After days of speculation, Floyd Mayweather Jr. (40-0) officially signed a fight contract to meet Shane Mosley (46-5).  Rumors leaked out last week that the fighters had come to agreement, but Mayweather had yet to sign the deal.  The bout will take place on May 1, 2010 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Mayweather / Mosley Officially On

A key stipulation of the bout agreement was drug testing, an issue which caused the collapse of the Pacquiao negotiation.  Mosley has previously admitted to taking steroid supplied by the notorious BALCO labs, although he stands by his statement that he did so unknowingly.  Mosley agreed to Olympic-style drug testing, the very same arrangement Pacquiao refused to accept within the fight contract.

The moves made by Mayweather’s team of advisers are masterful.  They were not prepared, nor desired to make the fight with Pacquiao.  The sports media pressured Mayweather’s team to make the “super fight” between the two fighters considered to be the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.  Taking another fight or two against top-shelf boxers with less weapons financially makes more sense, especially considering Mayweather’s known financial issues.

Requesting the same Olympics drug testing of Mosley is also genius.  They got inside the head of Pacquiao first by asking for it, now they get another respected fighter in Mosley to agree to the very same terms, and this guy previously has used steroids for real.  It puts Pacquiao’s back against the ropes to agree to the drug testing terms, which he will eventually have to accept now that Mosley has agreed to these same terms and has set a precedent.  If he refuses, he places a stain on a wonderful career that will forever have an asterisk placed next to it.

More importantly, the drama unveiled by the Mayweather team has just significantly increased the interest in a Pacquiao showdown further, which will no doubt smash pay-per-view records when it finally occurs.

For Mayweather, a fight with Mosley holds very little risk to his undefeated record and pound-for-pound title reign.  Mosley’s style is made to order for Mayweather.  The stalker walk-down approach that Mosley applies will result in a blitz of counter punch shots that will come at a speed Mosley has never experienced in his career.

The losses to Vernon Forrest and Winky Wright provide the blueprint to beating Mosley.  Establish a solid jab, focus on counter punching and when Mosley gets in close, work the clinch.  You read this and if you’ve watched a Mayweather fight, these are the things that Mayweather does better than anyone in the fight game.

Despite what appears to be a mismatch for the aging Mosley, his pride keeps him defiant.  In an interview with Yahoo Sports, Mosley shared “They can test me every day, twice a day, if they want.  I’m a clean athlete and I’ve been a clean athlete.  I’m willing to do this for every fight I have for the rest of my career.  I want it so you guys (in the media) know, so the public knows, so everybody knows.  I’m clean, I’ve been clean and I have nothing to hide.”

But Mosley didn’t stop there.  “I lost to guys he wouldn’t fight,” Mosley said. “The bottom line is, I’m the best fighter in the world.  I know that.  I believe I’ve proven that. But this is a great fight, a big fight against a guy who is very talented. When I get my chance, I’ll show you who deserves to be the best in the world.”

Again, masterful work by Mayweather’s team.  A fight against Mosley will generate much interest and he’ll make millions in what will likely be a sparring session against a fighter whose best days are behind him.   A Mosley matchup after Pacquiao held much less cachet and getting this fight in before the “super fight” lines the wallets of everyone involved.