The Man to Beat Floyd Mayweather Jr....

Jeff Pryor takes a look at what it will take to beat Floyd Mayweather, and who might be the man to do it.

Photo © Marty Rosengarten / Ringsidephotos.com

Against a smaller, older, slower, lighter punching man in his last bout, Mayweather looked virtually unbeatable. However like all fighters, he is not invincible.

Even for all his world class athletic attributes there are areas to exploit against Mayweather, it is a credit to his skill and choice in opponents that no fighter he has faced has yet had exactly the right tools to take advantage of the chinks in his armor.

So, what is there to exploit you ask? First off, Floyd pulls straight back. His Fred Astaire feet make him hard to reach and his right glove is usually by his chin... but he pulls straight back. And his left hand is forever dangling at his waist when he does it. The shorter, slower man, with much less reach, Marquez was able to clip him a number of times as Mayweather pulled back.

Secondly Mayweather still allows himself to get caught on the ropes at times. Whether bravado, break taking or a comfort zone, when Floyd's back is on the ropes he is far less effective than when he can escape out the back door and move freely. Marquez landed some of his cleanest blows while Floyd languished on the threads. Delahoya too, was allowed to bang away and score significant blows with Mayweather back on his heels and hemmed in.

Third, his style is almost entirely based on reflex and speed. Those leaping left hooks that first caught Marquez off guard, rarely landed as the fight went on. Juan Manuel didn't have the speed to do more than dodge them once he had the timing figured, but no matter how fast, leaping in with shots like Floyd does is dangerous business and one well timed blow could change a fight seemingly in hand.

Lastly there is the matter of volume. Mayweather is economical and though his speed tends to make opponents think twice about letting their hands go, he can be outworked. The trick is getting that output to land (see above).

With those points in mind, there are several fighters within Mayweathers own weight class who would provide a true litmus test for Mayweathers unbeaten record.

Here we'll run down the most likely suspects:


Manny Pacquiao

Photo © Ray Kasprowicz

Debatably, he isn't even in Mayweather's weight class, yet so dynamic has Pacquiao's rise been that size considerations have been all but written off when it comes to the division hopping Filipino. An explosive combo of power and aggression, with a galvanized skill set, Manny seems to be the odds on favorite to face Mayweather should he get past Cotto.

With hand and foot speed, as well as reflex reaction on par with Mayweather this would be a tight wire tension drill for both men. Pacquiao would have a hard time reaching Mayweather as he pulls back, but he would be able to react and counter, get Floyd on the ropes and get shots in with his frenetic attacks.

Floyd would be able to pick his spots and counter, potshot at times and would strain to keep the fight at his pace, while Manny bounces at him furiously pouncing with a flurry of blows at every available opportunity. The crux of this matchup really would be whether Manny has real power at 147 or if his recent blowouts of Hatton and DeLaHoya were slightly misleading due to the condition of his foes.

If Manny really does pack the punch he seems to, and we'll know for sure after he faces Cotto in November, then this fight pits an absolute offensive monster against an all time defensive master. Somethings gotta give.


Miguel Cotto

Photo © Marty Rosengarten / Ringsidephotos.com

The written off man, it would seem, in the Mayweather sweepstakes. To my mind there is a very good chance for him to beat Pacquiao despite the sports apparent willingness to presume Manny's victory before it's happened. Should he defeat Pacquiao, his widespread Puerto Rican and east coast fan base would likely be enough of a cash cow to lure Mayweather into a bout.

Cotto showed he had hand speed the equal of Mosley in their fight and the skill to outbox him for a majority of the bout. Whether it be brawling or boxing, Cotto's defining trait is that he just has the innate ability to do what it takes to win.

The aforementioned hand speed would give Cotto a good chance to land a significant amount on Floyd, and he is a punishing puncher, particularly to the body, where Floyd has had rib problems. The landscape for Miguel to succeed in this bout would be when he has Floyd on the ropes. Cotto's swarming punches would come in a flurry and he's skilled enough to place them well.

The styles matchup would be less daunting for the Puerto Rican than some of his recent bouts as well. Cotto's weakness would seem to be relentless bigger guys he can't hurt. Floyd certainly isn't relentless. And he isn't going to pressure Cotto in the least. If Cotto could cut off the ring well, he just might be the guy to corral Mayweather and make it ugly for the Pretty Boy.

