“Sugar” SHANE MOSLEY
Age: 39 (9-7-71)
Residence: Pomona, California
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California
Record: 46-6-1, 1 ND, 39 KOs
Height: 5’9”
Reach: 74”
Stance: Righthanded
Advisor: James Prince
Trainer: Nazim Richardson

Photo: Tom Casino/Showtime

“Sugar” SHANE MOSLEY (46-6-1, 1 ND, 39 KOs)…
• World championship fights – 15-5, 12 KOs…
• Former WBA welterweight world champion…
• Former WBC super welterweight world champion…
• Former WBA super welterweight world champion…
• Former WBC welterweight world champion, three successful defenses…
• Former IBF lightweight world champion, eight successful defenses…
• 1992 U.S. National Championships (amateur), 139 pounds – Gold Medalist…
• 1990 U.S. National Championships (amateur), 132 pounds – Gold Medalist…
• 1989 U.S. National Championships (amateur), 132 pounds – Gold Medalist…

Now 39 years old, Shane is a 17-year pro. A former four-time world champion at 135, 147, and 154 pounds, he is a certain future Hall of Famer.

He has fought at the highest levels of competition and been in some of the most memorable fights of the last decade.

Shane’s last eight fights – in which he was 5-2-1 – and 14 of his last 16 fights have been against current or former world champions.

He is coming off a questionable 12 round draw against former WBC super welterweight world champion Sergio Mora in his last fight on September 18.

After the fight, Dan Rafael wrote on ESPN.com [excerpts]: Mora…wasn’t there to fight like a serious professional…. [The] 116-112 card for Mosley was well scored. How could anyone have had Mora actually winning, or even drawing? He didn’t do anything, unless you count holding, grabbing and running. Even Mora’s own corner was telling him he was way behind. Mosley was busier, more accurate, faster, he put his punches together more and was the aggressor for virtually the entire fight. That was obvious to the naked eye. Mosley…did way more than enough to deserve a clear decision…. [End Rafael item]

Shane won the WBA welterweight world title with an upset ninth-round TKO against defending champion Antonio Margarito in January, 2009.

Fightwriter.com’s Graham Houston reported [excerpts]: This was one of the great victories in boxing’s modern era. At the age of 37, Mosley looked like a young man in the ring. Margarito, a 4-1 on favourite to retain his welterweight title, was beaten out of sight.

This was the best Mosley has looked in years. Mosley started fast and strong, and he stayed that way. He blasted Margarito’s body and he bombed him with right hands over the top.

Margarito had the support of the packed, 20,820 crowd at the Staples Center in Los Angeles but Mosley quickly dampened their enthusiasm. There was very little for Margarito supporters to cheer about. At no stage did Margarito look like turning the fight in his favour. Mosley wasn’t going to stand for it.

There were body shots that almost seemed to be caving in Margarito, as if he had been hit by a cannon ball. The right hands upstairs were swivelling his head around.

Mosley looked as fast as he did when he was blazing through the lightweight division years ago. He was so quick that he had Margarito floundering.

Mosley…was like a man prepared to go to war: he seemed in every fibre of his being to be ready to fight and he seemed to emanate a positive energy. Mosley is one very tough fighter, and never tougher than he was on Saturday night.

Mosley…had talked of feeling “special” before the fight. Now we know what he meant. [End Houston item]

Shane told Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times [excerpts]: “I was supposed to be done before Margarito, too.

“Pacquiao is now a welterweight like me. Mora was running from me and Mayweather’s the best defensive fighter in the world. Pacquiao’s a fighter like me; he comes forward. I promise you, I’ll hit him on the chin. His defense is not that good. The guys who come at me, I knock out.” [End Pugmire item]

Shane has fought current or former world champions Sergio Mora (D12), Floyd Mayweather (L12), Antonio Margarito (KO9), Ricardo Mayorga (KO12), Miguel Cotto (L12), Luis Collazo (W12), Fernando Vargas twice (TKO6, TKO10), Winky Wright twice (L12, L12), Oscar De La Hoya twice (W12, W12), Raul Marquez (ND3), Vernon Forrest twice (L12, L12), James Leija (TKO9), John John Molina (TKO8), and Philip Holiday (W12).

