As criticism of Bob Arum’s decision to go with Shane Mosley instead of Juan Manuel Marquez for Manny Pacquiao’s next fight on May 7 lingers like a Holiday hangover, there’s a ballot that unwittingly supports Arum’s controversial move.

Marquez isn’t among the nominees for 2010 Fighter of the Year, the most prestigious prize among those that the Boxing Writers Association of America presents every year after a January vote. Pacquiao, Filipino Congressman and international celebrity, is there and should be. So, too, are Wladimir Klitschko, Sergio Martinez, Giovani Segura and Andre Ward.

Marquez’ absence is an omission that Arum can mock, seize and spin into a sales pitch for Mosley-Pacquiao, which has been battered from pillar-to-post by condemnations from everybody who has ripped the Top Rank boss for letting his feud with Golden Boy Promotions get in the way of a Marquez-Pacquiao rematch.

If the writers don’t include Marquez at the top of their ticket, why would the public buy one? All along, Arum has said that Marquez is not known by the casual, so-called crossover customer, who apparently couldn’t pick him out of a lineup that includes Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito and a couple of lampposts.

Arum’s argument about Marquez sounds like a rhetorical feint, if not an insult to Mexico’s many fans, who aren’t casual about their country’s best fighters. Besides, Pacquiao’s international stardom is such that I’m beginning to think he could draw a crowd against one of the lampposts, which might prove to be more durable than the faded Mosley.

There are plenty of reasons for Marquez’ absence from the ballot. Plenty of blame, too. Start here. Start with me. I didn’t nominate him, mostly because I overlooked him all over again and also because I would not vote for him even if he were a 2010 nominee. My vote is for Martinez, the likely winner for his rocket-like rise to prominence with a victory over Kelly Pavlik and dramatic knockout of Paul Williams.

Hindsight and December hot debate about Pacquiao against Mosley instead of Marquez, however, forced me to re-think the ballot. Instead of Klitschko or Ward or even Segura, Marquez should have been one of the five nominees.

Klitschko retained his heavyweight control of the Euro zone with victories over Samuel Peter and Eddie Chambers. He figured to win both.

In opponent shuffles that have plagued the 168-pound division’s Super Six, Ward beat Sakio Bika and over-matched Allan Green. No surprise there either.

Segura, a Mexican junior-flyweight, proved to be as much of a surprise as he is unknown. In 2010, Segura went 4-0, adding the World Boxing Organization’s 108-pound title to the World Boxing Association’s version in a run that included a stunner – a stoppage of Puerto Rican Ivan Calderon in a bout nominated for Fight of the Year.

OK, keep Segura on the ballot. Instead, subtract Klitschko or Ward and add Marquez, who came back from a one-sided loss in late 2009 to a bigger Floyd Mayweather Jr. with victories in 2010 over Juan Diaz and Michael Katsidis.

In July, Marquez won a unanimous decision over Diaz in a rematch of a Marquez victory, a ninth-round stoppage, in the 2009 Fight of the Year. In November, a dramatic ninth-round TKO of Katsidis is on the 2010 ballot for Fight of the Year. If a victory in a fight voted as the best in one year followed by another win in a fight nominated to be the best in the next year doesn’t add up to some consideration for Fighter of this Year, what does?

Even if he doesn’t win the vote, his nomination represents a measure of respect that has been withheld, perhaps because of his consistency. The 34-year-old Marquez, who fought Pacquiao to a draw before losing a controversial split-decision to the Filipino, has been practicing it for so long that there is nothing new about his tactical brilliance. It’s expected, meaning that – yawn – it’s assumed and easy to forget.

Too easy.

I forgot about Marquez and so did my colleagues. The BWAA selected Pacquiao as Fighter of the Decade, which makes Marquez the Most Unappreciated Fighter of those same 10 years. If we can’t put Marquez on the ballot, it’s hard to rip Arum for not making the rematch in a rivalry that is a third leg short of being a decisive trilogy.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com terms for the May 7th showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley have been reached.

“We came to a meeting of the minds,” Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told ESPN.com on Tuesday night after a final meeting with Mosley and his adviser, James Prince, at the Top Rank offices in Las Vegas. “[Top Rank matchmaker] Bruce Trample says it’s a very difficult fight. I believe it will be an exciting fight. Shane knows how to fight and how to deal with the speed. Manny is in for a hellacious fight. I really believe styles make fights.”

“I know that they think I’m an old man and that Manny is going to beat me. Let them think that,” said Mosley, a former lightweight, welterweight and junior middleweight champion. “I still have power and speed. They thought I was done before I knocked out [Antonio] Margarito, too. So they can think whatever they want. I know what I can do.”

“I hurt Floyd in our fight, but he’s a great fighter and has great defense,” Mosley said. “What can I do about Mora? Do you really think that was a draw? Come on. I won that fight. He ran from me all night. But Pacquiao? Come on, man. I’m a bigger guy than him and he gets hit. And you saw how I hurt Floyd. Manny is going to come forward and I will hit him on the chin at some point. His defense is not like Floyd’s. Manny will come at me, and I will knock him out.”

“I thought Mosley was the best draw of the three and it would do the best business,” Arum said.

“They had to be insane, putting Shane in the ring with Mora,” Arum said of Golden Boy’s decision to match Mosley with a fighter with a tough style who usually makes fights with little entertainment value. “With Floyd, Shane had him in real bad trouble in the second round, so he’s capable of doing a really good fight with Manny and Manny knows that. He’s talking to [trainer] Freddie [Roach] about doing five weeks of training in the United States rather than four weeks here and four weeks in the Philippines.”

“He’s getting a little older, which is in our favor, but I expect Shane to be at his best because he’s wanted this fight for a long time. I will get Pacquiao well prepared for this one.”

Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer was disappointed to hear that the deal for Pacquiao-Mosley had been made without even receiving a call from Mosley or Prince.

“Good luck. He’s obviously no longer part of Golden Boy. That’s all I’m going to say,” Schaefer said. “I wish him luck.”

In front of the many boxing aficionados in the house such as former greats such as Pepino Cuevas and Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley and Sergio Mora fought to a highly debatable draw in the main event at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Sergio Mora (22-1-1, 6KO’s) made his way to the ring first to a huge applause. Followed shortly after by Sugar Shane Mosley (46-6, 39KO’s) to meet in a 12 round, Jr. middleweight battle.

In round one, The taller Mora danced around the ring as Mosley chased him around trying to land a jab. Mora seemed very cautious as he only threw one maybe two combination’s the entire round. Mosley couldn’t catch him so he didn’t fair much better. In round two, it was more of the same. Mora switched from Orthodox to southpaw many times as he continued to dance and faint his way around the ring. Whenever Shane got too close, Mora would tie him up. There was a small exchange at the bell, which was have been the most action of the fight. In round three, after landing a somewhat meaningful right hand, Sergio got on his horse and ran around the ring as Shane chased him, attempting to land a shot. After he got off of his bike, he seemed to want to trade a bit more but still, no meaningful punches were thrown or landed. Round 4 started with Mosley becoming more aggressive and attacking at the onset. He trapped Mora on the ropes and began to do work. Mora would clinch and and try to get off all at once. The two began to fight in a phone booth…great strategy change by Mosley. He threw more punches and landed more when he forced Mora to fight him. Mora landed a big right that didn’t seem to phase Mosley, but Mora now has a visible cut over his right eye that is leaking blood fro, an inadvertent. Round five saw a much more aggressive Shane as he would not give Mora any breathing room. Mora seemed to want to exchange more, so it made the fight pick up a bit. As slick as a snake, Mora began to play to the crowd, as he stood in front of Shane daring him to punch him. It may have looked good, but he wasn’t letting his hands go. Round six Mora seemed to revert to his running ways in the first half of the round, as he backed up and jabbed. Mosley tried hard to get him on the ropes and do work but Mora was not a willing participant. Once on the ropes, Mosley was unloading when Mora caught him with a clean, counter left hook to the chin. If Mora had any power, it may have affected Shane. The round ended in a clinch with both fighters landing body shots.

A visibly gassed Mosley came out in round seven, which seemed to give Mora a license to fight as he was more apt to stand and trade. This may have been the most punches landed from any round up until this point. It seems as if Mora got the better of Mosley that round as they exchanged combination’s. Round eight looked like a wresting match. there was a ton of holding and clinching. The tired Mosley seemed to want to lean on Mora and pot shot him. Meanwhile, Mora landed some meaningful punches in this round. Perhaps the tide is changing but it may be too late. Mosley seemed to get the edge in round nine as he had a nice flurry against the ropes. may have been his best round yet. A very nice exchange toward the end of round ten that Mora seemed to get the better of. The two guys stood toe to toe and just let their hands fly. Neither fighter would back up or give in.much more energy than Shane. The round, in my opinion, went to Mora. As we delve deeper into the championship rounds, round eleven looked like round ten. Constant body contact with an array of big punches scattered throughout the round. The older Mosley is breathing heavily out of his mouth, you have to wonder how much gas is left in the tank. Yet he keeps pressing forward (by corcelli). Mosley landed four huge shots to end the round that seemed to wobble Mora somewhat. In the twelfth and final round, it started off as somewhat of a brawl. Both boxers where throwing many punches and pushing each other around. Mosley was head hunting attempting to get Mora out of there while Mora seemed to be attempting the same while fighting with his back on the ropes! The bout ended in the corner with both guys throwing big shots trying to end it before the final bell tolled. As we go to the scorecards, 115-113 Mora, 116-112 Mosley, 114-114 for a draw!

Sugar Shane Mosley

“We both fought hard. It was a good fight so it was a good decision.

“He is not a good puncher so we had to box more.