Antonio Margarito

Photo © Ray Kasprowicz

His wrap scandal aside, Margarito has in the ring business to attend to in order to repair his reputation after his dismantling at the hands of Mosley. Beyond that, Margarito at his best would still pose issues for Floyd. His length would allow him to reach Mayweather on the way out, and his punch output would be impossible for Floyd to match.

Though Mayweather would likely be able to strafe Margarito at will, should the cement headed Mexican be back in full force, this would do little to discourage him. The sheer number of punches Antonio would hurl, would make it likely that a fair amount would batter into Floyd, and Margarito does a good job of cutting off the ring and tracking down opponents.

Floyd would outclass and out speed him, but he wouldn't be able to resist unloading on the easy to hit Margarito at times. And in those moments he has to stand still and punch. Margarito would bomb with him and make it interesting. If there is a head in boxing to crack Floyd's fragile hands Margarito's is surely the one.


Paul Williams

Photo © Ray Kasprowicz

The freakish nature of Paul Williams size almost certainly negates any chance of Floyd ever excepting Williams as an opponent, so I'll keep this short; Williams reach would be a nightmare for Mayweather's usual style.

If Mayweather committed to working inside the giant wingspan of Williams he could find real success, but his comfort zone is on the outside, and Paul's size would allow him to clip Floyd as he pulled out and keep him at bay on the ropes with his long arms.

My guess is Williams never fights at 147 again so this is almost a moot point. Still, Williams presents the type of high risk, low reward challenge Mayweather has never been willing to entertain. In fairness it would be a lot asking Floyd to take this fight. Still, for as highly as Floyd talks of himself, this match-up should be fair game.


Shane Mosley

Photo © Ray Kasprowicz

Probably the most qualified opponent to face Floyd, with probably the best chance to win. His speed may not quite equal "Money's" flashing fists, but it's close enough to do the trick, and behind Mosley's speed there is considerable power. Zab Judah was able to knock Floyd down with a similar combination of attributes and Shane brings more punching prowess to the table. His strength and stamina would tax Floyd in close and his willingness to throw-down would likely force Floyd into exchanging more than he would be comfortable with.

Mosley is a total welterweight package, the likes of which Floyd has never dared to face before. Of the points I outlined above, Mosley would be the one man that could likely take advantage of all of them.

What makes the fight so intriguing however is the fact that Miguel Cotto was able to outbox Mosley in the home stretch of their bout to pull off the win. As good as Mosely's skills are, at times he just wants to fight and that mentality would keep things interesting and open up both great opportunities and liabilities for Mayweather.

Mosley the hunter. Mayweather the elusive potshotter. A great fight and the real matchup to be made at welterweight.


Each of these men has strengths that they could leverage against Mayweather. And each has weaknesses that Floyd could exploit.

The fact is, to beat Floyd Mayweather, you can't just be a great fighter, you've got to have particular attributes that can take advantage of his few weaknesses. You must be able to push the action and make him engage. When he is throwing punches, he is far more available to be hit.

You must have some combination of comparable speed, rangy reach and/or reactive reflexes to counterbalance his own otherworldly athleticism.

You must have a good chin, because he's going to hit you clean and fast at times.

You must be consistent and put in a full fight of indefatigable work.

And you probably need an X-factor. If you're going to do something special, you have to bring something special to the table. Could be unbelievable fortitude and determination, or it could be game changing power, unusual length or matching speed.

Make no mistake, beating Floyd Mayweather is a task that few welterweights on the planet would have any hope of achieving. At best, if we are lucky, one... maybe two, might get the opportunity to take up the challenge.

To many hardcore boxing fans Floyd Mayweather is unbeaten with an asterisk; some feel he flat out lost to Jose Luis Castillo, others feel his handpicked opposition has been the chief factor in his unblemished brocade of victories.

Whatever each individual detractors quibbling preference may be, it would appear that for the man who has proclaimed himself "the greatest of all time", many a fan still feels Mayweather has long avoided readily available challenges that could at least make such self indulgent hyperbole less of an arrogant assertion without merit and into a semi-reasonable, if still self aggrandizing, proclamation.

The point is, if we can feel he's done everything he humanly can to prove he's the best, and succeeded, we can live with him stamping himself with approval. But as there have been multiple tough and worthy fighters he has shied away from in favor of seemingly easier opposition, fans have had a natural backlash.

Mayweather is in the drivers seat and he can go some ways down that road to all time greatness if he wants to. Any of the men listed above would be solid choices as opponents.

