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Shane Mosley
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When John Wayne or Clint Eastwood’s characters are against the odds in an old western movie, you know that they will prevail before the credits role. The reason is that they are movie icons, who never lose and entertain the audience with their immortality. There are many boxing careers which look as if they have came straight out of Hollywood, Mike Tyson springs to mind, but rarely do we get a happy ending.
Sugar Shane Mosley is apparently going to invoke his rematch clause with the crafty Winky Wright, who dominated him last month in a twelve round decision. This seems to be absolutely crazy and although Mosley failed in a rematch with Vernon Forrest, it seems that he hasn’t learned his lesson. There can be no denying Shane’s courage and championship pedigree, but you have to use common sense and previous experience in this situation. When a fighter is beaten definitively then the chances are that the same thing will happen again, in an immediate sequel.
The fact is that Mosley is a huge star and would still be able to fight the likes of Mayorga or Trinidad, despite his defeat to Wright. He would also receive a larger purse and has a greater chance of victory in both fights. Shane is in major need of a confidence boost and a win over the aforementioned ex-champions would enhance his legacy and vault him back into the big league. If he loses again to Wright, then HBO will probably turn their back on him and Shane would be considered an opponent.
If you are looking for evidence of this theory then look at Oscar De La Hoya. Despite a recent loss to Mosley, he has set up a WBO title shot against Felix Sturm and a unification battle with Bernard Hopkins, in which he will make over $30 million. Shane doesn’t have Oscar’s star power but he is still huge, so why not follow suit? There are many who would say that Shane is showing the heart and tenacity that a great fighter requires, which is unarguable. However, anyone who witnessed his first fight with Wright knows that he was completely dominated throughout the twelve rounds. He probably thought he was looking at Vernon Forrest in a mirror as Wright’s southpaw stance and defence caused him a similar type of confusion.
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Then we get to the new trainer issue! Despite Joe Goosen turning around the career of Diego Corrales and winning an immediate return with Joel Casamayor, there are glaring differences. Firstly, Goosen trained Casamayor for the first fight and probably knew how to off set his rhythm and timing. Corrales had huge advantages in height and reach and accentuated these, by fighting side on and controlling the pace with a quick jab. Shane has been trained by his father for a lifetime and will find it more than difficult to shake off fighting instincts, which have been nurtured for over twenty years. Goosen can only do so much in a six month period and Shane is a seasoned veteran of the game, with his own ideas.
My admiration for Sugar Shane Mosley continues to grow, because he will take on anyone, no matter what the odds are. I still believe he has declined a great deal, but he can leave a lasting impression by taking the right fights. It would be nice to see Shane ride off in to the sunset with his wife and kids, after proving to be the fastest gun in the territory, but I get the impression that Winky hasn’t read the script.
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© Copyrights / All Rights reserved: Doghouse Boxing 1998-2004
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By Tom Gray (April 27, 2004) 