“This was a different fight because he had to come down in weight and I had to go up.

“It would have been different if I was fighting someone my height and weight.

“Mora moved, ran away, rested and held. There were lots of head butts and that effected me.

“He was moving too much so it was hard for me to get my shots in.

“I still want to fight someone more my weight and height like Cotto.”

Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora

“I came to win and I wanted to win, but my respect for Shane Mosley got in the way.

“I got hard headed and should have listened to my corner. They were telling me it was close and I thought I was winning the fight and my respect for Shane got in the way.

“He threw really good punches. He hit me with some hard shots.

“Going 12 rounds with Shane Mosley says something in and of itself. Honestly, I thought I won the fight.”

Making his way to the ring first Carlos “Tata” Baldomir, looking to pin the first loss on Saul Alvarez’s record. This is a scheduled 10 rounder in the super welter division. Alvarez, out of Mexico, was easily the crowd favorite as they roared as he made his way to the ring in the co-main event of the evening. There was really no hesitating in the fight. Both fighters threw many punches and came at each other, not many landed. There were a few exchanges in the second round. It seemed when one fighter would land, the other would jump right back as to say, I’m not going anywhere! The third saw more action and more exchanges but it seems to be an even match or Baldomir is slightly ahead. No huge action or huge shots to speak of as of yet. Baldomir looked like a grizzled old veteran as he landed a sneaky right in between the gloves of Canelo many times. Alvarez, however has a left hook/uppercut that seems to land whenever he fires it. Baldomir seemed to take one of Canelo’s biggest punches and urged him to bring more!

Alvarez landed big shot after big shot in the fifth round, but Baldomir would not budge. He stayed on the inside and loaded up his right hand, waiting to fire it. Canelo is clearly the faster fighter though which is to be expected given that he’s 19 years Baldomir’s junior. Towards the end of the round, Alvarez landed a series or huge power shots! Baldomir tried his best but the onslaught was way too much for him to handle! The youngster has power in both hands and he proved it as he dropped Tata with a left hook. Baldomir fell down face first and as he tried to recover, he was counted out at 2:58 of the fifth round. Alvarez is still undefeated as he improves to 34-0-1 with 26 knockouts. Baldomir fades into the darkness with a record of 45-13-6.

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez

“I told you guys I was going to come with experience. I didn’t talk very much. I just showed you.

“I came to give it my all. This is for Mexico and all of my fans.

“I was prepared for the distance. Sometimes the knockout comes when you prepare for it, and it did tonight.

“He wasn’t very fast and I used that to my advantage.

“I want to fight at welterweight and be a welterweight champion. I am going to do my best to be the best in the world.”

Carlos “Tata” Baldomir

“It is true that he hits hard. I was surprised by his power.

“I am going to go home and think about what I am going to do next.

“He is the real deal. He is oing to be a real champion.

“No one has hit me like he did. No one has knocked me down like he did. He is definitely the real deal.”

The next bout was to determine who was more “Vicious”….Vicious Victor Ortiz or Vicious Vivian Harris. East Coast vs West Coast! Victor fighting out of Ventura, CA while Vivian is representing Brooklyn. The bout was scheduled for 10 in the 147 pound division. Not much action to speak of in the first. Both guys looked somewhat timid, while Harris was looking to counter. Early in the second round, Ortiz dropped Harris with what seemed to be more so a result of Harris being off balance. But moments later, Ortiz landed another right and floored Harris for a second and a long left that dropped him a third time! Harris did not seem hurt, but he was visibly confused. In the third round, Mr. Ortiz landed a mini Mike Tyson-esque combo…a short right to the body and even shorter right to the head, dropping Harris for the fourth and final time at :45 seconds in the third round. Ortiz is now 28-2-1 with 22 knockouts while Harris drops to 29-5-1

“Vicious” Victor Ortiz

“The fans either love me or they hate me, but hopefully they love me now.

“I sensed his bluff at the weigh in and I called him out on it.

“I have progressed and learned a lot since the fight with Maidana. I still want him wherever he is.

“I want a shot at a world championship. I am not dodging anyone. I am ready for anyone.

“I listened to what my coaches said and I got the victory.”

“Vicious” Vivian Harris

“He caught me with some great punches. He looked very different. He was very sharp and accurate.”

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Antonio Escalante (23-2, 15KO’s) met Daniel Ponce De Leon (39-2, 32KO’s), in the WBO Featherweight Eliminator. The first round was the typical feeling out routine. Both fighters kind of measured the other to see where they were. Escalante landed a few big shots in the second round and did a semi-good job of avoiding the return fire of De Leon. De Leon is very aggressive and relentless and throws punches from many different angles. The third round saw both guys throwing many combonation’s that would drop many men. Nearing the end of the third, De Leon landed a mean left upstairs immediately followed by a right hook to the face that floored Escalante. The referee didn’t waste a second in waving the fight off, declaring De Leon the victor at 2:40 of round 3.

“My timing was off, but once I loosened up and got in my groove it was over”, Said De Leon

“I didnt feel his punches at all and I am gonna be a world champion again.”

“De Leon was very poweful and strong and he deserved to win the fight”, said Escalante

So what did we learn today?? Nothing! I think everything that we expected came to fruition. Daniel Ponce De Leon is a stud and is a top contender in the featherweight division. Victor Ortiz and Saul Alvarez are the future of Golden Boy boxing. Alvarez made a huge impression and will be a force in the 154 division. An old, and tired Mosley still has enough in the tank to draw a powerless Sergio Mora.

The next big thing to come out of the Golden Boy stable put on a show for the fans in Los Angeles. Frankie Gomez of East Los, improved his record to 6-0 all by knockout as he pushed around and bullied Ricardo Calzada of Las Vegas. The first round, Gomez felt the power of Calzada and once he knew he couldn’t be harmed, he seeked and destroyed! Calzada did his best to hold on and made it out of the second round, but the third round was a different story. Gomez came out head hunting and got right in Ricardo’s kitchen. He landed a few tough shots on the inside, to the head, that put Calzada on his butt. He rose only to meet an onslaught of punches from all different angles that bloodied his nose and once again saw him on the canvas. The ringside doc stood on the edge of the canvas before the ref even started his count, and at 1:06 of round three, the fight was over. Calzada heads back to Vegas with a record of 2 up and 3 down.

Our next fight was a scheduled six rounder in the lightweight division. David Rodela of nearby Oxnard met Juan Manuel Montiel of Mexico City. This was one of the first bouts of the night where it seemed as if both fighters were using their boxing skills and not a flat out brawl. There were many jab-led combination’s from both fighters. This also made for a boring fight and left the crowd jeering and booing, begging for more action. It seemed like a sparring session and that both guys were going through the motions. The final round did see somewhat of a spike in action which somewhat energized the restless crowd but still, no one really stood out. The fight went the distance, and according to the scorecards which were 59-55 Rodela and the others had it 57-57 resulting in a majority draw, basically indicative of what both fighters displayed. Rodela is now 15-3-4 while Montiel is 6-3-2.

For the only female bout of the night, local lady Kaliesha “Wild Wild” West met Angel Gladney of South Carolina in a scheduled 10 rounder. The first round was a feel out round but West ladned a few meaningful punches as she pressed the action. The next few rounds were all uneventful, not much action, but a lot of faints and jabs. It seemed as if neither fighter wanted to take a chance. In the fourth round, West opened up a bit and started throwing, and landing, meaningful combination’s. Near the beginning of round seven, Wild West landed a huge left that floored Gladney. Gladney rose but the ref waved the fight at :59 seconds in round 7. West, now 13-1-2 with 4 KO’s, is the new bantamweight champion while Gladney drops to 6-3-1.

The third bout was in the junior middleweight division. Undefeated Keith Thurman walked across the ring in the opening seconds and was dropped by a humongous right to the head by Quandray Robertson. Thurman returned the favor at the end of the round as he dropped Robertson with a flurry of punches. Robertson survived the round. This bout was an all out brawl, both boxers swinging wildly when Thurman landed a sneaky body shot that dropped Robertson for the second time midway through round two. In a somewhat uneventful third round, out of nowhere, Thurman landed a left hook inside and up top floored Robertson. The ref immediately waved the fight off and at 2:40 of the third round, Thurman maintained his undefeated record improving to 14-0 with 13KO’s. Robertson drops to 15-10.

Undefeated Sharif Bogere from Nevada made an impressive entrance into the ring as he was donning the fur and head of a lion. Got the few people that are actually in attendance excited. He is facing Julian Rodriguez in a six round, junior welterweight battle. All the action was pressed by Bogere as he landed a thunderous left hook up top at 1:42 of the second round to win by KO and improve his record to 17-0 with 11 KO’s. Rodriguez drops to 17-20-4.

In our first bout, Eric Areola of Mexico met Missael Nunez, also of Mexico, in a four round, featherweight battle. In what was a lopsided fight, Areola improved to 1-1 with a majority decision as the judges called it 38-38 on one card and 40-36 on the other two. Nunez drops to 4-9-2.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, hot shot Welterweight prospect Saul Alvarez will take on former undisputed Welterweight champion Carlos Baldomir on September 18th as part of the Shane Mosley – Sergio Mora Pay per View at Staples Center in Los Angeles

“When Alvarez recently fought in Mexico, there was an average between six and eight people per home watching this fight,” said Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, referring to statistics he said he received from Mexican network Televisa. “The fight got a 17.8 rating, which is equivalent to 600,000 homes watched by 60 million people.

“Canelo has reached superstar status in Mexico. The ratings he gets on the national Mexican broadcaster, Televisa, are unheard off and in line with what the national soccer team gets.”

