right at you,” said Shane. “That’s just not the way I’m going to fight.”
Team Mosley plans to systematically break down De La Hoya with a guerrilla style of attack that uses foot speed to get in and out of range. A style they deserted after beating De La Hoya the first time.
“I reverted back to the style that I used to use. Before I was known as this great knockout puncher, I was a great boxer first,” said Shane. “I was a great fighter inside outside. And I could do it all, switch, turn and move. And I’ve reverted back to that.”
Jack is looking for a classic boxing match that will be more scientific than physical much like Sugar Ray Leonard’s tactical fight against Wilfredo Benitez in 1979.
“I think they will probably want to box. In the first fight Oscar came after Shane. Whatever he wants to do we’re prepared for. It s a chess match up there and kind of a mental thing,” said Jack. “We’re not taking anything for granted. That’s what Floyd is trying to do take us for granted, but that’s fine. Let them think that.”
GAMESMANSHIP
Since Mayweather took over the training duties in 2001, another factor has come into play that hadn’t been implemented in De La Hoya’s previous fights – gamesmanship.
Reading poems that mock the opponents and predict the outcome, Mayweather has become both a trainer and expert on psychological warfare.
In the kickoff press conference held in Beverly Hills, Mayweather’s taunting actually angered both Mosleys. It was something few boxing writers had ever seen from the normally placid Pomona family.
“Floyd is Floyd. He’s like my secret weapon. He gets into your head and destroys your mind. That’s the way he is. And I love that about him,” said De La Hoya who has won four consecutive fights under Mayweather. “That’s the way he is. He’s smart. He knows what he is doing.”
With his gravel voice ridiculing the Mosleys at every step, it’s no wonder that the Mosleys are upset, but not at Oscar.
“Mayweather is running his mouth that’s all. Muhammad Ali was the best at running his mouth but Ali backed it up,” said Mosley.
Mayweather, who proclaims to be the “best trainer in the world”, has been correct in his predictions for all four fights he’s been in De La Hoya’s corner. And of course no fight can be made without a poem from the trainer: “For all you folks who miss the Golden Boy’s show. Let's make this simple and plain, after this fight Shane will never be the same.”
Both Mosley’s rankle whenever Mayweather’s name is mentioned.
“He needs to quit reading those fifth grade poems” said Jack.
Mayweather waves his hands in disgust when Mosley’s name is mentioned.
It’s almost seems the wrong guys are fighting.
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