Key Fights – 2010 – in his last fight on 9-18-10 in Los Angeles, CA, he had a 12 round draw against former WBC super welterweight world champion Sergio Mora (22-1-1): the fight headlined at the Staples Center; Mora didn’t make weight – he came in three pounds over the contracted weight of 154 pounds – fought only to survive, and made a boring fight; Shane pressed forward, consistently outworked him and landed the harder punches, but Mora moved constantly and clinched repeatedly; most observers thought Shane clearly deserved to win, but the judges scored 116-112 Mosley, 115-113 Mora, 114-114…

On 5-1-10 in Las Vegas, NV, he lost a 12 round unanimous decision against former WBC super featherweight, lightweight, super lightweight, welterweight, and super welterweight world champion Floyd Mayweather (40-0): the fight headlined at the MGM Grand, and the early rounds were close; Shane buckled Maywewather’s knees with a right hand, then rocked him several more times in the 2nd round, but Mayweather dominated the fight after that; he consistently outboxed and outworked Shane, and rocked him repeatedly with right hands; scored 119-109, 119-109, 118-110…

2009 – WON WBA W WORLD TITLE – on 1-24-09 in Los Angeles he TKO’d defending champion Antonio Margarito (37-5): the fight headlined at the Staples Center – Shane gave a sensational performance and dominated most of the fight; he consistently outworked Margarito, landed the harder punches, and scored a knockdown with a series of punches in the 8th round; he staggered Margarito with a series of punches in the 9th, and the referee stopped the fight as Margarito went down again at 0:43; after eight rounds, Shane led by scores of 78-73, 79-72, 80-71…

2008 – on 9-27-08 in Carson, CA, he TKO’d former WBC-WBA welterweight and WBC super welterweight world champion Ricardo Mayorga (28-6-1): the bout headlined at the Home Depot Center, and it was a close, somewhat sloppy fight with lots of clinching and mauling; Mayorga scored with several hard right hands in the early rounds and repeatedly roughed up Shane with fouls, including punching to the back of the head, headbutts, and holding and punching, but Shane rallied in the middle and late rounds; Shane bloodied Mayorga’s mouth in the 11th round, then scored two knockdowns in the 12th – the first with a series of punches that put Mayorga on his hands and knees, the second with a left hook that dropped him flat on his back – and the referee stopped the fight without a count at 2:59; after 11 rounds, the fight was scored 105-104, 107-102 Mosley, 105-104 Mayorga…

2007 – WBA W WORLD TITLE CHALLENGE – on 11-10-07 in New York, NY, he lost a 12 round unanimous decision against defending champion Miguel Cotto (30-0): the bout headlined at Madison Square Garden; both fighters gave impressive performances, and it was a close, exciting fight; the momentum shifted back and forth – Cotto started fast, landed the sharper punches, and swept the 1st round on all three scorecards, but Shane scored well with right hands and won the 2nd and 3rd on two scorecards; Cotto was more consistent and swept the 4th round, but Shane rallied and swept the 5th; Cotto came back to sweep the 6th round and after six rounds, led by scores of 58-56, 58-56, 57-57; the 7th was a three-way split – one judge scored for Cotto, one for Shane, and one had it even – but Cotto came back and swept the 8th; Cotto changed tactics in the 9th round – he boxed and moved and Shane became more aggressive, and both were effective at times; Cotto won the 9th round on two scorecards, Shane won the 10th on two, then Cotto came back and won the 11th round on two; Cotto was cut over his right eye by a clash of heads in the 12th, and Shane won the round on two scorecards; scored 116-113, 115-113, 115-113…