“I’m glad to be on such an important card with such good fighters,” Alvarez said. “It’s business as usual when I step into the ring. I fight with desire. I hope everyone comes out that night to watch because this is a really exciting night of boxing.”

Said Jose Reynoso, Alvarez’s manager and trainer: “This is a very important date. As Mexicans, we are celebrating the bicentennial of Mexican Independence. [Alvarez] is No. 1 in Mexico and now we want to conquer the world. A big part of that is being successful in L.A.”

“Carlos Baldomir is a fighter with an iron will and iron chin. He will come to Los Angeles and try to derail the fast rise of Canelo Alvarez,” Schaefer said. “He is on a mission to come and capture the American market and display his talent and excitement at Staples Center on Sept. 18. He realizes that Los Angeles is the largest Mexican market outside of Mexico and wants to come and show what he is all about.”

Said Golden Boy president Oscar De La Hoya: “I walked the streets myself the other day in Mexico where I watched Alvarez fight [on July 10]. I was asking people from all walks of life, ‘Have you heard of Canelo Alvarez?’ And everyone answers with a glowing face [and said], ‘He’s our next promise. He’s our next guy.’”

LAS VEGAS – Shane Mosley likes to play basketball when he isn’t pounding a heavy bag. He did a little bit of both a few weeks ago.

Mosley got into the ring against Shaquille O’Neal, who is as big as a collection of heavy bags these days and just about as quick.

“It was fun,’’ Mosley said of his appearance on Shaq Vs., which is expected to be shown on ABC within a couple of weeks.

Mosley wouldn’t say who won the mock fight, which was filmed in Las Vegas on July 10. The pick-and-roll might have been his most effective combination.

O’Neal, who lost a mock decision to Oscar De La Hoya a couple of years ago, hasn’t been able to step up and defend against that fundamental combo since he left the Miami Heat for the Phoenix Suns and then the Cleveland Cavaliers.

But Mosley sounded as though he was relieved that his next opponent will be Sergio Mora instead of O’Neal on Sept. 18 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Mosley’s punches were enough to rock Floyd Mayweather Jr. in an eventual loss on May 1. But those same blows apparently didn’t have much impact on the 7-foot-2 O’Neal, who is big enough to slam-dunk Mosley.

“He gave me a couple of big shoves,’’ said Mosley, who must have felt like a point guard tossed around like a rag doll after just one push.

Mosley is scheduled to appear at a news conference for the formal announcement of the fight against Mora today at Mandalay Bay before the Juan Diaz-Juan Manuel Marquez rematch. Then, Mosley is expected to begin training, which won’t include O’Neal as a sparring partner.

Among other possibilities, Mosley would like to keep himself in line for a shot against Manny Pacquiao, who is headed for fight against Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13.

Margarito appears to be closer to getting a license for a fight in the United States. According to AOL’s Fanhouse and the Los Angeles Times, the California State Athletic Commission will hear an appeal on Aug. 18 from Margarito, whose California license was revoked for one year after altered hand wraps were discovered at Staples Center before his loss to Mosley in January 2009.

The Nevada commission told Margarito to face California regulators before it would consider his application for a fight. It’s not clear whether there’s time to get a license in Nevada, or whether the Nevada commissioners would balk at granting him a license because of the hand-wrap flap.

Texas at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas is another possibility. Margarito promoter Bob Arum also says he has an offer from Monterrey, Mexico, although the U.S. State Department has warned against traveling to the city because of drug-cartel violence.

“Margarito has the height advantage,’’ Mosley said. “Anything could happen. But the winner would probably be Pacquiao.’’
NOTES, ANECDOTES

· Juan Diaz stepped on the official scale Friday at 135 pounds. Unlike Marquez (133 ½), there was no muscle definition. There was baby fat where other fighters have a six pack. “That’s why fans identify with me,’’ Diaz aid. “I look like the average Joe.’’

· Golden Boy Promotions says it has invested $4 million in the Diaz-Marquez card. Out of that, $1 million will go to Marquez, $540,000 to Diaz, $200,000 to Danny Jacobs, $75,000 to Robert Guerrero and $40,000 to Joel Casamayor.

Photo by Chris Farina / Top Rank

15rounds.com Matt Yanofsky goes one on one with former WBC Junior Middleweight champion and Contender Season 1 winner Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora. Mora is slated to battle the legendary Shane Mosley September 18 in the main event of a pay per view. Click below to hear what Sergio has to say about Mosley, his previous struggles as an unpromoted fighter and why The Contender failed after four seasons!
listen-to-sergio-mora

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, former three division world champion, “Sugar” Shane Mosley will take on former Contender Season one and Jr. Middleweight champion Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora on September 18th at The Staples Center in Los Angeles.

“With Shane, you have somebody who fights everybody and with Sergio you have a guy who has really wanted a big challenge,” Said Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer. “It’s a fight he’s wanted for a long time and to do it in his backyard on Mexican independence weekend makes it an even more meaningful fight for him. For Shane, he loves fighting at Staples Center and he is looking forward to this fight as well.”

“Ten years ago, Sugar Shane Mosley fought a young man from East L.A., Oscar De La Hoya, at Staples Center,” Schaefer said. “We felt if we could bring Shane back there 10 years later against another top Hispanic fighter, Sergio Mora, who is also from East L.A. and who also has history at the Staples Center, it would be a great fight to anchor our big card on the holiday weekend. It’s the perfect fight for Los Angles and will cap a week of great activities to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Mexican independence.”

“We were supposed to spar one time back around 2003 or 2004 when I was up in Big Bear [Calif.] and I was looking forward to that,” Mora told ESPN.com. “He has the fastest hands I’ve ever seen in person or on TV. I was suited up to spar with him, but they didn’t need me that day. I wanted to work with him, but they had too many sparring partners. Now we’re supposed to fight for real. I like it that way.”

“We want to make it a great, fun card,” Schaefer said. “We’re still discussing having fights on the pay-per-view from Mexico.”

“I went through three camps before the Green fight,” Mora said. “It was a good comeback fight. I got hit, I got in some rounds and I got the stoppage. It was enough for September. I am really excited and motivated for the fight.”

“I told Richard when I signed with Golden Boy that I was willing to fight at 154 pounds as long as I had 10 weeks to get ready,” he said. “This is more than 10 weeks and I have already had six weeks of camp getting ready for Candelo. So I’ll take a week or so off and then get back in camp. I’m bringing in my nutritionist, Robert Ferguson, and as long as he’s on board and I have 10 weeks, I can make the weight and feel strong.”

“Shane Mosley has been counted out too many times, so I am not going to count him out at all,” Mora said. “I am not going to go by that performance at all.”

Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, world Middleweight champion Sergio Martinez is plotting his next move and two names have come to the forefront in Winky Wright and Shane Mosley.

“I have to pursue all possibilities for Sergio, and Richard and I have discussed both Winky Wright and Shane Mosley,” said Lou DiBella, Martinez Promoter, adding that Wright was the one they discussed more seriously.

“I like Martinez. He has very good skills, a very smart fighter. That’s the kind of fight I am looking forward to and to show why I was the undisputed junior middleweight champion,” Wright told ESPN.com on Thursday.

“It all depends on my management and promoter and what they can bring to the table,” Martinez said. “Whoever they bring, I will fight them. Either division would be OK.”

“Martinez is a guy I would get up for, a guy I would be motivated to train hard for,” Wright said. “I know I haven’t fought for a while, but every time I go to the fights people ask me, ‘When are you getting back into the ring?’ I tell them there really hasn’t been anyone to fight. I couldn’t get a fight with Pavlik. Who else was there to fight? Martinez is the fight we’re looking for. He really beat Paul and then he beat Pavlik.

“When I fought Paul Williams I was coming off an even longer layoff, more than two years. People gotta realize the position I was in. I didn’t come back and pick and choose an easy opponent. Of course, I could fight and get three or four easy wins, but I want to fight the people that people think I will lose to. Williams was so tall and awkward. He was hard to fight, especially coming off a two-year layoff.”

“I’ve been fighting almost 20 years and for me to really get up and fight on an undercard it ain’t no challenge,” Wright said. “The money is low and the stakes aren’t high, so I am not driven to do it. In boxing you have to feel it. If I can’t get a challenge there is no need to be in the sport. I need a good, tough opponent. Fighting just anyone ain’t me.

“I talked to Richard and we’re definitely going to do what we can do to get the Martinez fight. I don’t see myself fighting too much longer unless we can come up with a good opponent. If I can’t get a big fight, I will leave the game. I love boxing, but boxing is not all I want to do. I had a great career. I can say I ran from no one. There are not too many who can say that. I fought everyone. I hope I can get another good fight before I leave the game.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, The May 1st mega bout between Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley drew an estimated 1.4 million Pay Per View buys making it the second largest grossing non-heavyweight bout of all-time.

The buy total ties the fight with the 1999 welterweight unification showdown between Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad. However, Mayweather-Mosley generated more money because pay-per-view costs more. Trinidad-De La Hoya grossed $70.6 million.

Mayweather’s 2007 decision win for the junior middleweight title against the now-retired De La Hoya, the reigning pay-per-view king in terms of total dollars, set the all-time pay-per-view record with 2.446 million buys and nearly $137 million in revenue.

“Sugar” Shane Mosley talks to the media following his disappointing loss to Floyd Mayweather

Watch Shane Mosley Post fight press conference in Sports  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

LAS VEGAS – Who R U Picking?

Dumb question.

Turns out, Shane Mosley picked the wrong guy. He picked Floyd Mayweather Jr. as an opponent. But it’s hard to beat a legend, which is what Mayweather became Saturday night at the MGM Grand with a unanimous decision that backed up years of bragging about how he deserves a share of the fame that belongs to the greats who fought before him.

