Pacquiao Is Big Boxing Betting Favorite Over Mosley

Boxing betting fans were hoping to take a wagering whack at a super bout matching Manny Pacquiao with Floyd Mayweather but, with sportsbooks offering dozens of gambling options, shouldn't be too disappointed that "Sugar" Shane Mosley now is the Pac Man's opponent at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, May 7.

Pacquiao (52-3-2 with 38 knockouts), opened as a solid -1000 favorite (bet $1,000 to win $100) over Mosley (46-6-1, 38 KOs), the +700 underdog (bet $100 to win $700). It isn't that Mosley isn't formidable; it's just that both bet makers and bet takers alike have learned that it's futile to bet against the 32-year-old Pacquiao, who has won a record eight world titles in as many weight divisions, has not lost in six years while wiping out elite boxers from 130 to 150 pounds, and was named the Boxing Writers of America's "Fighter of the Decade."

Pacquiao will be defending the WBO welterweight championship he captured in 2009 with a knockout of four-time champion Miguel Cotto. More recently, Pacquiao won the vacant WBC super welterweight title last November over three-time 147-pound champion Antonio Margarito and owns wins over such quality fighters as Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez and Cotto.

There is no doubt that Mosley, now 39, though still dangerous, is past his prime. A four-time world champion in three different weight classes, Mosley has won just two of his last five bouts, has gone more than two years without a victory, and is coming off a draw to Sergio Mora. If you're looking for a reason to back Mosley, go back to January of 2009 when he scored a TKO over Margarito. All Pacquiao did was break Margarito's orbital bone on the way to a unanimous decision.

Recognizing that boxing betting enthusiasts may not want to lay such a big price on Pacquiao but might also be reluctant to take the odds with an aging Mosley, sportsbooks are offering several other compelling ways to bet the fight.

There are several totals for the scheduled 12-round fight with 10 1/2 rounds being the most common over/under barrier. Gamblers who believe the fight will last longer than 10 1/2 rounds lay -140 while those who think the bout will end before the midway point of round 11 take even money. You also can bet whether the fight goes the full 12-round distance (+135) or ends before that (-175).

There's also an extended proposition on how the fight will be decided. Typically, there are five options in this prop, Pacquiao by decision, Pacquiao by KO, TKO or DQ, Mosley by decision, Mosley by KO, TKO or DQ, and draw. But sportsbooks have detailed the prop so that now there are 17 possible outcomes.

For example, Pacquiao by decision no longer is an option but Pacquiao by unanimous decision (+170), Pacquiao by split decision (+1200), Pacquiao by majority decision (+8000) and Pacquiao by technical decision (+3300) are available options to bettors. You can bet the same props for Mosley (at much bigger odds) and there are options for a victory by either fighter via KO, TKO, DQ, or retired opponent.

Round group betting and individual round betting also are available at most wagering locations. As the name suggests, in group round betting, gamblers get a cluster of rounds. A number of sportsbooks divide the fight in half while some offer groups of three or four rounds and others have multiple options. For example, a Pacquiao win in rounds 1-6 is +275 while a Pac Man triumph in rounds 7-12 is +225. The more you break down the fight, the better the prices. Pacquiao in rounds 1-4 is worth +800; rounds 5-8, +450; and rounds 9-12, +450.

Of course, the highest odds are left to those brave bettors who believe they can pick the fighter and the exact round. The odds on Pacquiao range from a low of 10/1 for round 8, 9, 10 or 11 to a high of 25/1 for a first round stoppage. Gamblers can get a low of 50/1 on a Mosley winning in round 1 or round 2 or as much as 80/1 if Mosley stops Pacquiao in round 9, 10 or 11.

There's also a prop on whether either fighter (-225), both fighters (+1100) just Mosley (-150) or just Pacquiao (+600) is knocked down.

That should be enough wagering options to satisfy even the most demanding of boxing betting fans.