There's a good chance for one or more of these fights to get made and with all the factors that go into any bout, it's almost impossible to predict exactly who or how someone may beat Mayweather. It may happen next time out for Money May. It may never happen.

All that most of the sports observers ask is that Floyd challenges himself to be as great as he already claims he is.

The man who has what it takes to beat Mayweather is out there. It may take a special night for this man. It may take a lucky break. Or it may just take an opportunity to step into the ring with him.

He's out there. Whether he gets an opportunity to prove it, with Mayweather's notorious aversion to risk as a barrier, is a question we'll have answered over the relatively short remainder of Floyd's career.

The double edged sword here is that those same men who could snatch his unbeaten record away and upend Mayweather's argument for GOAT ascendency, could also provide the nudge into GOAT-like possibility, should he conquer a few of these worthy challengers available to him.

The truth is, the men to beat Mayweather, should he face them, are also the men who will beat Mayweather should he choose not to. The specter of match-ups avoided could loom larger than a true loss on Mayweather's record as the years go by and with a rogue's gallery of dangerous opponents at hand, failing to rise to meet those challenges is as big a defeat as succumbing in the squared circle.

Floyd Mayweather is so good, he may not lose to Mosley, Pacquiao, Margarito, Cotto or Williams inside the ring were he to fight them, but if he doesn't face down one or two in a prize fight, those men will claim a bigger victory over Mayweather's legacy. Defining it, even in their absence.

e-mail Jeff Pryor Read more!

The Margarito Mess - Ultimately A Judgment Call

Jeff Pryor takes a look at the Antonio Margarito situation.

Photo © Ray Kasprowicz

After much speculation, rumors, mis-information and accusations it appears that while some specific details remain to be divulged, we know now the most important bit of information we needed following the scandalous events leading up to Antonio Margarito's bout with Shane Mosley. The wraps do indeed have traces of the ingredients to make plaster.

The biggest issue now facing the boxing world is what Margarito knew and when he knew it.

On the one hand, if Margarito knew about the destructive substance in his hand wraps, unquestionably he should be banned for life from the sport he's dedicated so much of his life to. Oscar Diaz and Victor Burgos are just two of the more prominent pugilists who could recently vouch for how dangerous the job can be with just a regular old gloved fist bouncing off your noggin.

What is probably needed in this instance is a deep interrogation of all those around Margarito, to try and glean whether or not he seemed to be cognoscente of his surroundings when his hands were being wrapped and if he ever exhibited or said anything that might point to his implicit knowledge of what was being put on his hands.

A prudent commission would also convene a panel of boxers and trainers to provide their experienced knowledge and give their opinions on the likelihood of Margarito being unaware of the contents of his hand wraps. A number of both fighters and trainers; Shane Mosley, Emanuel Steward and Freddie Roach, most notably, have been quoted recently stating that it's possible he might not have known what was happening with the wraps. Others, just as qualified to know, have steadfastly asserted the opposite. Clearly, it's a gray area in which a number of experienced people have varying opinions.

Judging only from my own observations of Margarito through interviews and second hand accounts, it would appear that Margarito falls into that type of fighter who gets in a zone and tunes things out, making it somewhat plausible that he could be oblivious to the dastardly wrapping going on almost literally beneath his nose.

Like an echo from 90 years before, it was said that Jack Dempsey thought his trainer was sprinkling talcum powder on his wraps in preparation for his bout with heavyweight Jess Willard. In a controversy that still remains ambiguous, his trainer later claimed that he had in fact peppered Dempsey's hands with plaster, which ultimately led to Willard's jaw shattering, en-route to a horrendous beating.

Like the black cloud that plagued Dempsey, the fallout of this scandal has already spread to earlier bouts in Margarito's career and the question of just how long this has been going on has begun to ring loudly. Kermit Cintron, two time knockout victim of the "Tijuana Tornado" is eager to write off his losses to this new development, alleging that loaded gloves must have taken his undefeated record from him. It must be said however, that in his most recent bout, Cintron claimed that the devastating punch that Sergio Martinez dropped him with, must have been a headbutt.

The same Sergio Martinez was stopped in seven by Margarito back in 2000, and has flatly stated that Margarito was simply the better man back then, and loaded gloves were no issue. In between these two opposing positions, lies Miguel Cotto, who has remained ominously silent for the majority of the investigation. Though Cotto has shown restraint and class in his handling of the situation, behind the scenes rumblings have him extremely angry and in a development that continues to simmer, it has begun to drive a wedge between he and his promoter, Bob Arum, who has defended Margarito.