Mayweather, 41-0, 25 KOs) survived a dangerous second round and went on to dismantle Mosley (46-6, 39 KOs) in a fashion that was thorough as it was surprising. Mayweather didn’t knock out anybody but his critics. But his one-sided victory said it all, over and over again. Other than perhaps Manny Pacquiao, there is nobody better than Mayweather.

“If he wants to fight,’’ he knows where to find me,’’ Mayweather said of a showdown that didn’t happen in March because Pacquiao would not agree to Olympics-style drug testing.
Mayweather said again that he would fight Pacquiao only if he agrees to random drug testing. It looks as if a resumption of resumption of the controversial talks with Pacquiao will be Mayweather’s next fight. For now, there is only his latest addition to his claim that he has to be considered the best in today’s pound-for-pound world. It’s safe to say he will gte no argument from Mosley, who lost by 119-109, 119-109 and 118-100 on the scorecards.
“I did what the fans came here to see, a toe-to-toe’’ Mayweather said. “That’s not my style. But I wanted to do it.’’
In expectation of Mayweather’s promise, the building buzzed for about 30 minutes before Mosley and Mayweather left their dressing rooms and made that ritual walk, down the aisle, up the steps and through the ropes. Muhammad Ali was there. Sugar Ray Leonard was there. Mike Tyson was there. Thomas Hearns was there. Anticipation was everywhere.

Mosley was the first to enter. His robe was trimmed in a light blue that matched the turquoise shade of his eyes. On the back, there was the image of warrior mask sewn into the silk.

Then, there was Mayweather, choreographed like a concert and overdone like a circus. First, there were the OJs, singing an old-school version of rhythm-and-blues with the emphasis on Money, Mayweather’s nickname. Then, there were clowns and dancing girl on stilts tossing bills of what had to be – what else? Money. Finally, there was Mayweather, who didn’t look as if he was embarrassed by any of it.

Mayweather’s showmanship was predictable. His first round wasn’t.. At the opening bell, he began moving forward, instead of waiting for for Mosley to come to him. If it wasn’t out of character, it was dangerous.

In the second round, Mayweather found out just how dangerous. Mosley landed a head-rocking right. It hurt, hurt enough for Mayweather to hold on for several seconds. Then, there was a left-right combination from Mosley. The combo’s power buckled Mayweather’s knees.

For the first time in Mayweather’s pro career he staggered and stumbled, almost as if he were about to embark on his first fall to the canvas. He didn’t. He stayed upright even on uncertain feet that moved across a padded surface that must have felt as if it were shaking from a quake in some unseen fault line.

That triumph over momentary adversity set the stage for the victory that backs up so much Mayweather’s claim on being a legend. He overcame what many though he could not. He was still stading. Everything else, or at least the next 10 rounds, would belong to him.

From round to round after the dramatic second, Mayweather employed a right hand that grew progressively more accurate against Mosley, whose jab appeared to become as progressively erratic. Stinging rights, one after another, seemed to fuse Mosley. If he had foreseen a plan, he didn’t see anything but that right whistling at him from the fifth until the twelfth.

In the end, there were no surprises. Mosley looked like an old man and Mayweather, still unmarked, looked like the legend he said he has always been.

Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer calls Saul Alvarez the Mexican James Dean. Schaefer is looking for stardom. He’s still looking.
Alvarez, a much-hyped welterweight from Guadalajara, won, scoring a ninth-round TKO of Puerto Rican Jose Miguel Cotto in the last fight before Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Shane Mosley stepped into the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. But Alvarez’ performance in his Las Vegas debut was uneven, at best.

Alvarez (32-0-1, 24 KOs) went from almost getting knocked out in the first round, to nearly scoring a second-round KO, yet not finishing job until the final second of the ninth.

If not for the ropes, Alvarez would have been knocked down by a powerful left in the first from Cotto (31-2-1, 23 KOs), Miguel’s brother. Alvarez stayed on his feet and regained his wits in time to deliver a three-punch combo in the second that had Cotto stumbling across the canvas. It was scored as a knockdown. But Alvarez could not turn it into a knockout, at least not until late in the ninth when Tony Weeks stopped the fight after a succession of right hands from Alvarez.

Mexican featherweight Daniel Ponce De Leon retained the World Boxing Council’s Latino title by surviving a late rush from Cornelius Lock of Detroit for a unanimous decision in a close bout on the Floyd Mayweather Jr.- Shane Mosley undercard.

De Leon (39-2, 32 KOS) built up a lead on the scorecards with consistent aggressiveness and straight shots up the middle. Lock (19-5-1, 12 KOs) appeared to tire in the middle rounds, although he rocked De Leon with a couple of right hands in the ninth and 10th. By then, however, it was too little, too late. Scores were 97-93, 96-94 and 96-94.

Within a couple of minutes, Las Vegas welterweight Said Ouali was down once and threw five punches. If you think that adds up to defeat, you’d be surprised. You’d also be wrong. Ouali (27-3, 19 KOS) won, getting up from the knockdown and making the most out of those five punches for a first-round stoppage of Argentina’s Hector Salvida (31-2, 24 KOS).

“He surprised me when he hit me with that first punch,’’ said Ouali, who would go on to deliver a much bigger surprise after he was floored by a sudden right hand.

Ouali quickly scored two knockdowns, first with a left hand and then with a combination. Salvida got up from the second knockdown, but then staggered into his corner where he began collapse. That’s when referee Russell Mora stepped in, stopping it at 1:47 of the first.

In the final off-tv bout, it was a battle of pro debuter’s from Las Vegas that saw Daniel Reece, 136 lbs score a unanimous decision over Angel Soto, 137 lbs. Scores were 39-37 on all cards—Marc Abrams

There’s no secret to staying unbeaten. Sometimes, there’s just a combination. Las Vegas welterweight Jessie Vargas (10-0, 5 KOs) put the right combo together in an untelevised bout before the Floyd Mayweather Jr.- Shane Mosley showdown.

Vargas threw a left hook and followed with a straight right, backing Arturo Morua (25-14-1, 14 KOs) Mexican into the ropes and leaving him dazed long enough for referee Tony Weeks to declare Vargas a winner by TKO at 1:20 of the sixth round.

North American Boxing Organization junior-lightweight champion Eloy Perez (7-0-2, 4 KOs) of Salinas, Calif., retained his title with stubborn pursuit and punishing left hands for a majority decision over lanky Gilberto Leon (25-14-1, 14 KOs) of Mexico.

In the card’s second bout, super-middleweight Dion Savage (8-0, 5 KOs) of Flint, Mich., scored a unanimous decision over Tommie Speller (5-4, 3 KOs), a Philadelphia fighter who left the ring with his white trucks and dark beard covered in blood. A Savage right hand early in the second round opened up a nasty cut above a left eye that troubled Spiller until the decision was announced after the eighth.

The card began with angry complaints echoing through the an empty building. Junior-welterweight Allen Litzau (13-5, 7 KOs) of St. Paul, Minn., wasn’t happy at second-round TKO loss to Luis Ramos Jr. (15-0, 8 KOs) of Santa Calif. Ramos knocked down Litzau early in the second with a left hand. Seconds later, Litzau, with trainer Roger Mayweather in his corner, got rocked again.

Referee Russell Mora had seen enough. He stopped it at 59 second of the rounds. Litzau howled in protest. He even hit the canvas again, this time rolling around like a kid angry at his parents. Lucky for him, nobody, other than Mora and a few ushers, saw the temper tantrum

Marc Abrams

I subscribe to the Theory that if in forty previous fight, Floyd Mayweather has given me no reason to pick against up and tomorrow night is the same story.

Floyd may be in for the toughest night of his life but somehow someway he will win this fight by pounding a tough and well earned decision that actually may turn some of his harshest critics to realize that Mayweather is a superior talent and hopefully set up a fall mega matchup with Manny Pacquiao

Bart Barry

One thing I know about picking fights is that if you do it with your
heart instead of your head you’ll live a happier life on fightnight. My
head says Mayweather. My heart says Mosley. It says here: Mosley TKO 11.

Mario Ortega Jr.

First off, this is the first Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight I have had an above moderate excitement level going into fight week since he fought Oscar De La Hoya in 2007. This is also the first time since he fought the rematch against Jose Luis Castillo in 2002 that I can really envision a scenario in which he could lose. Shane Mosley is one of the best fighters of recent times, but Mayweather is the best fighter of recent times. I was in the minority of writers for this site that voted him the fighter of the past decade over Manny Pacquiao and I see him taking the decision over Mosley on Saturday.

Anson Wainwright

I believe this is a tougher fight for Mayweather than a fight with Pacquiao. Mosley will most likely be the fastest guy Mayweather has fought and visa versa. I think early Mosley may pose several problems for Mayweather round by round Mayweather will figure things out and win a close but deserved points decision.

Joon Lee
Mayweather on points.
Stylistically, this would’ve been a much more intriguing duel had it taken place when it was first proposed back in ‘99. Shane’s blend of speed, power, and naturally superior strength might have prevailed then, but with his inevitable decline in those departments with an exception of strength, I have to favor the younger, faster, and better defensive boxer in Mayweather. Mayweather doesn’t throw punches nearly as much as in the past, nor is he as mobile as he was at lower weights, but he’s still the sharper technician and I anticipate his speed and impenetrable defense to be the factor in out-pointing Shane over twelve rounds.
Natash Aiello

Mayweather by decision

David Winston

Mayweather by unanimous decision. Floyd is still in his prime, Shane is not. PBF almost never gets hit in the head; Mosley knows this and will concentrate on the body. This will open up Mosley to Floyd’s right hand upstairs. Remember, Floyd is an extremely selective, but accurate puncher. Sugar Shane is not known for defense the way Money is. Both quality and a surprising quantity of shots will carry The Money Man to a clear victory.

