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THE MAYWEATHERS: They stand between Mosley and Superstardom
By Chris Coldwell.
FOLLOWING on from last weeks Corner where Shane Mosley was discussed regarding his upcoming Floyd Mayweather fight, this week he springs to mind as one of those genuinely talented fighters who have everything that should make them a superstar, but for some reason has not obtained such status.
Mosley should have become a superstar in the game, but for one reason or another he never seemed to make that transition.
Shane has been around for years. He was deadly as a lightweight, a lot of good judges have called him one of the best ever. He was immensely strong at that weight and used to unleash fantastic and vicious combinations to the head and body as he basically walked through the division and became The Man of his time.
An exciting fighter, his big breakthrough into the mainstream came when he stepped up to the plate and took on one of the biggest superstars since Sugar Ray Leonard in the hugely popular Oscar De La Hoya. The showdown at LAs Staples Centre, saw the pair put on a great fight, where the balance of power shifted a couple of times until Mosley turned up the heat in the later rounds to take a deserved decision and beat the Golden Boy. That result and performance by Mosley, in a very entertaining fight, was expected to launch Shane as the new superstar in world boxing. Comparisons were being made between Mosley and the other Sugars of years gone by, Ray Leonard and Ray Robinson.
Such was the expectation for Mosley after that fight. Shane seemed to have it all; the power, handspeed, blistering combinations and a good chin. Out of the ring, Mosley has always come across well in the media and is a down-to-earth, respectable sort of man. The image was there. But it never really turned out the way it should have for him.
The following year he had two impressive victories, but over modest opposition and then the year after, in 2002, Mosley had a nightmare. He suffered back-to-back defeats against the late Vernon Forrest. In the first contest where he was floored heavily and all-but-gone, Shane proved he had the heart and chin to come back and get through the fight.
But the title was gone, and Mosley soon decided he wanted to get right back in there and take on Forrest in a rematch, in order to restore his pride. The only thing is, Vernon had his number, he was his bogeyman, and in a closer fight he beat Mosley again on a unanimous decision.
After that, Mosley came back in 2003 with a disappointing No Contest against Raul Marquez, who was supposed to make Mosley look good, but didnt. And then came the big rematch with Oscar. Mosley again beat the Golden Boy, however, this time around the fight was anti-climatic, resulting in a hotly disputed decision. Many believed Oscar was robbed of victory. So poor Shane was deprived of the launch-pad he was looking for.
In 2004 things got worse. For some reason, Mosley and his team thought it would be wise to step up to 154 lbs to take on the one man no-one wanted to face: Ronald Winky Wright. Big mistake.
Two fights against Wright that year, resulting in two losses. Although, as before with the two Forrest losses, Shane improved in the rematch. Yet again, it wasnt enough to stop him from having back-to-back losses.
Its this spell of losses and bad decisions that I feel stopped Sugar Shane from becoming the superstar his talent deserves. Since the first De La Hoya fight in 2000, Mosley failed to earn a significant victory until 2006 when he twice beat a faded Fernando Vargas, obliterating his opponent in the rematch with a stunning KO.
But in January 2009, Mosley took on the feared Antonio Margarito who was coming off a sensational battering of Miguel Cotto. Many feared that the faded Mosley was going to be dismantled and beaten up by the relentless Mexican. However, in what I believe Mosleys greatest performance, at the age of 37, he totally smashed Margarito up!Sugar Shane completely took him apart, he threw shots with serious speed and power to the Mexicans head and body, stopping him in nine pulsating rounds.
Now Mosley has arrived, I thought.
WRONG.
He hasnt fought since then and by the time he steps into the ring against Floyd Mayweather, he will have been absent from the ring for nearly 16 months, which is a travesty. That was the time for him to cash in, he was sensational in that fight and the world was finally talking about him again. Now there are others in front of him in the queue to be next among boxings superstars.
But wait..Mosley has one more chance to join the club, one more chance to cross over and make people notice him again. If Mosley beats Mayweather, with the world now knowing who Mayweather is (since appearing on various chat shows, dancing shows, wrestling etc.) Mosley could actually get to become the star he deserves to be. Or at the very least, hell put himself in a position to make that happen.
He knows its his last chance. And who would begrudge him if he pulled it off Ive been a fan of his for years, so I know I wouldnt.