On 2-10-07 in Las Vegas he won a 12 round unanimous decision against lefthanded former WBA welterweight world champion Luis Collazo (27-2): the fight headlined at Mandalay Bay; Shane consistently outworked Collazo, landed the sharper punches and dominated most of the fight; Collazo had a few rallies – he rocked Shane with a right hook in the 2nd round and swept the round on all three scorecards, but Shane came back and swept the 3rd, 4th, and 5th rounds; Collazo rocked Shane with a left hand in the 6th, but only won the round on one judge’s scorecard; Shane swept the 7th round, then rocked Collazo with series of punches in the 8th and 10th rounds, and scored a knockdown – more of a punch-trip – in the 11th; scored 119-108, 118-109, 118-109…

2006 – on 7-15-06 in Las Vegas he TKO’d former IBF and WBA jr. middleweight world champion Fernando Vargas (26-3): this rematch headlined at the MGM Grand – Shane dominated the fight and scored a spectacular knockout; he consistently outboxed and outworked Vargas, rocked him repeatedly with right hands, and cut him over his right eye in the 5th round; Shane scored a devastating knockdown with a left hook in the 6th – Vargas got up, but Shane rocked him with a series of punches and the referee stopped the fight at 2:38; after five rounds, Shane led by scores of 50-45 on all three scorecards; after the fight, Shane said, “He looked like he was going to break down. I knew if I hit him with body shots, he would break down even more. It does boost my confidence knowing that I can knock out bigger guys. My power is increasing from fight to fight. I’ve noticed more of a snap to my punches. I’ve noticed that I can knock people out. I’ve hurt people very well.”…

On 2-25-06 in Las Vegas he TKO’d former IBF and WBA jr. middleweight world champion Fernando Vargas (26-2): the fight headlined at Mandalay Bay, and it was fast-paced and exciting; Shane started fast – he landed a right hand in the 1st round that caused Vargas’ left eye to swell, and scored with hard body punches; the momentum shifted back and forth in the middle rounds, and Vargas’ eye was swollen shut by the end of the 8th round; Shane rallied in the late rounds, and the referee stopped the fight on Vargas’ eye injury at 1:22 of the 10th round; after nine rounds, the fight was scored 86-85, 86-85 Mosley, 86-75 Vargas; after the fight, Shane said, “He tried to push me and shove me, and I was trying to keep myself away because he was so heavy. That fight showed that I’m a very strong welterweight.”…

2005 – on 9-17-05 in Las Vegas he won a 10 round unanimous decision against previously undefeated Jose Luis Cruz (33-0-2): Cruz pressed forward and gave a good effort, but Shane dominated most of the fight; he kept Cruz off-balance with movement, consistently outworked him, and landed the harder punches; scored 98-92, 97-93, 96-94…

On 4-23-05 in Las Vegas he won a 10 round unanimous decision against David Estrada (18-1):
the fight was co-featured with the Antonio Margarito-Kermit Cintron main event; Estrada gave a good effort, but Mosley dominated most of the fight; he consistently outboxed and outworked Estrada, landed the harder punches, and won by scores of 99-91, 98-91, 97-93…

2004 – WBA, WBC SW WORLD TITLE CHALLENGE – on 11-20-04 in Las Vegas he lost a 12 round majority decision against lefthanded defending champion Winky Wright (47-3): the bout headlined at Mandalay Bay – it was an exciting fight, and very close; Wright started fast and won three of the first four rounds on two scorecards, but Shane rallied in the middle rounds and won the 5th, 7th, and 8th on all three scorecards – in the 6th, Wright dropped his hands and invited Shane to hit him, and Shane rocked him with a right hand; after eight rounds, the fight was scored 77-75 Mosley, 76-76, 76-76, but Wright won the last three rounds on one scorecard, and two of the last three on the other two, and won by scores of 115-113, 115-114, 114-114; after the fight, Shane said, “I showed the fans tonight when I fight, I give 100 percent. I banged with him, I boxed with him. I got the better, cleaner shots. He is a great southpaw fighter, but I still think I won. I was in there giving it my all, trying to bang with a good fighter and it just didn’t work out. Those things happen. I really thought I won. I was attacking and making him back up, and I was landing some good shots.”…