Matt Yanofsky

Mosley by knockout: I have a crazy feeling about this one much like I did with Baldomir-Judah. This will be Floyd’s first test against a real welterweight that appears to have a good amount left in the tank. Mosley also has Nazim Richardson, the best trainer at depicting styles not named Freddie Roach, in his corner. The always prepared Richardson helped Bernard Hopkins demolish previously unbeaten fighters in Felix Trinidad and Kelly Pavlik, while giving the great Joe Calzaghe the toughest fight of his career. I expect him to provide the same guidance to Mosley, who will break through Mayweather’s shoulder roll defense with straight right hands en route to a stoppage that will go down as one of the most unforgettable moments in boxing history.

Rick McKenzie

I feel as if I’m having a deja vu..last time I said “this is the fight Floyd will lose” was against Hatton, and PBF KO’d him. Blueprint is there, pressure fighter with skill, speed , and power. Sugar should win right? Wrong! PBF is the top 3 defensive fighters of all time IMO…I got Mayweather winning UD. I’ll even give him 7 rounds.

Brett Mauren

I’ll take Mayweather via UD in the fight of his life.

Dominick Panfile

This fight will not be a matter of whether Sugar Shane will figure out a way to win. It’s simpler than that. Mayweather does not know how to lose, and the fight Saturday night will be no exception to the rule. Shane will keep it close early getting in some good shots during exchanges, but as the fight progresses and Floyd slows him down, Mosley will increasingly end up on the shorter end of the exchanges. Shane can be a solid defensive fighter as well, so I’ll give him some credit for that and predict that Mayweather wins a Unanimous Decision. A tenth round stoppage would not surprise me either. Either way, there is no path to victory for Sugar Shane Mosley.

Joseph Davey

There are two fighters in boxing I never pick against: Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquaio. If a fight ever does take place between the two, I’ll make my choice then. Until that moment, I’m staying the course and going with Mayweather by unanimous decision. I think by the fourth round he’ll have timed Mosley well enough to start taking command of the fight en-route to a fairly wide points victory.

Adam Berlin

When Mosley, with the help of Nazeem Richardson’s insightful eyes, figures out how to get inside Mayweather’s pocket, he’ll strafe Money with brutal shots. And when Mayweather goes back to his corner, he’ll realize how alone he is. Punch-drunk Roger will provide no answers. As this fight progresses Mosley will take Mayweather’s mind and shut down Floyd Jr.’s mouth. It may be wishful thinking, but I see Sugar Shane beating Pretty Boy Floyd inside the distance.

Alejandro Echevarria

For a few years now I’ve thought Mosley to have the biggest chance of beating Mayweather. His combination of speed, power and experience might just be enough to solve Floyd’s defensive enigma. I expect to see Sugar tagging Money’s body with both hands when the latter goes into his shoulder roll defensive posture but not sticking long enough to get countered that often. Mosley is also wise enough (especially with Nazeem Richardson in his corner) to be able to tell when a round is going his way so as to force Mayweather to come forward and fight.

Floyd Mayweather is closer to his peak in physical condition than Shane is. At 38, Mosley may age overnight and get outhustled all might long. If the Pretty Boy were to press the action and throw over fifty punches a round there would be little Mosley could do as he usually gets beaten to the punch when his opponent doesn’t let him get into rhythm.

I’m going against the odds in this one and I’m picking Mosley to pull off the upset. Most of my brain suggests otherwise but Mayweather may finally hit a bump in the road when he gets in the ring with an elite welterweight.

Johnny Schulz

Floyd Mayweather will be all money Saturday night. His natural skill and amazing slick defensive will prevail here as he will win a unanimous decision over Sugar Shane Mosley. I say he will win at least 9 out of the 12 rounds. Nonetheless this proves to be a very exciting bout, and great for boxing fans, new and old! The sport needs more of these types of match ups.

Claudia Bocanegra

Out of the list of men that Mayweather has beat under his belt, Mosley may well be one of those challenges that will shine on your resume. But even with that, I still think that Mayweather’s speed and defensive skill overpowers Shane. Money May UD.

Dan Stasiukiewicz

I predict a close decision in favor of the younger, slicker Floyd Mayweather. Mayweather will use his elusive defensive techniques to fend off the agressive Mosely. In the early rounds Mosely’s pressure will win him a few of the early rounds but the age and mileage on Mosely’s body will become apparent in the later rounds. Neither fighter will be seriously hurt and I do not see a knockdown for either fighter as well. Also look for Mosely to make this fight interesting early by pressuring Mayweather and taking him out of his element but look for that attack to wane in the later rounds. The end result of 8 rounds to 4 in favor of Mosely.

On September 19th Floyd Mayweather’s successful return to the ring was interrupted by a welterweight champion who commanded the respect of the boxing world by demanding Mayweather face him. The best move for Mayweather at the time seemed naturally to be taking on Manny Pacquiao. I don’t think I need to go into how Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fell apart, but it’s clear that if one man benefited from the debacle it was Shane Mosley. Mosley will have an opportunity to grab his largest pay day to date, and grab the boxing world’s respect by taking on the best in the sport on May 1. Here is a breakdown of what looks to be the toughest bout of both fighters’ careers.

Mayweather
40-0 (25 KO’s)
Age: 33
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
Notable wins: Juan Manuel Marquez, Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya, Zab Judah, Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo

Shane Mosley
46-5 (39 ko’s)
Age: 38
Hometown: Pomona, California
Notable wins: Oscar De La Hoya 2x, Fernando Vargas, Antonio Margarito, Ricardo Mayorga
Notable losses: Winky Wright (twice), Vernon Forrest (twice), Miguel Cotto
Speed/Athleticism

This fight is nothing short of comparing a Ferrari to a Lamborghini. I don’t care that both fighters are well into their 30’s both men are capable of blinding combination, and both have solid reputations as gym rats. Mosley at his peak is one of the fastest fighters of my lifetime pound for pound, and he showed the world he isn’t slowing down when he dismantled Antonio Margarito in 2009.

Floyd’s hands on the pads are a sight to be seen, and at this point in his life he probably is faster than Shane, but athletically I think Mosley may have more tools. Strength and speed are a deadly combination and I think Mosley still has a world of both. It’s not often I’d give another man the edge over Mayweather in this category but I think Shane at his own weight is the guy to take it.
Advantage: Mosley by razor thin margin

Matt’s Take: Mosley-Mayweather was always a fantasy match up amongst fight fans, especially as the latter rose to the top of pound for pound lists. Shane was always one of the few men who could match him athletically. Both had lightning fast hands and were elite natural athletes. The two are arguably the most gifted fighters in the last 15 years with all due respects to Roy Jones Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. As of their last bout, both had their athleticism and speed in tact. Unfortunately for Mosley, 39, his last bout was almost a year and a half ago.

By watching HBO’s award winning 24/7 series, it is evident that Shane has aged considerably since we saw him demolish disgraced Antonio Margarito in January 09 and fighters don’t improve athletically in their late 30’s. This gives me every reason to believe that there will be SOME repercussions on fight night, especially considering who will be standing across the ring from him.

Whether you like it or not, Mayweather has shown few (if any) signs of slowing down. The snappy jab and famed shoulder roll were intact when he fought Marquez, so without serious aging issues or injuries, expect his elite athleticism to be full in effect.

Advantage: Mayweather

Power
If there is one category Shane takes the cake in its power. The fight is at 147, where Mosley has dropped some major names. A Dazzling left hook that stretched both Vargas, and Mayorga is an image that stands out when weighing Shane’s power, and that’s a weapon Floyd will have to look out for.

Mayweather is not known for his power. Despite knocking out Ricky Hatton, and putting Marquez on the canvas Mayweather probably won’t be banking on knocking Mosley out. I’m not saying he doesn’t have the ability, but with his prowess Mayweather’s best bet is aiming for a 12 round outclassing of his foe.

Advantage: Mosley

Matt’s Take: Even if my observation about Mosley’s aging is correct, anybody that knows boxing will tell you that the last thing a fighter loses is his power; just ask Michael Moorer, who was knocked out by a 45 year old George Foreman. From lightweight to junior middleweight, Sugar Shane exemplifies what “Pound for Pound” punching power.

He has the ability to finish a fight with either hand and his last two bouts ended in dramatic knockouts, putting both Ricardo Mayorga and Margarito to sleep impressively. Against Mayweather, Mosley must use his biggest advantage if he hopes to be victorious; power.

The majority of Mayweather’s offense is jabs and counter shots, giving him little opportunity to knockout a naturally bigger opponent. Mayweather’s two knockouts above 140 lbs came against blown up (perhaps literally in Ricky Hatton’s case) opponents. He was unable to hurt Carlos Baldomir, Zab Judah or Oscar De La Hoya and deep down, the six division champion knows this category isn’t one he takes the nod in.

Advantage: Mosley

Defense/Chin

Mayweather’s best weapon is his own defense. When he is in the zone he is virtually un-hittable. Mayweather’s patented shoulder roll defense has been giving opponents headaches for years and that will be Mosley’s egg to crack on May 1.

The category is defense and chin, Mosley showed the world he has a chin when he fought Miguel Cotto in 2007, but it’s hard to make up ground in this category on one of this era’s great defensive fighters. Floyd’s elusiveness could very well end up being the storyline Saturday night and with that said this category belongs to him.
Advantage: Mayweather

Matt’s Take: Mayweather’s defensive abilities rank alongside fighters such as Willie Pep and Pernell Whitaker as the greatest ever. His tremendous movement, aforementioned reflexes and shifty shoulder roll are yet to fail him. This has helped him steer clear of danger throughout his career and he has rarely been hit flush.

