Pacquiao vs. Mosley: Latest Odds and Pre-Fight Chatter

Pacquiao vs. Mosley Has Pacquiao as a Clear Favorite

The 39-year-old Shane Mosley may have been a great pound-for-pound fighter in the past, but the betting odds for his bout against Manny Pacquiao show he has indeed lost a step.

According to SportsBook.com, Pacquiao is a -625 favorite in the fight scheduled for May 7 at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao, now 32 years of age, still has the distinction of being perhaps the greatest pound-for-pound fighter of his generation and he still appears to have plenty left.

That alone doesn't bode well for Mosley.

But Mosley shouldn't be overwhelmed by Pacquiao's quickness given Mosley's historic reputation as one of the quickest fighters himself.

He also has some pop still left in his punches, evidenced by his fights with Antonio Margarito (TKO) and Ricardo Mayorga (KO).

But that doesn't mean he still won't go down against Pacquiao.

He may not be overwhelmed by Pacquiao's speed, but if the bout goes on for a while, he may get outworked.

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Let's face it, Mosley's not the same fighter as he once was, and he doesn't impose the same physicality or endurance. His best chance is storming out of the gates and going for the kill. The only problem is Pacquiao has a tremendous chin and doesn't figure to get knocked out early.

Writes Pacquiao's conditioning coach Alex Ariza, via MPBoxing.com:

“This fight will not go the distance. I hardly ever predict fights. Freddie Roach is better at that then I am, but you will see many advantages for us in this fight, but the biggest one you will see will come in the fifth or sixth round and beyond."

Obviously, these comments always have to be taken with a grain of salt given this is Pacquiao's conditioning coach talking, but the fact of the matter is he's dead on.

If this fight goes even as long as the sixth round or so, Mosley's age is going to catch up to him, and it could end swiftly from there.

He knows that as well as anybody.