LOST WBA-WBC SW WORLD TITLE, IBF JM WORLD TITLE CHALLENGE – on 3-13-04 in Las Vegas he lost a 12 round unanimous decision in a title unification bout against lefthanded IBF jr. middleweight world champion Winky Wright (46-3): Wright started fast – he rocked Shane in the 1st round, and dominated the early rounds with his jab and combination punching; Shane rocked Wright in the 5th, and rallied in the middle rounds, but Wright outworked him and landed the sharper punches in the late rounds; scored 117-111, 117-111, 116-112; after the fight, shane said, “It’s these types of fights that the boxing world needs. Not all the monkeying around of fighting this one and that one just to get the most money. It’s really about seeing who is the best fighter out there. I didn’t really have trouble with him being a southpaw. I kind of adjusted when I loaded up my punches, and bobbed and weaved to move out of the way of his shots. Winky was just a better man than me tonight.”…

2003 – WON WBA-WBC SW WORLD TITLE – on 9-13-03 in Las Vegas he won a 12 round decision in the rematch against defending champion Oscar De La Hoya (36-2): it was a tremendous event that drew an announced capacity crowd of 16,268 to the MGM Grand, and sold 975,000 pay-per-view buys, and a good, close fight; De La Hoya started fast, boxed and moved effectively and built a lead on the scorecards, but was cut by his right eye by a clash of heads in the 4th round; after eight rounds, De La Hoya led 77-75 on all three scorecards; Shane rallied in the late rounds – he won the last five rounds on two judges’ scorecards and the last four on the other, and won by scores of 115-113 on all three scorecards; after the fight, Shane said, “I thought I won by one or two rounds. He gave me a lot of movement. I knew I hurt him, he never hurt me. It was a great fight. It all paid off with the power and speed. Oscar fought a tremendous fight, Oscar is a Hall of Fame fighter. I’m just the one person he can’t beat.”…

On 2-8-03 in Las Vegas he had a No Decision against former IBF jr. middleweight world champion Raul Marquez (34-2): Shane kept a busier pace and was the more accurate puncher, but Marquez was cut over both eyes in the 3rd round by accidental head clashes – the fight was stopped on the cuts at 2:41 and ruled no decision; after the fight, Shane said, “The fight showed I had punching power. I feel good, I came in there and did what I had to do.”…

2002 – WBC W WORLD TITLE CHALLENGE – on 7-20-02 in Indianapolis, IN, he lost a 12 round unanimous decision against defending champion Vernon Forrest (34-0): it was a tactical battle, but Forrest controlled much of the fight with his jab and busier pace; scored 117-111, 116-112, 115-113; after the fight, Shane said, “This was a lot different than our January fight. I thought it was close and I had him by a couple of points. My plan was to move and catch him with a hard shot. I didn’t get a chance to get that shot. It was a lot of clinch, move, clinch, move. I feel it was a close fight and Vernon got the decision and I congratulate him. Things like that happen. Sometimes you have your time or your day in the sunshine. Evander Holyfield lost, Sugar Ray Leonard lost, a lot of people have lost but they come back and do great things. He beat me twice and I can’t complain.”…

LOST WBC W WORLD TITLE– on 1-26-02 in New York, NY, he lost a 12 round unanimous decision against Vernon Forrest (33-0): it was a sensational fight and a big upset win – Shane was a 5-1 favorite to win; Forrest staggered Shane with a right hand and scored two knockdowns in the 2nd round, rocked Shane several times in the following rounds, and hurt him with a body punch in the 10th; Shane gave a tremendous effort, but could not turn the momentum; scored 117-108, 118-108, 115-110; after the fight, Shane said, “Vernon did a number on me, didn’t he? Vernon Forrest is an excellent fighter. He put his combinations together well. He did enough things in the early rounds to get a big head-start and wouldn’t let me get back in the fight.”…