Mosley’s chin is amongst the best and he was only dropped twice in his 52 fight career while standing up to punchers like Fernando Vargas, Ricardo Mayorga, Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto. He is usually found standing directly in front of his opponent but tremendous ring awareness and staying on his toes help him avoid punches. Defensively, he is no Mayweather, but is adequate.

Advantage: Mayweather

Heart
If there is one thing we don’t know about Floyd its how would he react when he’s under fire. Mayweather’s defense is so remarkable he has not honestly been in a firefight and hasn’t had an opportunity to show the world his heart. Mosley on the other hand has shown a number of different sides, including brawler. His fight with Cotto should serve as a prime example of what the man is willing and able to go through.

It’s hard to fathom one fighter losing a category based on his excellence in another but that is exactly what is happening right now. Shane Mosley wins the heart category by default, because it’s an asset Floyd has never had to use.
Advantage: Mosley

Matt’s Take: Mayweather’s only true test under pressure was in his first fight with Jose Luis Castillo. Many considered his antics unsatisfactory due to his inability to deal with adversity down the stretch. Outside of a few rough rounds against Castillo, his exceptional skills have cleared him free of anything more than an in fight hand injury. He has never been completely knocked off his feet as a pro, yet to bleed and outside of being briefly buzzed by Demarcus Corley many years ago, hasn’t had to fight in danger. Mayweather deserves the world of credit for being able to avoid danger all these years, but at the same time, his heart remains a big question mark.

Mosley has never backed down in a fight. His ability to take shots and keep on coming is a major attribution to his heart. He stood directly in front of some of boxing’s best and is yet to be phased. Being able to overcome distractions from a nasty, well publicized divorce prior to dominating Margarito also earns him major kudos.

Advantage: Mosley
Experience

Both have taken part in highly publicized fights, and shared the ring with only the best over the past five years. Mosley has tasted victory and defeat, whereas Mayweather has seen only success. When a fight of this magnitude goes down, I almost feel like experience goes out the window.

When you have stared down Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao and even Ricky Hatton you’ve peaked. Both Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather have fought on the biggest possible stage over the course of their careers and both have been to this dance before. Neither fighter’s experience will make a difference come May 1.

Advantage: Draw

Matt’s Take: Simply put, Mayweather and Mosley, two of boxing’s top fighters in the last 15 years, have fought some of the biggest names to get to the top. Collectively they have faced Oscar De La Hoya (three times), Winky Wright (twice), Vernon Forrest (twice), Fernando Vargas (twice), Jose Luis Castillo (twice), Miguel Cotto, Diego Corrales, Ricky Hatton, Arturo Gatti, Antonio Margarito, Zab Judah and Juan Manuel Marquez. If this were chess, it would be a stalemate.

Advantage: Draw

Verdict

Shane Mosley is one of the greatest fighters of this era, and possibly of all time, but on May 1 he will face a fighter that is in that same category, and five years younger. Mayweather opponents are almost automatically labeled underdogs, but I don’t think there has been one as live as Mosley. Live as he may be, Shane is still an underdog.

If Floyd brings his A game I don’t feel like anyone in the world can beat him, and if you expect anything less than his a game for this bout you are mistaken. I see Floyd showing up in one of the toughest fights of his career and coming out on top again. Mosley will make it a war, and probably get the respect he’s sought in what may be one of his final appearances. Mayweather meanwhile will pick up a major victory and some heavy negotiating leverage for a bout with Manny Pacquiao.
Mayweather UD

Matt’s Take: Mayweather has plenty of advantages. His body is fresher. He is younger. His last bout was more recent than Mosley’s. But something tells me Sugar Shane is going to pull out one for the ages. This bout has been proposed for years and a victory moves either fighter up on the all time pound for pound list. With the huge fight just days away, Mosley is humble as always, while Mayweather is cocky as ever. Physically, Mayweather has plenty of reasons to be, as he looks to be in perfect form, but there is one major x-factor Sugar Shane has that Floyd doesn’t; Nazim Richardson.
Richardson has long been boxing’s most underrated trainer, as few give him the proper credit for helping Bernard Hopkins expose previously unbeaten opponents in Felix Trinidad and Kelly Pavlik. Those that know Richardson will tell you that he is more prepared than any trainer in the world. In his lone appearance working with Mosley, he helped him upset the highly favored Antonio Margarito in what many considered the best performance of his career.

Richardson and Mosley will be the team to figure out Mayweather’s seemingly unbeatable style, and while Shane may get outboxed in the early going, he will be the first man to really catch “Pretty Boy” Floyd. Expect to see Mosley use feints followed by right hands to bust up Mayweather’s shoulder roll. Enough clean shots from Mosley are enough to end any opponent’s night, including Floyd Mayweather, who will get stopped in one of the most storied victories in boxing history.
Mosley by late stoppage

LAS VEGAS – There wasn’t much to say about the weigh-in. In fact, Floyd Mayweather Jr. said nothing at all to Sugar Shane Mosley after the two posed, face-to-face, like a couple of predators waiting for the other one to blink. Mosley said something. But Mayweather, never known for a loss of words, had no counter.

Maybe, there’s nothing left to say. Or, maybe, Mayweather has decided that his next counter will happen tonight in the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

That counter is Mayweather’s most reliable punch. It might be his biggest edge, a reason he is about a 4-to-1 favorite over Mosley in a welterweight fight that has some fans thinking about legends. A couple of those were there for Friday’s ritual trip to the scale. It was impossible to ignore Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns, who battled three decades ago in a welterweight classic.

It’s hard to argue with legends. Mayweather has said, ad nauseum, that he is one. At 40-0, he has numbers that add up to the possibility. But that 0 might as well be a doughnut hole. His unbeaten record, including 25 knockouts, is missing the defining fight that proves he is a worthy successor to Hearns and Leonard. The dangerous Mosley, who has his speed and perhaps more power than he has ever encountered, is the opportunity for him to claim ownership of a legacy he has talked about almost as if it is birthright. For the first time in his career, there’s nothing left to say. There’s just a lot to do.

Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs) looks like the bigger fighter. On the scale Friday, he was — by one pound, 147 to Mayweather’s 146. On a tale of the tape, Mosley is also taller – by one inch, 5-foot-9 to Mayweather’s 5-8. But what we know might not matter. Marks on a tape and indentations on a scale might not measure anything of significance at opening bell. Instead, it’s the unknown that has made this crossroads in the careers for both fighters so intriguing.

Already, there have been signs of some surprising role reversals. Mosley has begun to talk more than Mayweather. It makes you wonder whether more reversals will happen in the ring. Mosley is said to have more power than Mayweather.

“I’ve always had power, even as lightweight and also in this weight class,’’ Mosley said after a weigh-in that attracted a reported crowd of 6,000 fans. “Even in this weight class I’m strong and can knock anybody out.’’

In the beginning, Mosley’s power looms as Mayweather’s biggest test. That, at least, is the conventional wisdom. In the early rounds, a jab followed by a body shot represents an early warning sign for Mayweather. How will he react, especially if the body shot lands often? If the fight is prolonged and the chess match that both say it will be, the early punches figure to be nothing more than pawns on a much bigger board.

Leonard’s 14th-round stoppage of Hearns at Caesars Palace years before the MGM Grand’s addition to the Strip’s neon-lit skyline is memorable for the ebb-and-flow of personalities and punches a conflict that saw the fighters reverse roles. Hearns began as the feared power puncher. Leonard was the boxer. Midway through the fight, however, Hearns became the boxer and Leonard the puncher.

For few days, Mayweather’s surprisingly understated demeanor has hinted that a different kind of fighter might emerge. The hint was there again after the weigh-in.

“It could end in a knockout if he comes in,’’ said Mayweather, who didn’t have to say who would knock out whom in that scenario.

He also didn’t have to say he would finally be the fighter he says he is. With a knockout, Mayweather would break out of his assigned role, which has left him typecast as a fighter primarily concerned about safety. A knockout would prove he can do something else, be something more.

Maybe, even be a legend.

Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley weigh-in for their mega showdown this Saturday on PPV

Watch Mayweather – Mosley weigh-in in Sports  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Floyd Mayweather 146 – Shane Mosley 147
Saul Alvarez 150 – Jose Miguel Cotto 149

LAS VEGAS – Only news conferences are supposed to be predictable. But one Wednesday for Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Shane Mosley wasn’t. It was tame, almost as peaceful as a church picnic.

Mayweather’s appearance at a press luncheon is almost always a screaming succession of four letters from erupting into a food fight. But Kumbaya was the main course at the MGM Grand.

Mayweather, perhaps in another one of his many roles, sprung an upset by just being nice. Who knows? Maybe, Mosley has a chance to spring another one Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena over Mayweather, a 4-1 betting favorite Wednesday afternoon and an overwhelming pick in an informal poll of writers to win by decision.

“Maybe, you’re going for the safe bet,’’ Mosley told a circle of writers after the news conference.
Maybe, safe is for suckers.

Or, maybe, Mayweather as Mr. Nice Guy is just a con, a feint before the counter.

Nobody can ever be sure what side of Mayweather will show up from day to day. It’s just that a low-key Mayweather was almost out of character for a stage that seemed to demand an over-the-top personality that has been there before.

Mayweather’s unpredictability might be one mechanism in a defense that has kept him undefeated and mostly unmarked.

“It’s not cool to take punishment,’’ he said, repeating a comment that has almost become his mantra.

When asked if he ever just wanted to abandon the defensive mechanisms and indulge in a free-for-all exchange of punches, Mayweather started chuckling.

