LAS VEGAS, (Reuters) – It is a boxer’s natural  instinct to enter the ring with the hope of knocking down their opponent, but top fighters know they have to have a strategic plan.

Shane Mosley is one of those fighters — he would love to flatten Floyd Mayweather Jr. in this weekend’s welterweight title fight but knows he must have the complete blueprint to  win.

While his plan remains top secret, his trainer Naazim Richardson said yesterday that they had developed an intricate strategy that will evolve throughout the fight.

“The opportunities are going to be few and far between. We’ll have to take advantage of them immediately, because the window is going to close,” Richardson told reporters.

“The adjustments are going to come and we’re going to have to find another plan of attack.”

Few people understand the fighter’s psyche better than Richardson — who also trains former middleweight and  light-heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins — and he knows plenty of tricks to motivate pugilists.

For Mosley, nicknamed “Sugar”, there is sweet incentive.

“I told Shane you’ve got one goal in life now. Go out there and solidify your place as the third Sugar,” said Richardson.  “There was Sugar Ray Robinson, there was Sugar Ray Leonard, and  now there’s you.”

The odds seem stacked against Mosley in his clash with his fellow American.

He has already been beaten five times while Mayweather has never lost in 40 fights but those numbers mean nothing to Richardson.

“Well, who’s the best fighter of all time? Sugar Ray Robinson. Guess what he had? Losses,” Richardson snapped.”

“Guess when got his first one? When he was 40-0.

“For me, once I saw Muhammad Ali lose and Ray Robinson lose, I realised everyone can lose.”