Boxing Preview: Antonio Margarito-Shane Mosley
By Ralph Rimpell
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 23 Jan 2009
On January 24, 2009, Antonio ?Tony? Margarito (37-5, 27 KOs) faces ?Sugar? Shane Mosley (45-5, 38 KOs) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California for the WBA welterweight championship of the world. This is a matchup between the new King of the hill, Margarito, and a former champion, Mosley, trying to recapture glory of the past. This matchup was proposed about three years ago when Floyd ?Fraud? Mayweather, Jr. turned down a reported 8 million dollar purse not to fight Margarito. Incidentally, Mosley, who was not offered the same purse, refused the match up as well. Who is Antonio ?Tony? Margarito?
Margarito is the reigning WBA welterweight champion of the world. This is a fighter who turned professional at the age of 15. He was fighting grown men while peers, like Mosley and Mayweather, were fighting teenagers their own age in the amateurs. After thirty professional fights, he became a world champion by winning the WBO welterweight championship. By the time he defeated Kermit Cintron (first fight); he was quickly developing a reputation as boxing?s most avoided fighter. He defeated the tough Joshua Clottey (current IBF champ) in a close fight. Then instead of facing Miguel Cotto in a mega unification match for a reported larger purse, he like a true champion defended his WBO title for less money against the tougher Paul Williams and wound up losing a very close controversial decision. He rebounded by defeating then IBF champion Kermit Cintron in a rematch and shocked the boxing establishment by knocking out Miguel Cotto for the WBA welterweight crown last July. To date he has won three world title. Antonio Margarito now stands at the threshold of greatness if he can continue his wining ways. Who is Sugar Shane Mosley?
Mosley is a former three division champion. He started his professional career as a lightweight. He won a world title in that division as well as titles at welterweight and junior middleweight. Any fighter who wins world titles in three weight divisions is a great fighter in this writer?s opinion. He has fought some of the best fighters the welterweights and junior middleweights have had to offer with mixed results. He has faced the likes of De La Hoya (won twice), Cotto (lost), Forrest (lost twice), Wright (lost twice), and Vargas (won twice). At one time in his career, many boxing writers regarded him as the best ?pound for pound? fighter in boxing. There is a cloud of suspicion currently hanging over his career regarding alleged steroid use regarding the pharmaceutical company named Balco. At the twilight of his career, Mosley will now face the fighter that Mayweather Jr. and De La Hoya refused to face. Reports coming out of his training camp are that he is confidant of his chances against the man also known as the ?Tijuana Tornado?. What can we expect this Saturday night at the sound of the opening bell?
One better believe that Mosley and his trainer have analyzed three specific boxing videos of Margarito. They are no doubt matches against Clottey, Williams, and Cotto. These three fights will show Margarito having problems with boxers who have good boxing skills and footwork. Look for Mosley to try and emulate how all three fighters fought Margarito into his fighting style. Also expect him to come to the fight bulked up (more muscular) so that he can stand his ground physically against the bigger Margarito. Shane is a strong fighter even though he is short. Shane will have a good opening round. He may even have some confidence after a good start. Shane will try to gain Margarito?s respect by establishing his power. Shane?s power will not faze Margarito, much like Cotto?s didn?t. Margarito will use his height, size, and reach advantage to cut the ring off all to the dismay of Mosley. Word is Margarito has been sparing with faster fighters in preparation for an elusive Mosley. Margarito will be able neutralize Shane?s speed by timing the quicker fighter. Once Shane feels Margarito?s power he will go into survival mode which will be the beginning of the end for him in the fight. Margarito will begin to catch up with his elusive prey. By then the tide of the fight will turn much like Mosley?Forrest I (first fight). As Margarito begins to hurt Mosley he will throw more punches in bunches, which will cause multiple swelling and cuts to Mosley?s face. Look for Margarito to stop Mosley by 9th rd TKO.
Top photo: WBA World Welterweight Champion Antonio Margarito (left) and Four-Time World Champion Sugar Shane Mosley (right) pose on January 22, 2009 in Los Angeles, California at the final press conference for their January 24, 2009 world title fight at Staples Center in Los Angeles which will be televised live on HBO's World Championship Boxing. Hogan Photos / Golden Boy.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ralph Rimpell.
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