“Ha-ha, ha-ha, ha-ha,’’ Mayweather said. “Nobody is messing up this nice face.’’

It’s hard to hit what you don’t know, and it is virtually impossible to know what move or mood is about to appear from Mayweather, who is either mercurial or maddening or both. Let’s just says that Mosley and trainer Naazim Richardson don’t sound as if they’re sweating it out. In fact, if there was a theme to the news conference it was simply the absence of nerves. Both fighters played it cool.

At 38, Mosley seems to be enjoying his moment back on the big stage. He doesn’t have to act. Unlike Mayweather, he doesn’t tell anybody he is the face of boxing or better than Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson.

“Shane Mosley is an HBO fighter,’’ Mayweather said, suggesting that Mosley has bit part in his ascendance. “Floyd Mayweather is a mega-superstar.’’

All the better, Mosley seemed to say.

Mosley has been cast in the support role often. Consider a couple of results: He upset Oscar De La Hoya and then Antonio Margarito. It’s almost as if he has spent his career rehearsing for Saturday, although even he might be surprised if he delivers the knockout he promised.

“I’d be shocked to see him there, flat on his back,’’ Molsey said. “Happy, but shocked. I’d also be concerned. Fighting me can be hazardous.’’

Safe to say, Mayweather wasn’t concerned. There’s plenty of talk about Mosley’s perceived weaknesses, including an inconsistent jab and a layoff of more than 15 months since his stunner over Margarito.

“I’ve already read him,’’ Mayweather said as if he has studied, cover-to-cover, everything there is to know about Mosley.

However, Mayweather conceded one detail remains unknown, which at a news conference was exactly what Mayweather wanted. Molsey’s widely-reported links to Balco and performance-enhancers have dogged him since 2003.

“We don’t how many fights he was in when he was clean,’’ Mayweather said. “Even against Margarito, we don’t know.’’

At Mayweather’s insistence, he and Mosley are undergoing random Olympic-style drug testing – urine and blood. As of Wednesday, Mosley had undergone eight and Mayweather seven. The testers, showed up, unannounced, at Mosley’s door.

“Eight times at my house is a little excessive,’’ said Mosley, who says he has been eating natural and feeling stronger than ever over the last several years. “This thing (Balco controversy) has been played out, over and over again. I don’t know why.

“But I’m a clean product.’’

A confident one, too.

In simply doing his job, Naazim Richardson already has done more to clean up boxing than any grandstanding proclamation from Floyd Mayweather Jr., who has anointed himself as the game’s undisputed savior with Olympic-style drug-tests that apparently happen as often as conference calls before his May 1 showdown with Shane Mosley at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.

If not for Richardson’s due diligence before Mosley’s last victory more than a year ago, Antonio Margarito might have continued to fight with hand wraps described as everything from irregular to criminal. Whatever they are called, there would be no debate and perhaps no movement for regulatory change in how wraps are applied and provided if not for Richardson. His instinctive eye for detail is about survival, which he learned on the street and practices in a corner. Ropes don’t confine the task. It doesn’t begin or end with an opening or closing bell. It’s just the job, which is as challenging as ever for Richardson in preparing for a May Day that Mosley says will belong to him.

As Richardson proved before Mosley’s stoppage of Margarito more than 15 months ago in Los Angeles, fights often turn on what happens before they ever begin. It’s a lesson not lost on the heavily-favored Mayweather, who launches his sharp-edged rhetoric like artillery-fire long before the fighters invade the ring. Mayweather is at it again. He wonders if Mosley already is feeling pressure.

Why else, he says, would he suddenly show with a Polynesian-style tattoo across one shoulder.

“Why would someone wait until they are 38 years old to get a tattoo?’’ Mayweather said Wednesday during a media day while working out in Las Vegas.

Crank up the volume. Mayweather, trainer-and-uncle Roger and father Floyd Sr. are just getting started.

“Hysteria,’’ Richardson says of the predictable storm of expletives and insults.

That’s a good description. It’s also been a good weapon for Mayweather, a cautious, clever and unbeaten fighter who waits on the other guy to make a mistake. If his jab and defense don’t create one, maybe anger from a well-timed insult will. From day-to-day through the next two-plus weeks, the detail-oriented Richardson will try to guard against exactly that.

“I will keep him focused on the task at hand and not let him get caught up in the Mayweather hysteria,’’ Richardson said at Mosley’s media day Monday in Los Angeles.

Easier said than done, perhaps, simply because the Mayweathers will say whatever they can for as long as they can in a noisy attempt to find a chink in Mosley’s psychological armor. If there is a silencer, however, it might be Richardson. Listen to him and you get the idea that specifics matter. Noise doesn’t.

During a conference call Tuesday that included Roger Mayweather and some contentious give-and-take about drug testing, Richardson: “If you asked me to respond to everything Roger is saying. I wouldn’t have time to train my athlete.’’

Richardson’s stubborn adherence to detail — and only detail — looms as an effective counter to the many distractions inevitable in any fight against Mayweather. One important detail is character. It’s a lot more subjective than, say, a problem in an opponent’s hand wraps. But it is there, fundamental to the job and getting it right. In Mayweather, he sees a fighter who loves to talk and uses negotiations, media days and conference calls as if they were the early rounds. In Mosley, he sees somebody who just wants to fight.

“I respect Shane and I love his approach as an athlete, how he does his job and takes it on,’’ Richardson said when asked if Mosley conceded too much at the bargaining table when he agreed to random drug testing and a rematch clause for Mayweather. “But I tell him to his face: I think he is a poor negotiator. He wants to fight so bad he doesn’t care. He’d let Roger be one of the judges.
“Shane would agree to it. He just wants to fight.’’

The trainer went on to say that Mosley would agree to fight with one hand tied behind his back. He was exaggerating. Kind of. It couldn’t happen. Richardson. Who has Mosley’s back, wouldn’t let it happen any more than he would have let Margarito fight armed in altered hand wraps.

Attorney Daniel Pertocelli dismissed reports that Antonio Margarito’s gloves were loaded with a rock-like substance before he was ordered to re-wrap his hands before a loss to Shane Mosley more than a year ago in Los Angeles.

“Completely false,’’ Petrocelli said Monday in a conference call that included Top Rank’s Bob Arum, who is promoting Margarito’s return to the ring in Mexico on May 8.

Arum said he scheduled the conference call in an attempt to correct conclusions that he says were based on “misinformation” about circumstances that led to a one-year revocation of Margarito’s license by the California State Athletic Commission.

Margarito, who has been free to re-apply for a license in the United States since February, is scheduled to appear at a news conference Tuesday at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.

Petrocelli said an “irregularity” was discovered in the gauze above one knuckle in the wraps when Mosley trainer Nazim Richardson asked for a closer look before opening bell of a welterweight fight on Jan 24 at Staples Center. The California commission conducted a forensic test of the wraps, said Petrocelli, who said he was not allowed to have different experts conduct a second test.

The California test turned up traces of calcium and sulfur, according to Petrocelli, who said both substances can be found in hand creams.

Pertocelli also dismissed talk that Margarito used similar wraps in the summer of 2008 in an upset of Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas. He called the speculation a “myth.”

California and Nevada rules are different, said Petrocelli, who won a wrongful death judgment in 1997 against O.J. Simpson in civil court. In California, trainers are allowed to bring their own wraps. Nevada provides the wraps. Javier Capitello, Margarito’s trainer for Mosley, also had his license revoked for 12 months. Robert Garcia of Oxnard, Calif., is Margarito’s current trainer.

Margarito has said consistently that he did not know Capetillo had wrapped his hands illegally. In an interview with 15 Rounds on March 11 in a lobby of a Dallas-area hotel before Manny Pacquiao’s victory over Joshua Clottey on March 13 at Cowboys Stadium; Margarito said; “I did nothing wrong.’’

Petrocelli said he is trying to clear Margarito’s name with an appeal in the California courts. He expects a ruling sometime this year. Meanwhile, Arum plans to apply for license in the U.S. after Margarito’s May 8 bout against Roberto Garcia in Aguascalientes.

“His next fight will be in the United States,’’ said Arum, who was unable to get Margarito licensed in Texas in time for him to fight on the Pacquiao-Clottey undercard.

What a scene it was, downtown Los Angeles across from Staples Center, where two of the best fighters of the last decade met to have it out in a war or words. Welterweight champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley, a native of the Pomona, CA, about 30 miles outside of Los Angeles, received much love and support from the crowd. The hometown fighter appeared to be very confident in his money green suit as he acknowledged the cheers from the fans. His nemesis, Floyd “Money” Mayweather, on the other hand, lived up to his role as the bad guy, as he was greeted by boos from most of the crowd. The two guys faced off and there was some jawing back and forth, but no pushing and shoving like a few days prior in New York. Both sides, as expected seemed confident, but the usually subdued Brother Naazim Richardson was the outspoken one. “Floyd is going to have to learn to deal with his first loss, and we will see who is still in his corner and on his bandwagon on May 2,” quoted Naazim. The overall theme of the press conference was that this is a fight for the ages…Ala Ali/Foreman or Leonard/Hearns. Whether or not it lives up to that billing, we won’t know until May 1st, but this will be as big a fight as we’ve seen in the last 10 years.

15rounds.com Claudia Bocanegra was on the scene when all the sparks flew between Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley as they announced their May 1st Mega Fight at a press conference in New York City—Click to see the biggest photo Gallery anywhere–also click each individual picture for enlarged pictures

Anxiety gave way to relief Wednesday when it was announced that Floyd Mayweather, Jr., had finally signed for a May 1 fight with Shane Mosley, whose promotional point man, Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, sounded as though the wait for Mayweather’s signature was a little bit like anticipating a dental appointment.

