Why did Mosley not fight for so long after Margarito?

[PittyPat]

I was around here from the start of '09, in the immediate aftermath of the handwraps scandal, when Mosley was on top of the world and living his last hoorah. Thing is, I can't for the life of me remember as to why he didn't get a fight scheduled until early 2010 (the cancelled Berto fight, which led to Mayweather). Was it promotional issues? What caused him to sit out a whole year like that? Were there not many names at 147 to go around?

What I do remember is Cotto was recovering from his '08 defeat by fighting Jennings and Clottey, Pacquiao still testing the waters at 140 against Hatton, Mayweather having just returned and signed to fight Marquez, and Berto wasting time fighting a blown-up LWW in Urango. Ultimately, it seems logical that Mosley should've fought Berto in '09. Why didn't it happen?

[SCtrojansbaby]

Berto pulled out of the fight I think because I think he had family in Haiti when all the earthquakes were going on

[PittyPat]

Berto pulled out of the fight I think because I think he had family in Haiti when all the earthquakes were going on

That happened in January 2010. I know that already. I'm asking why he spent the whole of 2009 being inactive, when he was fresh off a huge win.

[JK1700]

After becoming the #1 Welterweight in the world again and considering his age, I think Mosley was only really looking for a few more big fights. Beating Berto (who had just survived a life and death, controversial fight with Luis Collazo) wouldn't have done much for him. He was looking to cash out by chasing the big names, which were Mayweather, Pacquiao and Cotto.

The problem was, after seeing what Mosley did to Margarito, Freddie Roach and Bob Arum had zero interest in putting Mosley in with Pacquiao. Roach was actually quoted as saying he wanted Shane to come down to 142 or 143. He said Mosley came to his gym twice to ask to fight Manny and he told him no both times, first because "there's not enough money there" and secondly because "your too good of a fighter". Roach and Arum knew Mosley at that point was a serious threat and decided to avoid him and have Pacquiao fight slow-ass, ruined, no punching power without plaster Margarito for a worthless paper title instead, who Shane had just completely destroyed. It's pretty sinister that they avoided him like that when people really wanted to see it, but then jumped at the chance to take the fight once Mosley got destroyed by Mayweather and then looked absolutely terrible against Sergio Mora.

Pacquiao fought Cotto instead of Mosley because his team perceived Cotto as an easier and also more marketable fight. Yes Cotto beat Mosley (controversially, I had Mosley winning) but Cotto had become a shell of his former self after being pummeled with bricks by Margarito. As evidenced by his sub-par performance and controversial win against Joshua Clottey. However, Miguel, unlike Shane, still had a huge fan base and if Cotto was going to lose again, Arum wanted it to be to his cash cow (Pacquiao), not Mosley, who is 10 years older than Cotto, and someone Arum had no real control over.

He wanted Floyd in 2009 too, but remembering how Shane avoided him when he was a Lightweight and again in 2006, Floyd wanted to show him that what goes around comes around. When Shane was the bigger draw, Floyd tried to fight him at least twice, and Mosley never showed any real interest in it, but then once he lost a few times and Mayweather became the #1 guy in the sport, all of a sudden Shane decided he wanted the fight and Floyd resented this. But then the media spinned it to make it seem like Floyd was afraid, and as usual in boxing, a lot of people ate it up, which is why the fight happened. Well, that and because Floyd couldn't get Pacquiao to take a drug test.

He had to sit out for a year + but what Mosley did have was the status of being the #1 WW. Everyone had him as #1 at that time, and because of that, he knew it was only a matter of time before one of them would have to take him on. The public demanded it, and Mayweather stepped up to the plate.

[HarvardBlue]

After becoming the #1 Welterweight in the world again and considering his age, I think Mosley was only really looking for a few more big fights. Beating Berto (who had just survived a life and death, controversial fight with Luis Collazo) wouldn't have done much for him. He was looking to cash out by chasing the big names, which were Mayweather, Pacquiao and Cotto.

The problem was, after seeing what Mosley did to Margarito, Freddie Roach and Bob Arum had zero interest in putting Mosley in with Pacquiao. Roach was actually quoted as saying he wanted Shane to come down to 142 or 143. He said Mosley came to his gym twice to ask to fight Manny and he told him no both times, first because "there's not enough money there" and secondly because "your too good of a fighter". Roach and Arum knew Mosley at that point was a serious threat and decided to avoid him and have Pacquiao fight slow-ass, ruined, no punching power without plaster Margarito for a worthless paper title instead, who Shane had just completely destroyed. It's pretty sinister that they avoided him like that when people really wanted to see it, but then jumped at the chance to take the fight once Mosley got destroyed by Mayweather and then looked absolutely terrible against Sergio Mora.

Pacquiao fought Cotto instead of Mosley because his team perceived Cotto as an easier and also more marketable fight. Yes Cotto beat Mosley (controversially, I had Mosley winning) but Cotto had become a shell of his former self after being pummeled with bricks by Margarito. As evidenced by his sub-par performance and controversial win against Joshua Clottey. However, Miguel, unlike Shane, still had a huge fan base and if Cotto was going to lose again, Arum wanted it to be to his cash cow (Pacquiao), not Mosley, who is 10 years older than Cotto, and someone Arum had no real control over.

He wanted Floyd in 2009 too, but remembering how Shane avoided him when he was a Lightweight and again in 2006, Floyd wanted to show him that what goes around comes around. When Shane was the bigger draw, Floyd tried to fight him at least twice, and Mosley never showed any real interest in it, but then once he lost a few times and Mayweather became the #1 guy in the sport, all of a sudden Shane decided he wanted the fight and Floyd resented this. But then the media spinned it to make it seem like Floyd was afraid, and as usual in boxing, a lot of people ate it up, which is why the fight happened. Well, that and because Floyd couldn't get Pacquiao to take a drug test.

He had to sit out for a year + but what Mosley did have was the status of being the #1 WW. Everyone had him as #1 at that time, and because of that, he knew it was only a matter of time before one of them would have to take him on. The public demanded it, and Mayweather stepped up to the plate.

Great post.

[PittyPat]

Great post.

Seconded.

That's just the explanation I was looking for, and with good detail.