For the conspiracy theorists...

In case you guys missed it, both names are now on the contract and the May 1 Mayweather-Mosley showdown is now officially, officially official.

 

No wrangling about catchweights or drug tests -- both fighters will undergo the same random urine and blood testing that Manny Pacquiao refused to consent to in negotiations with Mayweather earlier this winter.

And, unless Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach is talking trash, whoever wins May 1 can look forward to a gargantuan payday against Pacquiao later this year. That scenario dovetails nicely with the theory some folks have espoused that the fighters had planned all this drama from day one, simply to build the inevitable Mayweather-Pacquaio clash into an even bigger event.

As we discussed last week, the idea is sexy but I'm skeptical.

Most interesting to me about Roach's recent comments is his sudden openness to facing Sugar Shane.

If you didn't see this video in the comments section of a previous post, click here and listen to the 7-minute mark, where Roach explains why negotiations with Mosley broke down.

Let's not confuse things. Telling Mosley to weigh in at 142 is like telling him to fight for 30 percent of the purse, or insisting he enter the ring without a cutman. In other words, it's telling him you don't want the fight.

And I don't blame him. 

Mosley, who has always excelled against aggressive fighters, presents a difficult stylistic riddle for a buzzsaw like Pacquiao to solve. Does he attack like he did against Cotto and Hatton, knowing Mosley might blast him? Or does he go against his instincts the the aggressive style he has honed for a lifetime and try to play chess the way Mayweather would?

Tough questions, but a little more reading between the lines tells me Roach isn't planning to answer them.

Roach says a Mosley fight is an option if Sugar Shane defeats Mayweather, then makes clear that he thinks Mosley loses that fight. We'd recognize that as double-talk if it came from Mayweather's camp, so we should do the same when it comes from Pacquiao's trainer.

But thankfully, two big bouts are signed for the spring and soon enough we can all stop imagining how these fights might go down, and start enjoying how they actually unfold.

Comments

[LatinoPorVida]

Team Pacquiao don't want any part of both Mosley & Mayweather. Both Floyd & Shane will give Pacquiao a boxing lesson.

Roach knows best to keeping Pacquiao away from these two. Okay maybe Pacquiao will end up fighting either Mosley or Mayweather since he will then get more money that's of course IF he gets passed Clottey.

I can't wait till Mayo!

[Jason]

That was the real Freddie Roach and for the first time in a long time I can say I respect what he said. He was honest and upfront which is fearless. When he switches up and backtracks it has made him look weak in the past. Actually fighting Mosley only if he defeats Mayweather only makes since. Pac assuming he beats Clottey would have to fight the winner of Mayweather/Mosley. Even before he fought Cotto he planned on fighting Mosley if Pac got by Mayweather. They knew to strategically take out the weakest link first:Cotto, then the big money fight:Mayweather, then Mosley who is the strongest welterweight in the division after what he did to Margaritto. But the blood test ruined their plans.

[LatinoPorVida]

Thanks to Pacquao who didn't for some reason or another want to take the test.

It's okay though we Fight Fans still got ourselves a great match up between two great fighters come May.