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Mayweather was staggered early but dominated the last 10 rounds to win by judges' scores of 119-109, 119-109 and 118-110, the 33-year-old American improving to 41-0 while dropping 38-year-old countryman Mosley to 46-6.
"My ultimate goal was to box early and start pressing the attack later in the fight," Mayweather said. "I should have started pressing the attack earlier. Perhaps we could have gotten the knockout."
Mosley was a substitute foe after talks broke down on a mega-fight between Mayweather and unbeaten Philippines hero Pacquiao, who instead fought Ghana's Joshua Clottey on March 13, beating him by unanimous decision in Dallas.
Mayweather insisted on random pre-fight blood tests, beyond typical governing body doping tests, before he would face Pacquiao.
When the Asian star refused, Mayweather broke off talks. Critics said it was Mayweather's way of avoiding a fight against a foe, who could beat him, a charge Mayweather denied even though he did not relent on his blodd test demand.
"If Manny Pacquiao wants to fight, it's not hard to find me," Mayweather said moments after the victory. "If Manny Pacquiao takes the blood and urine test, we can satisfy all the fans."
But if not?
"We don't got no fight," Mayweather said.
That deal-breaking condition means boxing fans will likely continue to suffer without real hope of seeing the two stars of the era meet in the ring in their pugilistic prime.
Mosley agreed to the tests in order to make the fight with Mayweather happen.
"He done what I asked him to do. He took a blood and urine test," Mayweather said. "If every athlete in the sport of boxing is clean, take the test.
"I want to be on an even playing field. That's all I ask."
When Mosley was asked about the chances for a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, the blood test was foremost in his thoughts.
"If Manny takes the blood test, you'll see him fight Manny," Mosley said.
Mosley, a Maori tribal tattoo adorning his left shoulder, landed a hard right cross early in the second round that staggered Mayweather and followed with several more punches that threatened to end the fight early.
But Mayweather weathered the storm and slowly began to use his speed and skill to seize command.
"That comes with the territory," Mayweather said. "Sometimes you're going to get hit with hard shots. You have to suck it up and keep fighting."
By the sixth round, Mayweather was landing hard rights and getting inside to work on Mosley time after time, dominating all the way to the finish.
"I thought I was going to knock him out sooner or later," Mosley said. "He started being able to avoid the punches. He didn't surprise me. I just couldn't adjust and he adjusted. That's why he won the fight."
Mosley had not fought since a ninth-round stoppage of Antonio Margarito in January of last year.
"I'm happy I took the fight," Mosley said. "I'm happy he gave me the opportunity."
Mayweather declined to fight for Mosley's World Boxing Association welterweight title because he did not wish to surrender three percent of the purse total to the sanctioning body.
Agence France-Presse
First Posted 13:07:00 05/02/2010
Philippine Daily Inquirer
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