elgigante
03-07-2005, 06:19 PM
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SUGAR SHANE MOSLEY
Record :39-4(35 KO's) 1 No Contest
Notable Fights: Vernon Forrest (2x) Oscar De La Hoya (2x) Jesse James Leija
If ever there was a boxer that seemed destined for greatness Sugar Shane Mosely was it. Shane Mosely is considered one of the very best pound for pound fighters in the world and it all began for him back in his amateur days.
For years no one doubted that Shane Mosely was an extremely talented amateur. With a record of 230-12 as an amateur Mosely accomplished many great feats including winning the U.S junior welterweight championship. Unfortuanetly for Mosely though he never made the Olympic team as he was defeated in the 1992 Olympic Trials by a man named Vernon Forrest, a name which would come back to haunt him in the future.
Even though Mosely ended his amateur career on a down note, Bright things were predicted for him as a professional. Under the tuitilage of his father Jack, Mosely rampaged through the professional ranks after turning pro in 1993 winning 22 out of his first 23 fight by knockout. He had blazingly quick hands, excellent boxing skills from his many amateur fights and deceptive power. Mosely was soon destined to be a worlds champion.
In 1997 Mosely would get his first crack at a world title against South African Phillip Holiday. Holiday at the time was considered a formidable champ and was supposed to be a test for Sugar Shane. Mosely however passed that test with flying colors as he battered Holiday around the ring en route to an easy twelve round unanimous decision. Mosely captured the IBF lightweight title that evening and would defend it successfully eight times before deciding to move onto bigger game in the Welterweight division.
Shane Mosely moved up to welterweight in 1999 with one goal in mind.. Get Oscar De La Hoya in the ring.. Mosely mowed through his first two opponents in the welterweight division and then finally was given his shot against the Golden Boy. In June of 2000 Shane Mosely and Oscar De La Hoya would step into the ring. Most oddmakers gave Mosely less than a 50/50 chance of beating the Golden Boy but not only did Mosely beat him, he OWNED him. Mosely beat De La Hoya to every punch, had great defensive movement and was just better overall that evening in route to a 12 round decision which propeled him into boxing stardom.
Mosely would find fights hard to comeby however after that De La Hoya victory as he would fight three nondescript contenders due to big names avoiding him. After those wins though a rising young welterweight would come calling for a crack at his belts. That Welterweights name was Vernon Forrest.
Mosely would fight Vernon Forrest for the first time as a professional in January of 2002. Unfortuanetly for Shane, the result would be just the same as when they hooked up as amateurs with Forrest outboxing Mosely en route to a 12 round decision.. Mosely would fight Forrest again in July of 2002 and lose another decision in what at best could be described as a pathetic effort from Shane. He looked lost against Forrest and out of his league. Some fighters have their waterloo. To me Vernon Forrest was Shane's waterloo.
2003 would turn around the fortunes for Shane as after a bizarre no contest with Raul Marquez in which a huge cut was opened on Marquez's head, Oscar De La Hoya would come calling for a reamtch.
De La Hoya thought he could handle Mosely fairly easily because he had been on a downslide his last three fights. Shane proved him and the boxing world in general wrong as he won a hard fought decision over De La Hoya, controlling just enough of the fight to eke out the win.
Shane Mosely may have slipped slightly after his losses to Vernon Forrest but his win over De La hoya propeled him back into the spotlight once again. Shane's stay near the top of the P4P ranks would be short though as a pair of decision losses to Ronald"Winky" Wright at the 154lb level has left his career at a crossroads. Sugar Shane is trying to pick up the pieces from these devastating losses and his road to redemption starts April 23rd against welterweight David Estrada.
Even if Shane Mosely is never able to ascend to the top of the P4P ladder again, I will remember him for his prime performances, in which he was truly sweet like" Sugar".
SUGAR SHANE MOSLEY
Record :39-4(35 KO's) 1 No Contest
Notable Fights: Vernon Forrest (2x) Oscar De La Hoya (2x) Jesse James Leija
If ever there was a boxer that seemed destined for greatness Sugar Shane Mosely was it. Shane Mosely is considered one of the very best pound for pound fighters in the world and it all began for him back in his amateur days.
For years no one doubted that Shane Mosely was an extremely talented amateur. With a record of 230-12 as an amateur Mosely accomplished many great feats including winning the U.S junior welterweight championship. Unfortuanetly for Mosely though he never made the Olympic team as he was defeated in the 1992 Olympic Trials by a man named Vernon Forrest, a name which would come back to haunt him in the future.
Even though Mosely ended his amateur career on a down note, Bright things were predicted for him as a professional. Under the tuitilage of his father Jack, Mosely rampaged through the professional ranks after turning pro in 1993 winning 22 out of his first 23 fight by knockout. He had blazingly quick hands, excellent boxing skills from his many amateur fights and deceptive power. Mosely was soon destined to be a worlds champion.
In 1997 Mosely would get his first crack at a world title against South African Phillip Holiday. Holiday at the time was considered a formidable champ and was supposed to be a test for Sugar Shane. Mosely however passed that test with flying colors as he battered Holiday around the ring en route to an easy twelve round unanimous decision. Mosely captured the IBF lightweight title that evening and would defend it successfully eight times before deciding to move onto bigger game in the Welterweight division.
Shane Mosely moved up to welterweight in 1999 with one goal in mind.. Get Oscar De La Hoya in the ring.. Mosely mowed through his first two opponents in the welterweight division and then finally was given his shot against the Golden Boy. In June of 2000 Shane Mosely and Oscar De La Hoya would step into the ring. Most oddmakers gave Mosely less than a 50/50 chance of beating the Golden Boy but not only did Mosely beat him, he OWNED him. Mosely beat De La Hoya to every punch, had great defensive movement and was just better overall that evening in route to a 12 round decision which propeled him into boxing stardom.
Mosely would find fights hard to comeby however after that De La Hoya victory as he would fight three nondescript contenders due to big names avoiding him. After those wins though a rising young welterweight would come calling for a crack at his belts. That Welterweights name was Vernon Forrest.
Mosely would fight Vernon Forrest for the first time as a professional in January of 2002. Unfortuanetly for Shane, the result would be just the same as when they hooked up as amateurs with Forrest outboxing Mosely en route to a 12 round decision.. Mosely would fight Forrest again in July of 2002 and lose another decision in what at best could be described as a pathetic effort from Shane. He looked lost against Forrest and out of his league. Some fighters have their waterloo. To me Vernon Forrest was Shane's waterloo.
2003 would turn around the fortunes for Shane as after a bizarre no contest with Raul Marquez in which a huge cut was opened on Marquez's head, Oscar De La Hoya would come calling for a reamtch.
De La Hoya thought he could handle Mosely fairly easily because he had been on a downslide his last three fights. Shane proved him and the boxing world in general wrong as he won a hard fought decision over De La Hoya, controlling just enough of the fight to eke out the win.
Shane Mosely may have slipped slightly after his losses to Vernon Forrest but his win over De La hoya propeled him back into the spotlight once again. Shane's stay near the top of the P4P ranks would be short though as a pair of decision losses to Ronald"Winky" Wright at the 154lb level has left his career at a crossroads. Sugar Shane is trying to pick up the pieces from these devastating losses and his road to redemption starts April 23rd against welterweight David Estrada.
Even if Shane Mosely is never able to ascend to the top of the P4P ladder again, I will remember him for his prime performances, in which he was truly sweet like" Sugar".