Boxing News 24/7Words: Petra Kirsch – Gelsenkirchen
Photo: Stacey Verbeek – Maple Avenue Boxing Gym, Dallas
American pugilist and guaranteed future hall-of-famer Shane Mosley (46-8-1, 39ko) has hung up the gloves at age 40, stating he is proud of his “great career” and that he “loved every minute“. The Californian also went on to explain that the catalyst for his retirement was his desire to “help young boxers, not fight them”. Mosley may have lost on eight occasions, but his victories were outstanding and On The Beak have listed ten of his greatest…
Mosley may have waved goodbye to the fight game, but will live long in boxing
10: Golden Johnson – January, 1999 – Pensacola – IBF lightweight world title defence – 7th Rd KO
As both a lightweight campaigner and then champion, Mosley was fierce, unforgiving and always looking for a highlight reel finish. Not only was he undefeated at the weight, he had incredible speed and fine power. Against Golden, he demonstrated acute body-punching ability and stopped the fight at the end of the seventh round when a deflated Johnson took a knee and refused to get up.
(Embedded video above credit – YouTube, Marvindiggla)
9: John John Molina – May, 1998 – Atlantic City – IBF lightweight world title defence – 8th Rd TKO
Like his triumph over Johnson, Mosley’s dominant victory at Molina’s expense was fought within the confines of the 135lb weight class. Molina was an archetypal tough man from Puerto Rico but Mosley produced a textbook jab, launched exquisite right hands over the top, threw startling combinations and fortified his reputation as a body-puncher whilst standing up to the cracks that Juan – or John John – landed on his chin.
(Embedded video above credit – YouTube, Marvindiggla)
8: Luis Collazo – February, 2007 – Las Vegas – interim WBC welterweight title challenge – 12 Rd UD
At 35-years-old, Mosley demonstrated his ability to fight like a man ten years his junior as he battled closely with Collazo during the opening half of the bout, but pulled away and took complete control in the second half as Collazo’s determination drained. Mosley was too strong, conditioned and too busy and inflicted a more comprehensive defeat onto the welterweight southpaw than British pressure fighter Ricky Hatton did.
(Embedded video above credit – YouTube, Deledero160191)
7: Fernando Vargas II – July, 2007 – Las Vegas – non title junior middleweight fight – 6th Rd TKO
In their 2006 ruckus, Fernando was on point while Mosley was not himself, however, Vargas’ face swelled up to the size of a Nikolai Valuev fist, forcing an unsatisfactory stoppage in the American’s favour. Their duel the next year, though, was markedly different as Sugar Shane slaughtered the popular Oxnard pug with a precise jab, ring generalship, surprise lead left hooking, swift combos and all too often beat Vargas to the punch.
(Embedded video above credit – YouTube, Rocio997)
6: Shannan Taylor – March, 2001 – Las Vegas – WBC welterweight world title defence – 6th Rd TKO
Mosley’s best form was regarded to be as a lightweight, yet his performance over Shannan Taylor – a pure beatdown – cemented his status as a serious player at welterweight, as well as providing him with a second successful defence of the WBC championship at 147lbs. Mosley cut up the Australian, made him wrench with body blows and almost out-landed him by a ratio of 3:1. Taylor finished the fight on his stool, before combat could resume in the sixth.
(Embedded video above credit – YouTube, 456Blaine)
5: Jesse James Leija – November, 1998 – Mashantucket – IBF world title defence – 9th Rd TKO
Leija was not the greatest of Mosley’s opponents, but Shane’s beating of him was so resounding, so brutal, that it has to be included amongst his best wins. Leija tasted the canvas in the sixth round, as well as the eighth and ninth and couldn’t box on in the tenth. While Sugar ended his career with underwhelming performances against Floyd Mayweather, Sergio Mora, Manny Pacquiao and Saul Alvarez, it was in the late ’90′ when vintage Mosley could be seen.
(Embedded video above credit – YouTube, Marvindiggla)
4: Philip Holiday – August, 1997 – Uncasville – IBF world title challenge – 12 Rd UD
One of Floyd Mayweather’s best fights is regarded to be his first title fight against Genaro Hernandez, who was deemed to be one of the best in the division at the time. Similarly, Holiday too was perceived to be the finest 135lb boxer when Mosley took him apart. Shane won between eight and nine rounds (dependent on judgement) and limited Holiday’s output. It was Mosley’s fight… and turned out to be his coming out party.
(Embedded video above credit – YouTube, Mangler411)
3: Wilfredo Rivera – September, 1999 – Temecula – non title welterweight fight – 10th Rd KO
Like throwback fighters who boxed before the existence of ‘Super’ and ‘Junior’ weight divisions, Mosley jumped up from lightweight to welterweight and took on three-time world title challenger Rivera, a durable Puerto Rico. In a tussle that could have gone either way on the judges’ scorecards, Mosley – inspired by father/trainer Jack’s pep talk – fought like a man possessed in the tenth and final round as Rivera received a kayo.
(Embedded video above credit – YouTube, 4mirkhan)
2: Oscar de la Hoya – June, 2000 – Los Angeles – WBC/IBA welterweight challenge – 12 Rd SD
Mosley twice defeated de la Hoya and while his second win saw him bounce back to elite significance following two defeats to Vernon Forrest and a no contest against Raul Marquez, it was his first – the debut event at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles – that elevated Mosley to a superstar and a champion of two weight classes. Considered one of 2000′s classic encounters due to it’s two warriors going back and forth, de la Hoya’s reputation was also enhanced – even in defeat.
(Embedded video above credit – YouTube, FaceofBoxing)
1: Antonio Margarito – January, 2009 – Los Angeles – WBA welterweight challenge – 9th Rd TKO
While some may point to the de la Hoya win deserving the number one spot, veteran Mosley was a 4/1 underdog against an avoided Margarito in 2007 but trounced Antonio en route to a ninth round technical knockout. There is an old adage in boxing that every great fighter has one last great performance… and this was Mosley’s as the brutality bestowed upon the Mexican made analysts and fans reminisce about Shane’s lightweight pomp.
(Embedded video above credit – YouTube, BorgesProductions)
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How can you miss out Manny Pacquiao? Mr Writer, Pacquiao destroyed the number one and number two on this list. And also destroyed Mosley. Pacquiao is number one.