2001 – 3RD WBC W WORLD TITLE DEFENSE – on 7-21-01 in Las Vegas he knocked out Adrian Stone (30-3-2): Shane was sharp and devastating – he staggered Stone with a series of right hands in the 3rd round, then scored a knockdown that left him flat on his back and the referee stopped the fight without a count at 2:01; after the fight, Shane said, “Once again, I went out there to do what I said I was going to do – look spectacular. Stone was very strong. He was kind of awkward. I wasn’t frustrated, I was just being patient. I knew pretty soon I would find my mark.”…

2ND WBC W WORLD TITLE DEFENSE – on 3-10-01 in Las Vegas he TKO’d previously undefeated Shannon Taylor (28-0-1): Taylor gave a determined effort, but Shane dominated the fight; he scored a knockdown late in the 1st round, staggered Taylor in the 4th, and Taylor was penalized one point in the 4th for roughhouse tactics; Shane rocked him again late in the 5th round with a body punch, Taylor’s corner did not want him to continue, and the referee stopped the fight after the 5th round; Shane led by scored of 50-42, 50-43, 50-43; after the fight, Shane said, “Right now, I’m pound-for-pound the best. I didn’t want to go crazy and rush things.”…

2000 – 1ST WBC W WORLD TITLE DEFENSE – on 11-4-00 in New York he TKO’d Antonio Diaz (33-2): Shane scored one knockdown in the 2nd round, two more in the 6th, and stopped Diaz at 1:36 of the 6th round; after five completed rounds, Shane led by shutout scores of 50-44 on all three scorecards…
WON WBC W WORLD TITLE – on 6-17-00 in Los Angeles he won a 12 round split decision against defending champion Oscar De La Hoya (32-1): it was an exciting fight, and a leading candidate for “Fight of the Year;” De La Hoya started fast and led after six rounds by scores of 59-55, 58-56, 57-57, but Shane rallied in the the second half of the fight and won by scores of 116-112, 115-113 Mosley, 115-113 De La Hoya; the fight set a new California state record for gate receipts, nearly nine times larger than the old record set in 1990, and was the second biggest pay-per-view event of all-time for a non-heavyweight fight…
On 1-22-00 in Las Vegas, NV, he TKO’d Willy Wise (24-6-4): Wise was coming off an impressive win against former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez: Shane scored a knockdown in the 1st round, and staggered Wise just before the bell ending the 2nd; Shane scored another knockdown in the 3rd round, and the referee stopped the fight without a count at 2:28…

1999 – on 9-25-99 in Temecula, CA, he knocked out former three-time world title challenger Wilfredo Rivera (30-3-1): Shane built an early lead, but Rivera came on strong in the middle rounds; Shane rallied in the 10th, scored a knockdown with a series of punches, and Rivera was counted out at 2:38; after nine rounds, the fight was scored 88-83, 86-75 Mosley, 86-85 Rivera…
8TH IBF L TITLE WORLD TITLE DEFENSE – on 4-17-99 in Indio, CA, he knocked out John Brown (19-5): Shane dominated the fight; hestaggered Brown in the 8th round, and the fight was stopped after the round; after eight rounds, Shane led by scores of 79-72, 78-74, 78-74…
7TH IBF L TITLE WORLD TITLE DEFENSE – on 1-9-99 in Pensacola, FL, he knocked out Golden Johnson (15-2-2): Shane scored three knockdowns and stopped Johnson at 2:59 of the 7th round, after six rounds, Shane led 60-52 on all three scorecards…

