He's been in the ring with some of the greatest fighters to lace on gloves and Shane Mosley has no intention of letting Anthony Mundine put an end to his second coming next Wednesday.

The 42-year-old Californian was regarded as the finest pound-for-pound boxer in the world when he outpointed Oscar de La Hoya to claim both the IBA and WBC welterweight titles in 2000.

But in a golden generation for the light-middleweight/welterweight divisions Mosley found himself up against the likes of Vernon Forrest, Manny Pacquiao, Ronald 'Winky' Wright, Miguel Cotto, Floyd Mayweather and Saul Alvarez.

All six managed to beat Mosley (47-8-1) on points but it was defeat last year to exciting young Mexican Alvarez, who surrendered his unbeaten record to the yet-to-be conquered Mayweather last month, that prompted him to call time on a glittering 20-year career.

"It was a frustrating time for me," Mosley told AAP.

"I'd injured my tailbone in a snowboarding accident on Big Bear Mountain three years ago and this led to me compensating with one side of my body.

"Then the day before I fought Pacquiao I snapped my Achilles but I fought through it but it affected me badly.

"I finished up with terrible blisters on my feet and had to have surgery the next day - it wasn't the real Sugar Shane Mosley in the fight."

"But when I came back I still found it hard to generate the power with my punches that I had before.

"So when I lost to Alvarez, I thought that was it. Time up."

Renowned as one of the fittest men in the sport, Mosley - who was embroiled in unproven doping allegations in 2007 - continued to train during his exile from the ring and discovered he could move more freely that he had for some time.

Many questioned his decision to return with little to prove with light-middleweight, welterweight and lightweight titles to his name in addition to around $70m in the bank.

However, the burning desire not to bow out on the back of defeats to Alvarez, Mayweather and Pacquiao, in addition to a costly divorce, resulted in a fight against rising Mexican Pablo Cesar Cano.

The bout also saw his father Jack back in his corner for the first time since 2008 and he defied the doubters with a unanimous points decision over a man 19 years his junior.

"It was one of my best results of my career," he said.

"No-one gave me a chance and I went to Mexico and fought him in his own back yard and beat him.

"He will be a future world champion but I showed that night that I've still got it."

Mosley's a hot favourite to beat Mundine and fully expects to beat the former NRL star, who says he'll quit if he loses.

But he knows better than most not there is no such thing as a sure thing.

In 2009 he beat Antonio Margarito in the ninth round of a thrilling contest in Los Angeles with a brilliant display of speed and power to claim the WBA welterweight crown.

It was the first stoppage of the tough Mexican's career and made a mockery of the pre-fight 5-1 odds offered on a Mosley win.

"No one said I had a chance, but I knew I did," he said.

"I will have too much speed, too much class and too much experience for Mundine. He hasn't stepped foot in a ring with someone of my pedigree.

"But he knows it's do or die for him and I have prepared for this fight so well.

"It makes him very dangerous and I have every respect for him. But I will beat him."

Mosely's ultimate goal is a rematch with Mayweather, to whom he lost in 2010 having almost knocking him out in the second round.

"He's the main man and I had him in the fight early with a great shot. It's probably the only time in his career that he's been really stunned," he said.

"I want another chance to fight him and this is my stepping stone towards it."