Encyclopedia
"Sugar" Shane Mosley is a
boxer from Pomona, California. He has won world titles in three weight divisions and is the only boxer to date to have beaten
Oscar De La Hoya twice.
Early Years & Ameteur Career
As an amateur, Mosley was a three-time National champion and a runner up to become a member of the US boxing team in the
1992 Olympics, losing to Vernon Forrest. Overall, Mosley was 250-10 before turning pro in 1993. After knocking out 22 of his first 23 foes, Mosley won the IBF lightweight crown from South Africa's Phillip Holiday in August 1997. In four defenses of his first world title, Mosley has solidified his claim as one of the best fighters in the world.
Professional Career
As a Lightweight champion, Shane Mosley was highly respected. He defended the IBF Lightweight title eight times, winning all eight by knock out. However, he did not have mainstream recognition until he fought WBC Welterweight Champion Oscar De La Hoya.
De La Hoya vs. Mosley
De La Hoya was perhaps the most popular fighter in boxing, with only one controversial loss to
Felix Trinidad. The first fight between the two was a 12 round war. Both fighters had a crowd of 20,724 in the
Staples Center roaring throughout the 12 rounds as they matched boxing skills and punching power. With show business stars and great fighters such as
Muhammad Ali,
Sugar Ray Leonard and
George Foreman watching, the two men went toe to toe in the hectic final round. It turned out that Mosley, who landed 45 of 88 punches to 18 of 72 for De La Hoya in the final three minutes, needed that round to win the fight, which he earned on a split decision.
Neither man was in danger of going down, but both had badly swollen faces at the end and De La Hoya was bleeding from the nose for several rounds. De La Hoya earned a minimum of $15 million, while Mosley was guaranteed $4.5 million.
After his win over De La Hoya, Mosley garnered a great deal of respect from the boxing world. When Trinidad lost to
Bernard Hopkins, Mosley inherited the title as best pound for pound fighter in the world.
Mosley vs. Forrest I & II
He ran a successful string of defenses of his Welterweight title, but against three unheralded fighters. When he finally did step up his competition, it was against former
Olympian Vernon Forrest. Early in the second round, the fighters clashed heads and both staggered backward as referee Steve Smoger called time. Mosley sustained a cut on the hairline.
When action resumed, Forrest brought a roar from the sellout crowd of 5,323 fans when he landed a tremendous right that sent Mosley backward. Forrest followed up with two more rights, and Mosley went down. Mosley got up at four and tried desperately to stay out of further trouble as Forrest pursued him around the ring. About 10 seconds before the bell, he landed a right hand. As Mosley tried to grab him, Mosley fell and it was ruled a knockdown. After the second round, Mosley got through the third and then fought gamely,
holding his own until he ran into trouble again in the 10th. In the 10th round, Forrest landed a hard right and followed with a hook, a right uppercut and another right that hurt Mosley. But Mosley was able to last out the round. The final scorecards read 115-110, 117-108, 118-108, in favor of Forrest.
They had a rematch six months later at
Conseco Fieldhouse in Indiana, and although Mosley fought better, he once again lost by decision.
Bouncing Back after Forrest
On February 8, 2003, Mosley's bout with former IBF world Jr. Middleweight champion Raul Marquez ended in a no contest when Mosley accidentally head butted Marquez twice in round three, which caused two very bad cuts above the eyes of Marquez.
He and De La Hoya faced each other for the second time on September 13, this time with De La Hoya's WBC and WBA world Jr. Middleweight belts on the line. Mosley defeated De La Hoya by a 12 round unanimous decision, and joined the exclusive group of world boxing champions that have reigned in three or more divisions.
Mosley vs. Wright I & II
On March 13, 2004, Mosley lost his WBC and WBA world Jr. Middleweight titles in an unification bout with IBF world champion
Winky Wright, by a unanimous twelve round decision. Wright, a fighter who like Mosley prior to the De La Hoya fight was widely respected in the boxing community but not a mainstream name, used his great jab, defense, and southpaw stance to confuse and out-box Mosley. After the fight HBO analyst Larry Merchant asked Mosley if he regretted not taking many more millions offered to him by De La Hoya for a prospective third fight instead of going in against Winky. Shane shook his head, and said boxing was about 'proving you are the best' and not money. He said he wanted to unify the division, and was respected by boxing journalists and aficionados alike for this statement. Wright appreciated Mosley for giving him a chance to participate in a big fight, and gave Mosley a rematch.
On November 20, Mosley and
Wright had a rematch. Although the rematch was scored much closer by the three judges , Mosley, nevertheless, lost by a twelve round majority decision.
Cutting Ties With his Father
On March 21, Mosley announced that he split from his father, manager and trainer, Jack Mosley, on a professional level. He hooked up with Van Nuys trainer Joe Goosen, who had noted success with
Diego Corrales of late, and had been known to change and alter fighters style to make them more successful.
Mosley has reunited with his father for his July 15 bout with
Fernando VargasStill Hungry
Shane Mosley returned to action as a Welterweight, defeating the previously undefeated
David Estrada by a ten round unanimous decision at the
Caesars Palace in
Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 23, 2005, as part of the Margarito-
Cintron ESPN Pay Per View undercard.
On September 17 of the same year, he beat another previously undefeated fighter, Jose Luis Cruz, by a ten round decision, as part of the
Barrera-Peden Pay Per View undercard.
Mosley defeated
Fernando Vargas on February 25, 2006 by TKO in the tenth round at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, due to a massive swelling which closed Fernando's left eye.
Mosley defeated
Fernando Vargas in a rematch on July 15, 2006. This time fighting at the
MGM Grand Las Vegas, Mosley dominated Vargas from start to finish, eventually ending the fight via a sixth-round TKO. Having already opened a cut above Vargas' left eye, Mosley caught Vargas with a devastating left hook, sending the former junior middleweight champion straight to the canvas. Clearly stunned, Vargas stumbled around on all fours, showing extreme difficulty in maintaining any balance, yet somehow rose to beat the 10-count administered by ring referee Kenny Bayless. Nevertheless, immediately upon recovery, Vargas was met by an overwhelming flurry of accurate punches from Mosley, causing Bayless to step in and stop the fight.
Mosley currently holds a record of 43 wins, 4 losses and 1 no contest, with 37
knockouts. He is considered one of the fastest fighters ever at the junior middle weight division.
See also
- List of male boxers
- List of WBC world champions
- Notable boxing families
External links
