Sugar" Shane Mosley: "Ricardo Mayorga is a step to the next fight that I want, which is Antonio Margarito!
There's no question that "Sugar" Shane Mosley is a future hall of famer. Having won World Championships in three divisions as well as being the top fighter in the world pound for pound at one point will certainly not leave any doubt. So what's left to prove? Plenty, if you have the type of motor that Mosley does.
On Saturday, September 27th from the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, and broadcast on HBO, Mosley (44-5, 37 KO's), ranked #1 by the WBO, #4 by the IBF, and #6 by the WBA in the welterweight division will move back up to the Jr. Middleweight division to battle the WBA #2 ranked and WBC #3 ranked former two division World Champion, Ricardo "El Matador" Mayorga (29-6-1, 23 KO's).
Mosley is coming off a lengthy layoff, nearly 10½ months, after his matchup with Zab Judah that was scheduled over the summer was called off when Judah was injured while preparing for the bout. The time off, according to Mosley, has actually helped. "I'm a veteran fighter, and I've been around the game a long time. If anything it (the layoff) helped me because I got a chance to stay in the gym and train with some really good southpaws. I think it kept me in shape and kept me sharp and now I'm going to be sharp for this fight as well," explained Mosley.
Mayorga, known for his pre-fight antics, has been tamer than usual for this fight. "He's taking this fight serious and not clowning around as much. I think he has a lot of respect for me as I do with him. He's said a little bit here and there but it hasn't been as much. I care about the night of the fight and lacing them up and fighting," Mosley said.
Even though Mayorga has a record of just 3-3 over his last six fights, Mosley knows that Mayorga is still a dangerous opponent. "Ricardo Mayorga does a lot of crazy things. You never know what can happen in the ring. Vargas found out that you can be on the canvas. I have to watch out, being that I'm not really a 154 pounder. He might be a lot bigger than me too, so I have to watch out for that. I expect for him to give his 100% all and throw the kitchen sink at me. Oscar told me that he does have very heavy hands and he's dangerous. He comes out there to fight," stated Mosley.
Mosley however, is confident the outcome will be in his favor. "I think we'll have a pretty interesting fight, at least for the first couple of rounds."
Mosley is trained by his father Jack Mosley. Things have not always been smooth between the two, which led to an amicable split for a few fights, but the two worked everything out and have been working together again since. "I wouldn't say (things are) better than ever, but things are great. He's doing a fantastic job of training me. The whole team as well. Anthony Randolph, my camp coordinator, he's definitely doing a great job in making sure things run smoothly. My father leading the way is a great thing," Mosley suggested.
The fight against Mayorga is just the beginning of what Mosley hopes is a statement as his career starts to wind down. "The goal is to fight the best guys out there so that the people and the fans can recognize me as one of the best fighters of this era. I still have a fire. Maybe in three or four years I'll retire," said Mosley. "I'm the type of guy that likes to fight the best guys out there. Ricardo Mayorga is a step to the next fight that I want, which is Antonio Margarito!"
Margarito is considered the best welterweight in the world right now, but Mosley feels his boxing skills would be the difference in a potential showdown. "Margarito can be out boxed and I can box and I can punch. I can stay in the pocket and punch with him too. I think the speed will be a big factor. Margarito is a true champion and a true warrior who will fight anyone. I think it's a fight that everyone would like to see," suggested Mosley.
With a potential fight against Margarito in the future, there is going to be plenty of boxing fans rooting for "Sugar" Shane to become victorious against Mayorga. Let's hope that Shane is not already preparing himself for that future showdown.