As it turns out, it was routine, a mere formality. Let’s just hope it stays that way until opening bell at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand for a May Day of a fight that won’t generate as much money as Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao would have, but promises to be as good, if not better.

The temptation is to say thanks to Mayweather for a convincing counter to everybody who parrots Bob Arum’s criticism that he is afraid of any threat to his unbeaten record. Well, Mosley, a natural welterweight, is that threat, bigger on a tale of the tape than Pacquiao, a relative newcomer to 147 pounds.

But you can never be sure with Mayweather. Schaefer’s angst, reflected in various news reports, sums up the uncertainty about a fighter with wonderful talents, yet as hard to pin down as he is to hit. Mayweather’s unpredictability is good for HBO’s 24/7, but exasperating for everybody else, including media quick to report that Mayweather had not signed only four days after the agreement — complete with Mosley’s signature — was announced.

The delay, not matter how brief, was enough to make everybody wonder what Mayweather was up to now. Plenty of skepticism is left in the messy wake of failed negotiations for a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight, which won’t happen on March 13 because Pacquiao said no to Mayweather’s demand for random, Olympic-style blood-testing. Everybody has been blamed, which only means that nobody’s reputation escapes unscathed.

Mayweather and Mosley now are scheduled to be in south Florida Sunday for the Super Bowl Sunday. It’s an interesting setting. Mayweather-Pacquiao had been called boxing’s Super Bowl. Peyton Manning and Drew Brees will never have to explain why the Colts and Saints couldn’t agree to a game. I’m not sure Mayweather will be able to explain why he couldn’t agree on a fight with Pacquiao. But it is safe say he will hear the questions and I’m sure he will blame Pacquiao, although familiar trash-talk might be punctuated with caution because of a defamation lawsuit.

Mistrust is everywhere. Mayweather-Mosley represents a real chance to move on. But it won’t be easy. In just a few days, the familiar jitters were there with questions about when – indeed, if — Mayweather would sign. The abortive talks for Mayweather-Pacquiao are just the latest reason.

In September, there was weight-gate before, during and after Mayweather’s unanimous decision over Juan Manuel Marquez. At 146 pounds on the day before the fight, Mayweather failed to meet the catch weight, 144, and willingly wrote a check for $600,000 — $300,000 for each excess pound – to Marquez.

From a ringside seat the next night, Mayweather often looked like a middleweight, especially when his back was to me. I can’t help but think it was no coincidence that he refused to step on unofficial scales for HBO not long before opening bell. After the one-sided fight, he dissed anybody who wanted to know how he heavy he was.

There are some things Mayweather just doesn’t want anybody to know. No wonder Schaefer and many in the media were nervous.

Here’s a suggestion: Andre Berto withdrew from a bout on Jan 30 with Mosley because of concern for family caught in the Haitian earthquake. Tell Berto to stay in the gym. You never know.

NOTES, QUOTES

· According to various reports, Mayweather and Mosley will undergo Olympic-style drug testing. Given Mayweather’s demand in talks for Pacquiao, he will have to insist on the procedure from now on. For Mosley, it’s a significant step. He was linked to performance-enhancers years ago in testimony to a grand jury investigating Balco. What’s not clear is who will conduct the tests. The Nevada State Athletic Commission? The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency? And who will pay for the tests? The fighters? The promoters? The lousy economy would seem to preclude any state commission from taking on the expense.

· News from the World Boxing Association says it will investigate Beibut Shumenov’s controversial split decision over Gabriel Campillo for the light-heavyweight championship on Jan. 29 at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas. While the acronym is at it, how about a few questions asking how a fighter, Shumenov, with only 10 pro bouts could even qualify for a shot at so-called major title?

· Intriguing Jose Benavidez, a 17-year-old junior-welterweight from Phoenix, is scheduled for his second pro fight on Feb. 13 against an unannounced foe at the Las Vegas Hilton on a card, Latin Fury 13/Pinoy Power 3, featuring super-flyweight Nonito Donaire (22-1, 14 KOs) against Gerson Guerrero (43-8, 26 KOs). There’s been some hope that Benavidez could help resurrect a Phoenix market, mostly dormant since Arizona began to enforce tough immigration laws. “I’d really love to fight in Phoenix,’’ Benavidez said. “Hey, it’s my hometown.’’

· And kudos to Chad Dawson, Guillermo Rigondeaux and Top Rank for promises to help in the Haiti relief. Dawson said he has started Champions Challenge. He has invested $5,000 of his money has asked other champs to match it. Rigondeaux, a two-time Olympic gold medalist from Cuba, says he will donate his purse from a fight Friday night against Adolfo Landeros in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to the Children of Haiti Fund. Top Rank announced it is setting aside a percentage of ticket receipts for the earthquake victims.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, After the recent withdraw by Andre Berto for next week;s Welterweight unification bout with Shane Mosley, representatives for Floyd Mayweather have indicated that Mayweather would be ready for a fight with Mosley this Spring.

“I know everyone is rushing to make this fight with Mosley, but I want people to know that Floyd feels awful for Berto and his family for what they and their country are going through,” Said Maywethaer’s close advisor Leonard Ellerbe . “That is first and foremost. But if, in fact, Shane Mosley is available, that’s the fight that Floyd would love to make. It’s no secret that Floyd has been trying to make a fight with Shane for the last 10 years.

“Our condolences go out to Berto and his family because that is the human side of this. Everyone is talking about us making a fight with Mosley, but Floyd wants people to know that his prayers — all of ours — are with Berto. But he also wants people to know that he is ready to fight Mosley. That’s the fight he wants more than anything. And Floyd has instructed me and Al [Haymon, Mayweather’s other adviser] to make the biggest fight possible. We will be talking with [Golden Boy CEO] Richard [Schaefer]. Floyd against Shane is the biggest fight in boxing right now that can be made.”

According to Schaefer, he has the MGM Grand Garden Arena on hold for May 1 and May 8. Ellerbe said that time frame is fine with Mayweather for a fight with Mosley.

“Most definitely,” Ellerbe said. “Shane is a great fighter and if a deal could be made, Shane would be the toughest fight out there. That fight is tougher than the other fight [Pacquiao-Mayweather]. It’s a mega fight if it can be made.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the much anticipated Welterweight unification bout between Shane Mosley and Andre Berto scheduled for next Saturday in Las Vegas has been canceled due to Berto’s focus being on the recent tragic earthquake that took place last week’s in Haiti which is where Berto and his family are originally from.

The cancellation of the fight could lead to Mosley instead defending his title against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the spring.

“Since the 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti on Tuesday evening, I have been focusing on my family and the Haitian people who are facing an inconceivable battle for survival while still trying to continue to prepare for an opportunity I have dreamt of since childhood,” Berto said in a statement. “I lost several family members to the earthquake and, after two days without word, was relieved to learn that my sister, Naomi, and her daughter, Jessica, survived, but were left homeless. I have seen the pain in my parents’ eyes as they attempt to understand what has happened to our homeland and recognize a place they once called home.

“As a result of this disaster, I am mentally and physically exhausted and, therefore, I have no choice but to withdraw from my bout on January 30.”

Berto lost at least eight family members in the disaster.

“Throughout the past six days, I have received an incredible outpouring of support, and I sincerely appreciate everyone’s prayers for the people of Haiti,” Berto said. “I hope that everyone will continue to keep the Haitian people in their thoughts and prayers as we work to rebuild this proud nation. The rebuilding of Haiti is not something that will happen overnight, but I am fully dedicated to helping the Haitian people recover from this catastrophic event.”

Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, who promotes Mosley, said he told Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs) about the cancellation of the fight, and he was understanding.

“It’s just a very unfortunate situation,” Schaefer said. “This is unbelievable. Everyone has seen the pictures from Haiti and followed this devastating situation. We all feel very bad for Andre. We know where his focus needs to be and that is with his family and his people. I talked to Shane. Obviously, he shares the sentiment. He feels bad for Andre and understands. But at the same time he is disappointed because he is in amazing shape with two weeks to go, and now this fight fell out. He is not happy about it, but he fully understands the situation. We just wish the best for Andre Berto.”

The cancellation may pen the door for a mega showdown between Mosley and Floyd Mayweather

“That is a super fight, and now my next order of business — to see if we can put [Mosley-Mayweather] together,” Schaefer said. “That is what I am going to be doing in the coming hours. The sooner the better if we can get this potential fight done. With Shane now being available and Floyd being available, that’s a fight all fight fans and sports fans would embrace. This would be a huge showdown. Shane has wanted that fight for a while. That’s what I am going to try to do.”

“I think he made a correct decision for himself,” said Lou DiBella, Berto’s promoter throughout his professional career. “Your mental health and physical health are more important than one fight. I know that Andre has been in agony since this happened. He has been really struggling. He is mentally and physically exhausted and I don’t think he’s been sleeping. He’s been torn about whether to fight and had to make this decision. I think he’s going to go to Haiti next week.

“It’s the right decision. It’s impossible to watch those pictures from Haiti even if you’re not Haitian. But he and his family and his parents are suffering. It hits very close to home. How could any human being focus under those circumstances? I’m glad for Andre that he made this decision for himself.”

“Not one person involved in the promotion had any negative response to this decision,” DiBella said. “Everyone empathizes with Andre and his whole family. The young man’s well-being outweighs any one fight.”

HBO’s Kery Davis echoed DiBella.

“Andre Berto is a terrific athlete and an even better person,” Davis said. “We can only imagine the pain the earthquake has caused the entire Berto family. Our thoughts and prayers are with Andre and we hope to have him back on HBO when he is ready to return to the ring.”