Welterweight Champion Shane Mosley
Antonio Margarito Knocked Out
When it was all over and referee Raul Caiz Sr., waved off the fight as Antonio Margarito’s knees finally buckled, Shane Mosley walked to the center of the ring. Big smile on his face, he bowed to the north. He bowed to the west, east and south. He was, in effect, a great stage actor basking in the glory after showcasing his masterpiece.
That’s exactly what he was.
Boxing's Steroid Allegations
Mosley – a former titlist in three different weight classes – entered the Jan. 24 fight with Margarito as a 4-to-1 underdog. The 37-year-old was given a slight chance, yes, but most assumed his opponent, not to mention the distractions in rest of his life, would pummel him. The alleged steroid use – and the grand jury testimony in which he admitted taking the illegal substances – would batter him. The fact he and his wife/business manager were going through a divorce would pound him. And Margarito would be the one to really hurt him badly.
Mosley (46-5, 39 KO), though, knew better. After the fight was finished and he had scored a technical knockout against the granite-chinned Margarito (37-6), the first time anybody had stopped the tough Mexican fighter, Mosley said none of those distractions had mattered. What mattered, he said, was his ability to focus on the task at hand.
That meant training and studying for Margarito’s style and determining the best way to beat him. It didn’t mean worrying about his family or his steroid use. It meant working to fight the best bout of his career.
Asked afterward how he, even with all the distractions, could pull off such a monumental task, he uttered one word. Focus.
New Trainer Nazeem Richardson Helps Mosley
With Mosley’s victory, he returns to the spot he held at the beginning of this decade – the kingpin of the welterweight division. Last time, Vernon Forrest took away the title from him. Now, Mosley, with new trainer Nazeem Richardson in his corner, is intent to keep his place for just a little bit longer.
Mosley lost a narrow unanimous decision to Miguel Cotto in November of 2007 – Margarito then went on to knock out Cotto last year, and it looks like Margarito and Cotto will rematch in June – but he’s back in position to make more big-money fights.
Floyd Mayweather's Next Opponent?
Naturally, a matchup against Floyd Mayweather, who retired last year as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, would be a huge attraction. Before the victory, there was talk of a fight with rising undefeated star Andre Berto, but that doesn’t seem likely now.
Manny Pacquiao, coming off his huge victory against Oscar De La Hoya, also is an intriguing possibility, but he’s scheduled to fight Ricky Hatton at junior welterweight, so that match wouldn’t occur for many months. Paul Williams also could be a possibility, but the tall, rangy, 100-punches-a-round fighter could present a bad physical matchup, and he doesn’t have a ton of name recognition (though he also owns a win against Margarito).
Whichever the case, Mosley has managed to do this: he reclaimed his throne. He fought off the outside distractions. Against Margarito, he took advantage of his chance to unveil the greatest masterpiece of his career. Then he bowed to everybody who had watched.
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