Many have pointed to the damage that Cotto's face sustained by the end of his match with Margarito and also to Sebastian Lujan's detaching ear, which stopped his bout with Margarito as the appendage began to tear away from his head from repeated clubbing rights to the head. With these dramatic examples of facial trauma, it is posited that this is evidence of prior misconduct. But if this is the case, one wonders why Paul Williams or Cintron didn't suffer the same disfigurement, should loaded gloves have been in use by team Margarito for an extended period of time. It could be argued that perhaps their skin was simply more resilient... but conversely, it could be argued that Cotto and Lujan's skin is simply less durable, loaded gloves or no. Ultimately these speculations lead only in circles.

In regards to the possibility that loaded gloves were used in Margarito's earlier bouts only one thing is certain, the commissions and opposing trainers all had the opportunity to inspect the wraps and sign off on them. None ever spotted anything unusual, nor raised any voice of caution or concern. Be that as it may, one other certainty may be drawn here, the question of tampering, even with no evidence whatsoever, will always hang over Margarito's earlier accomplishments. A shame in any event for if Margarito knowingly cheated and threw away all of his tremendous work for an insidious advantage it is a terrible pity, but worse, if his sacrifices to boxing have been taken from him by someone he trusted implicitly.

Manny Steward is quoted in next months issue of The Ring with his opinion, and seems dubious as to the likelihood of prior illegalities. “I doubt Margarito has done this in the past; he’s fought in all of the biggest states with the best commissions, so I find it hard to believe he’d get away with it for this long."

Looking into Margarito's past and trying to determine what effect loaded gloves may or may not have had on his rise to the top of the welterweight division is something that will be argued over and speculated on for years to come. More pressing is the issue of what exactly Margarito's future will entail.

Currently serving a one year suspension by the California State Athletic Commission, which for all intents and purposes locks him out of American boxing into the year 2010, Margarito faces a difficult stretch. Talk of a bout in Mexico has been met with mixed reaction from fans and the boxing establishment. Such a bout may alienate the American Commissions who would feel that Promoter Arum and Margarito are circumventing their ruling, and perhaps making a speedy reinstatement after one year less likely.

Margarito's wild card, may be the support of Freddie Roach, with whom there has been preliminary discussions of a future partnership. Roach brings an integrity and reputation that would go far to put a continuation of Margarito's career in a positive light. Few take the cruelties of the sport more seriously than Roach, who has been dealt a tough lot, dealing with Parkinson's disease brought on by the damage he took as a professional prize fighter. Few too, would be able to speak to the severity of Margarito's offenses and ensure that under his watch there would be zero possibility of future indiscretions.

In fact this is a chief reason why it's not much of a risk to reinstate Margarito, should the commission be reasonably certain he wasn't aware of the wrongdoings; from here on out, all eyes will be glued to the wrapping process of Margarito's hands. With such attention it would be impossible and incredibly foolhardy to ever again attempt any kind of tampering.

Roach has spoken with Margarito about the situation and came away from the conversation with an emotional Margarito, believing him. He feels that Margarito is a stand up guy and sincere in his assertion that he didn't know what was going on with the wraps. One gets the sense, from watching his career journey, that Margarito is indeed a sincere, hardworking guy. Which is why this whole thing has been all the more troubling.

There are no easy answers. Slapping a lifetime ban on Margarito would be easy, but imagine if he truly did not know what his trainer was up to. Simply reinstating him after a year wouldn't address the possibility that he was an active part of the devious scheme. Clearly more investigation is needed, before a final decision is rendered.

As with much in boxing, all this is ultimately going to come down to a judgment call. Like a controversial split decision, there will certainly be some fans displeased no matter what the outcome.

For Margarito it must be a frightening and stress filled time. Only he knows exactly how much of that hardship he deserves. He has the advantage of knowing the black and white of it, the guilt and the innocence. The rest of us must wade through the gray area to decide if a seemingly good guy, knowingly did an unforgivable thing.

e-mail Jeff Pryor
Read more!

The Body Snatchers

Michael Nelson takes a look at the best in the business at working the body.

"Body shot!" screamed a gleeful Nate Campbell, immediately after catching Almazbek Raiymkulov with an uppercut to the solar plexus as Raiymkulov was lunging in.

Almazbek, otherwise known as Kid Diamond, draped his arms around Campbell. After referee Brian Garry separated the two combatants, Kid Diamond turned his back on Campbell as if looking for a way out the ring. Upon being told to turn around, the normally aggressive Raiymkulov was chased around the ring for several seconds before the HBO commentators started postulating on what was wrong with him.