By Chris Coldwell.
FOLLOWING on from last weeks Corner where Shane Mosley was discussed regarding his upcoming Floyd Mayweather fight, this week he springs to mind as one of those genuinely talented fighters who have everything that should make them a superstar, but for some reason has not obtained such status.
Mosley should have become a superstar in the game, but for one reason or another he never seemed to make that transition.
Shane has been around for years. He was deadly as a lightweight, a lot of good judges have called him one of the best ever. He was immensely strong at that weight and used to unleash fantastic and vicious combinations to the head and body as he basically walked through the division and became The Man of his time.
An exciting fighter, his big breakthrough into the mainstream came when he stepped up to the plate and took on one of the biggest superstars since Sugar Ray Leonard in the hugely popular Oscar De La Hoya. The showdown at LAs Staples Centre, saw the pair put on a great fight, where the balance of power shifted a couple of times until Mosley turned up the heat in the later rounds to take a deserved decision and beat the Golden Boy. That result and performance by Mosley, in a very entertaining fight, was expected to launch Shane as the new superstar in world boxing. Comparisons were being made between Mosley and the other Sugars of years gone by, Ray Leonard and Ray Robinson.
Such was the expectation for Mosley after that fight. Shane seemed to have it all; the power, handspeed, blistering combinations and a good chin. Out of the ring, Mosley has always come across well in the media and is a down-to-earth, respectable sort of man. The image was there. But it never really turned out the way it should have for him.
The following year he had two impressive victories, but over modest opposition and then the year after, in 2002, Mosley had a nightmare. He suffered back-to-back defeats against the late Vernon Forrest. In the first contest where he was floored heavily and all-but-gone, Shane proved he had the heart and chin to come back and get through the fight.
But the title was gone, and Mosley soon decided he wanted to get right back in there and take on Forrest in a rematch, in order to restore his pride. The only thing is, Vernon had his number, he was his bogeyman, and in a closer fight he beat Mosley again on a unanimous decision.
After that, Mosley came back in 2003 with a disappointing No Contest against Raul Marquez, who was supposed to make Mosley look good, but didnt. And then came the big rematch with Oscar. Mosley again beat the Golden Boy, however, this time around the fight was anti-climatic, resulting in a hotly disputed decision. Many believed Oscar was robbed of victory. So poor Shane was deprived of the launch-pad he was looking for.
In 2004 things got worse. For some reason, Mosley and his team thought it would be wise to step up to 154 lbs to take on the one man no-one wanted to face: Ronald Winky Wright. Big mistake.
Two fights against Wright that year, resulting in two losses. Although, as before with the two Forrest losses, Shane improved in the rematch. Yet again, it wasnt enough to stop him from having back-to-back losses.
Its this spell of losses and bad decisions that I feel stopped Sugar Shane from becoming the superstar his talent deserves. Since the first De La Hoya fight in 2000, Mosley failed to earn a significant victory until 2006 when he twice beat a faded Fernando Vargas, obliterating his opponent in the rematch with a stunning KO.
But in January 2009, Mosley took on the feared Antonio Margarito who was coming off a sensational battering of Miguel Cotto. Many feared that the faded Mosley was going to be dismantled and beaten up by the relentless Mexican. However, in what I believe Mosleys greatest performance, at the age of 37, he totally smashed Margarito up!Sugar Shane completely took him apart, he threw shots with serious speed and power to the Mexicans head and body, stopping him in nine pulsating rounds.
Now Mosley has arrived, I thought.
WRONG.
He hasnt fought since then and by the time he steps into the ring against Floyd Mayweather, he will have been absent from the ring for nearly 16 months, which is a travesty. That was the time for him to cash in, he was sensational in that fight and the world was finally talking about him again. Now there are others in front of him in the queue to be next among boxings superstars.
But wait..Mosley has one more chance to join the club, one more chance to cross over and make people notice him again. If Mosley beats Mayweather, with the world now knowing who Mayweather is (since appearing on various chat shows, dancing shows, wrestling etc.) Mosley could actually get to become the star he deserves to be. Or at the very least, hell put himself in a position to make that happen.
He knows its his last chance. And who would begrudge him if he pulled it off Ive been a fan of his for years, so I know I wouldnt.
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