Memo to John from California: Unless one is named Ron Jeremy, it is anatomically impossible to do what you suggested! If it wasn’t, most of us would never leave the house!
But, be that as it may, it was actually rather fascinating to witness as the day unfolded. It quickly became obvious that a nerve had been hit.
Whether the reader was agreeing or disagreeing with the assertion that Mosley will beat Mayweather, or reacting to the comment that Tarver had shown that Roy Jones was never really that good against quality opponents, emotions were at a fever pitch.
Fans of both Mayweather and Jones went ballistic!
Listen, veteran commentator Larry Merchant once stated that HBO had signed a contract from hell with Roy Jones that, more or less, allowed him to dictate who he would fight on their air, which usually amounted to one “bum” after another. The few fights Jones had against quality competition does not a Hall-of-Famer make, but when your dealing with a Hall of Fame that would induct Top Rank CEO Bob Arum AFTER he admitted to bribing IBF official…well…one could logically assume that anything is possible in boxing.
Not to mention, if Roy Jones was all that and a bucket of extra-crispy chicken, why would Merchant make a statement like that?
See, pissed you off again!
Many of those picking Mayweather to win this fight went equally off-the-wall, citing Mayweather’s speed, agility, and overall boxing skills, and although many of them admitted they would love to see the one-time “Pretty Boy” get his butt handed to him, they didn’t think Shane Mosley was the man who could do it.
Then there were those who agreed that Mosley will school Mayweather and they went off on those who didn’t.
There was so much vitriolic communication flying around that Steve Kim, in the spirit of rightfully (and sanely) not getting caught in a crossfire, made the following statement on his Twitter account:
"Everyone, let’s make this clear, ’Why Mosley Wins…’ was penned by Allan Scotto, not me. For the record, I’m picking Mayweather by decision."
There are those of us who can remember sitting in barbershops across this country listening to the men debate and argue over fights and fighters. The old-timers always insisting that the current crop of fighters could never stand up to the fighters of their day. Debates over who would beat who in “What if?” scenarios often went on for days.
This fight between Mayweather and Mosley is reminiscent of some of the great fights we’ve witnessed throughout the years, and it has generated the same kind of fan interest. Obviously, emotions are running high, as evidenced by the postings flying around the Internet.
In many ways, the Internet has become today’s version of the corner barbershop.
And that is a good thing.
Look, when boxing fans are fired up, it’s because they’re talking boxing. They’re talking boxing at the bars, at the gyms, at work, and on the web.
And that is exactly what boxing needs to help spark its resurgence.
In truth, whether we agree or disagree on the outcome of the fight, we all owe a debt of gratitude to both Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley for giving us a fight that should prove to be a great one, regardless of who wins.
And in this era where many fighters have adopted a philosophy of ducking anyone who could give them trouble, that’s a breath of fresh air.
One could endlessly debate why one fighter will win over another fighter. You can compare records, compare who they’ve fought…and if they shared mutual opponents, how did they individually fare?
For instance, on paper, Jeff Lacy should have beaten Joe Calzaghe in March of 2006, and we all know how that went. Lacy hasn’t been the same since.
Same as when Hasim Rahman knocked Lennox Lewis into a heap on the floor in April of 2001, except Lennox returned the favor in the rematch, almost seven months later.
The bottom line is, when two fighters of reasonably equal talent enter a ring, all of the debate doesn’t matter, because when two men are throwing punches at each other, anything can happen.
So if you got fired up because a writer opined that Roy Jones wasn’t all that he’s cracked up to be, or because a writer thinks Mosley will KO Mayweather…well, good!
Keep yelling, keep ranting, and keep screaming!
Because as long as a fighter or a writer gets your blood boiling- and as long as you keep screaming- boxing is alive and well.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to make sure I have enough snacks to eat while I watch Shane Mosley kick Floyd Mayweather’s ass!
Allan Scotto can be reached at boxingriter@aol.com
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