1998 – 6TH IBF L WORLD TITLE DEFENSE – on 11-14-98 in Mashantucket, CT, he TKO’d former WBC jr. lightweight world champion James Leija (37-3-2): Shane dominated the fight; he was penalized one point fow low blows in the 7th round, but scored knockdowns in the 6th, 8th, and 9th rounds, and the referee stopped the fight after the 9th round; Shane led by scores of 89-78, 89-78, 88-79…

5TH IBF L WORLD TITLE DEFENSE – on 9-22-98 in New York he TKO’d previously undefeated Eduardo Morales (26-0): Shane scored a knockdown in the 3rd round; he scored another knockdown in the 5th, and the referee stopped the fight at 2:06; after four rounds, Shane led by scores of 40-35 on all three scorecards…

4TH IBF L WORLD TITLE DEFENSE – on 6-27-98 in Philadelphia, PA, he TKO’d Wilfrido Ruiz (25-3): Shane dominated the fight, wore down Ruiz, and stopped him at 2:32 of the 5th round; after four rounds, Shane led by scores of 40-36 on all three scorecards…

3RD IBF L WORLD TITLE DEFENSE – on 5-9-98 in Atlantic City, NJ, he TKO’d former two-time IBF jr. lightweight world champion John John Molina (45-3): Shane knocked down Molina in the 7th and stopped him at 2:27 of the 8th round; after eight rounds, Shane led by scores of 70-62, 70-62, 68-64…

2ND IBF L WORLD TITLE DEFENSE – on 2-6-98 in Uncasville, CT, TKO’d Demetrio Ceballos (20-1): Shane knocked down Ceballos in the 4th and 8th rounds, and stopped him with a series of punches at 2:34 of the 8th; after seven rounds, Shane led by scores of 70-61, 70-62, 70-62…

1ST IBF L WORLD TITLE DEFENSE – on 11-25-97 in El Paso, TX, he TKO’d Manuel Gomez (16-7): Shane dominated the fight; he scored a knockdown in the 4th round, and stopped Gomez at 1:25 of the 11th; after 10 rounds, Shane led by scores of 99-90 on all three scorecards…

WON IBF L WORLD TITLE – on 8-2-97 in Uncasville he won the title with a 12 round unanimous decision against defending champion Phillip Holiday (31-0), scored 117-111, 116-113, 115-114…

He debuted at the age of 21 on 2-11-93 and went 23-0 before winning the IBF lightweight world title…

AMATEUR, PERSONAL BACKGROUND: Shane started boxing at the age of eight under the guidance of his father, Jack, and had a outstanding amateur career with reportedly 260 amateur fighs (250-10)…he had an amateur win against Oscar De La Hoya at Villa Park Recreation Center in Pasadena: Shane was 12 years old at the time, Oscar was 11…

AMATEUR HIGHLIGHTS:

1992 U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS, Worcester, Massachusetts, 139 pounds: in the semifinals on 6-12-92 he lost a 25-14 decision against Vernon Forrest; Forrest went on to win the WBC-IBF welterweight and WBC super welterweight world titles…

1992 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 139 pounds – GOLD MEDALIST: in the finals on 2-29-92 he won a 24-10 decision against Stevie Johnston; Johnston went on to become a two-time WBC lightweight world champion…

1990 U.S. National Championships, 132 pounds – Gold Medalist…

1989 U.S. National Championships, 132 pounds – Gold Medalist…

STRENGTHS: Has good skills and movement…has good punching power…punches in combinations, a good body puncher…has good stamina…is experienced against top opposition…had a strong amateur background…

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 54 fights…372 total rounds…180 world championship rounds…12 interim world championship rounds…

AVERAGE LENGTH OF BOUTS: 6.8 rounds…

KNOCKOUT PERCENTAGE: 84 %…

DISTANCE FIGHTS: 12 rounds – 12 (5-6-1)…11 rounds – 1 (1-0)…10 rounds – 6 (6-0)…

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