Mosely: One more taste of sweetness

By JE Grant

Shane Mosely enters the ring July 15th in Las Vegas against Fernando Vargas in perhaps his last venture as a great fighter.

As a 34 year-old one-time wunderkind, Mosely relies now on guile and determination where super-sonic speed once swept him past opponents. He ruled as a lightweight between 1997 and 1999 defending his belt eight times before moving up from the weight class to welterweight, skipping junior welterweight altogether. He never lost – indeed he never came close to losing – as a lightweight.

The move to welterweight produced some predictable results. While he was a devastating hitter as lightweight, scoring knockouts in each of his eight defenses, he was merely above average as a puncher at welterweight. His speed remained formidable but it was ever-so-slightly diminished as well.

Although his punching power was not what it had been as a lightweight, only three bouts into his welterweight venture he decisioned all-time great Oscar de la Hoya in 2000. The all-California affair solidified his name as an elite of the game and moved him from being famous in boxing circles to being world-famous.

Three title defenses later, and boasting a 38-0 record, he faced fellow unbeaten Vernon Forrest in a bout that would prove pivotal in his career. Forrest caught Mosely early and nearly knocked him out with devastating, pinpoint punches, the kind that Mosely avoided categorically as a lightweight. He survived the near-stoppage and even fought well in spots enroute to a decision loss. He proved his heart despite the clear drubbing.

What followed was a series of questionable business decisions. A decision to accept an instant rematch with Forrest was seemingly made from emotion rather than fact. Nothing in the first match left big questions. It wasn’t close in almost any respect. Forrest clearly had Mosely’s number. The rematch bore that fact out.

From the second Forrest fight, Mosely moved to junior middleweight. One the one hand he did move resoundingly into the forefront of the money end of the sport with a second win over De la Hoya and with it another belt.

Mosely took on a fellow belt holder in the form of the cagey and super-skilled Ronald “Winky” Wright. In his lightweight days Mosely used power and speed to overcome skilled foes. As a junior middleweight, his speed was and is decisively sub-sonic and his power is nearly non-existent. A bad combination against the steel-chinned and naturally bigger Winky.

Wright boxed behind his high guard and peppered Mosely repeatedly. In round after round Mosely ran head long toward the taller Wright and launched his quick shots only to be met with swift counters. The decision was never in doubt.

Proving he learned nothing from his ventures against Vernon Forrest, Mosely once again accepted an instant rematch. Although on the scorecards he performed a bit better in the rematch, there was really nothing to indicate that he could overcome the advantages Wright would always bring.

Ostensibly deciding to return to the welterweight division following the losses to Wright, the former three-division titlist appeared to be making the type of calculated business decision that he shunned in the earlier part of his career.

Or maybe not.

After two solid decision wins as a welterweight, Mosely smelled the money and accepted a junior middleweight weight date with the enigmatic Vargas.

The bout brought significant risk. Vargas had proven himself a strong and willing puncher at 154. In his six fights post-Forrest, Mosely had yet to score a stoppage.

Loud whispers suggested that Mosely was at age 34, to Vargas’ 28, perhaps slipping into the grip of the ravaging fist of Father Time. Such a decline would mean slower hands and maybe a more available chin. More importantly, the high volume attack, so necessary for a fighter who isn’t overpowering anyone anymore would, perhaps, just not appear ever again.

When the two met in February, it was Mosely who actually appeared the fresher of the two. He snapped jabs and bounced right hands off the head of the slower-than-usual Vargas.

Although Vargas will claim that the grapefruit sized swelling over his eye that led to a 10th round stoppage was merely a minor hurdle that he could have cleared, it was indicative of the sharp punching of Mosely. Not incidentally, Mosely was ahead on two of the three cards at the time of the halt. For this one bout at least, Father Time was kept at bay.

On July 15th both fighters will again realize enormous paychecks from their pay-per-view rematch. For Mosely it may mean another title chance soon or it may be a last great hurrah. For now, however, it is sufficient that he concentrates on this bout leaving other decisions to be made another day.

PREDICTION: The younger Vargas may be more shopworn than his older opponent. Following devastating losses to Trinidad and De la Hoya, Vargas has abandoned his go-for-broke attack to a pedestrian pace in which he seemingly considers each punch before throwing it. Mosely retains enough of his speed and unpredictability to make such a fight plan fizzle. As Vargas ambles forward, he will continue to be caught with lead right hands and odd-angle shots. The super swollen eye may also reemerge as problem for Vargas. Such injuries have a way of leaving a permanent propensity for recurrence due to underlying damage. Just as Mosely could not figure out Forrest or Wright, Vargas won’t solve the puzzle of “Sugar” Shane.

Mosely by decision.