Unnoticed by most of the observers watching the bout, the sneaky shot to the body in the 5th round silently turned a boxing clinic into a frightening beating. Kid Diamond was knocked down twice before the bell sounded to end the 5th, and was tormented throughout the remainder of the fight before it was finally stopped on another body shot with 45 seconds left in the final round.

It's a story familiar to the game's elite body punchers. To them, body punching isn't simply an investment for the later rounds that may or may not pay dividends. A well placed body punch can instantly change a fight, if not end it outright. Despite the numerous idioms, ('kill the body, the head will follow'), body punching is an understated art form, and describes one of the more difficult styles for an opponent to overcome.

In no particular order, here is a list of fighters who have mastered the ability to knock the air out of his challenger:

Nate Campbell (pictured left against Ali Funeka) – Among the most prolific body punchers in the game, Campbell's Valentine's Day bout against Funeka was slipping away from him going into the 10th round. The momentum was securely with Funeka and Nate looked as if he had nothing left in between rounds.

But, a rededicated body attack slowed down the surging Funeka enough to land a looping right hand to the temple in the 11th and drop him. Ultimately, Campbell's rally in the championship rounds saved him the fight, and perhaps his career.

Although a hook to the liver is generally the most effective body punch a fighter can possess, Campbell's slashing right hands to the left lumbar and right uppercuts to the sternum are just as jolting as his left hooks.

(photo © Scott Foster)

Antonio Margarito – Yes, there are those who believe speculation that Margarito has been loading his gloves throughout his career should preclude him from any 'best of' list. But until further evidence comes to light on what exactly was on those wraps, and what he used in previous bouts, I'm not subscribing to such theories. As it stands, Antonio is a phenomenal body puncher.

I've never seen a Margarito fight in which he wasn't consistent in his dedication towards breaking his opponent down to the body. That's something I can't say about any other fighter on this list. Expertly using his long arms to snap left hooks around his foe's elbows, he mixes in uppercuts to the middle of the abdomen to create a varied and devastating attack.

Miguel Cotto – Cotto has the most potent left hook to the liver in boxing today, bar none. The list of opponents he has effectively taken out with a single body shot is staggering. The amount he throws, however, has diminished as the level of his competition increased within the welterweight division. His neglect of body work proved to be a vital error in his TKO loss to Antonio Margarito last summer.

Shane Mosley – The vitriolic nature of Mosley's body work when he was a lightweight cannot be overstated. His bullheaded efforts towards destroying a man's midsection were notorious in both the ring and the gym. And he was powerful enough to not only end a fight with one punch, but hurt opponents with six inch punches to the ribs while inside a clinch.

Simply put, Mosley was the best body puncher I've ever seen.

But as he moved up in weight to fight bigger men, he became more easily discouraged from attacking the body. Before his bout with Ricardo Mayorga last year, many thought he would follow the blueprint that Felix Trinidad, who hurt Mayorga every time he went to the body, laid before him. Curiously, his body attack against Ricardo was nowhere to be found.

Mosley reinstated himself as perhaps the best in boxing with his 9 round destruction of Antonio Margarito last month. Using his quickness to sting Margarito with hard counter punches to the abdomen, and his strength to muscle Margarito to the ropes and blast him downstairs, Mosley showed that with a renewed confidence in his body attack, nobody his size should be a prohibitive favorite over him.

Ricky Hatton – Hatton's style is unique. Using underrated speed of foot, he darts in between his opponent's punches to get inside. He then grapples with him, using his strength to push him into a position that leaves his liver exposed for a left hook. Jose Luis Castillo caught wind of this maneuver the hard way, receiving a liver shot that put an end to his career as a six figure pugilist. Hatton remains the only person to put the iron-willed Castillo down for the ten count.

Hatton's thudding shots beneath the rib cage should make Manny Pacquiao nervous. It will be fascinating to see how Pacquiao deals with them.

Other body punch specialists include Israel Vasquez, Juan Urango, Juan Diaz, Alfredo Angulo, Chad Dawson, and Robert Guerrero.

e-mail Michael Nelson
Read more!

Thoughts On Margarito Suspension

by Lee Payton

The disciplinary hearing for Antonio Margarito was held today. It's now official that there was a hardened pad inserted on top of the knuckles, as well as a "foreign substance" found in the hand wraps he attempted to wear for his fight with Shane Mosley, on January 24.

