ONCE GREAT FIGHTER NOW SHELL OF FORMER SELF
New York, NY– Shane Mosley (46-6-1 39 KOs) is now 39 years old and is 2-2-1 in his last five bouts. Although some believe he won Saturday’s jr. middleweight (154 lbs) bout with Sergio Mora (22-1-2 6 KOs), there are also a few who believe he didn’t. With two perspectives on the bout, a draw actually makes sense, but it’s not what Mosley’s fans expected. But due to a reoccurring theme of slick boxers giving him trouble, it could be that Mosley simply has trouble adapting to boxers who won’t stay right in front of him. Especially when we consider that two fights ago he ripped through Antonio Margarito, one of the most feared men in the welterweight (147) division.
WHY FIGHT MORA ANYWAY?
From the initial announcement, a bout with Sergio Mora didn’t seem to be like the greatest idea. Mora is a fighter who has been comfortably competing two divisions above Mosley at middleweight (160) and also possesses a difficult style. Even when Mosley was undefeated as a welterweight it’s likely Mora would have been a challenge at 154. Making matters worse, Mora came in three pounds over the 154 lb. limit, which gave him more of an advantage. Although Shane didn’t technically lose this one, he also didn’t win or even put forth a compelling performance. The only thing this bout did in the end is give critics fuel to write him off, not only as a PPV attraction but a viable top grade ‘contender.’
BEFORE MANNY NIXED DRUG TESTS, IT WAS BERTO!
If Mosley has one viable bout left, it should be against Andre Berto (26-0 20 KOs). Of course, Berto turned down a bout with Mosley early this year due to deaths in his family from the massive earthquake that struck Haiti in January. But Berto seems ready to pick up where he left off. He recently tweeted @hboboxing, “I need Shane Mosley next” and that the bout with Mosley would end in a “stoppage.” In any case, I don’t think this would necessarily be a bad bout, or one that would be difficult to make. This way, Mosley could go out with a bang and at least leave a positive lasting impression on terms that have defined him through much of his career.
I FORGOT, NOBODY QUITS ON TOP!
Truth be told, if Mosley fights and beats Berto he will probably want to fight Manny Pacquiao after that. The financial beating he took in the divorce settlement with ex-wife Jin Mosley, means that Shane Mosley will continue to fight and likely end up being beaten up badly by a guy that, in his prime, couldn’t tie his shoes!
Jarrad Woods