During the hearing, Margarito's trainer, Javier Capetillo, took the blame, saying that he accidentally inserted the pad. That he took the blame and lost his right to work corners came as no surprise to anyone.

What did come as a bit of a surprise was the commission's decision to suspend the former champion for at least a year. This devastating blow makes the shocking loss to Mosley even harder to swallow for Team Margarito.

While we don't know what the foreign substance was, I think it's safe to assume it wasn't applied to make Margarito's punches any softer. The results of the testing will be made public sometime next month. I sincerely hope it doesn't turn out as badly as I think it might.

We do know that Capetiilo is directly responsible for attempting to load his fighter's gloves. When a trainer gets caught doing something as vile as he did, how can you allow him to work again? He has to be gone for good, as far as I'm concerned.

Of course, now that Tony's chief second has admitted cheating, it's natural to wonder just how much the fighter knew about what was going on. As a professional boxer since his teen years, he knows what a legal wrap looks and feels like. It seems unlikely that he had no idea about anything, though we'll probably never be sure about how wise he was to what was going on.

Perhaps there is room to plead ignorance on the issue of the illegal pad. The commission's inspector noticed that there was an old blood spot on the pad, which could indicate that it was used regularly, or had been used before. Maybe they used it sparring. If using the was part of the routine, maybe it's possible that he thought nothing of it. Uh...right?

The illegal substance that was found is harder to explain. But as mentioned earlier, we are still in the dark as to what that was.

The questions surrounding Antonio Margarito's career will dominate his legacy as a fighter and a man. That's a disappointing reality, because Tony was a respected champion, and those who know him always speak very highly of his character. The reputation he built as a pure fighter has been disgraced.

What do you think of this mess?

e-mail Lee Payton Read more!

Sugar Shane Is Back!

by Lee Payton

Sugar Shane Mosley assured himself a place in the Hall Of Fame last night at Staples Center with a shockingly brutal thrashing of the consensus top welterweight in the world, Antonio Margarito. It was the kind of complete beating that left many wondering if the now former champ would ever be able to fight on this level again. Even with everything Mosley has accomplished during a glorious career, his 9th round TKO of the game Mexican may go down as his greatest achievement.

Margarito was supposed to be too young, too strong, too active and too tough for the old man, who was coming off an uneven performance against Ricardo Mayorga, in which he saved the evening by scoring a last second (literally) knockout. At 37 yeard old, it seemed to most like the end was near for the fearless pro from Pomona. He was up against some heavy odds and there were many that were actually fearing for his health going into the fight. Mosley showed that not only is he the better athlete, but also the more powerful man.

He did things to Margarito that most thought would be impossible. Part of the fight plan was obviously to use his edge in strength to bully Tony around in the clinch and force him back to break up the forward momentum that Margarito depends on. It also messed up his rhythm, and was the main reason why he could never get close to throwing the amount of punches he needed in order to win the fight. In my opinion, Shane had already won half the battle by implementing this strategy. The rest was up to Shane's fists.

The vast gap in overall speed and power decided the winner on this night. Mosley consistently beat Margarito to the punch with quick jabs and powerful overhand rights that bounced off his head. Whenever The Tijuana Tornado was able to get inside, his work was erased by bombs that got a reaction from the crowd.

Shane was so dominant that you could make a case for him winning the first 7 rounds. Margarito bravely came forward, but ate something huge everytime he got something going. By the 6th, the lethal shots to the body that Shane had been whacking him with, were starting to show. He had been softened up enough that his thick legs were starting to sag and his spirit began to dwindle. He was clearly getting more than he expected from the old timer.

To his credit, the scrappy Margarito came out for the 7th and may have taken it, but he was still being punished with powerful blows that snapped his head back violently. Something had to give eventually.

It was more of the same in the 8th round until Margarito started to grind his way inside, with just over a minute to go. Shane seemed annoyed at the little spurt and responded with a vicious right to the ribs that doubled Margarito over. Sensing that he had a wounded man in front of him, Mosley's killer instinct kicked in and he went for the finish.

At this point, the Mexican fighter could no longer defend himself, as he was blasted with a series of overhand rights. With 10 seconds left in the round, Mosley pounced on his prey again, landing a couple of perfect left hooks to go with three hard rights that put Margarito down. He rose on rubber legs and walked drunkenly back to his corner.

In these desperate moments, Antonio Margarito showed what kind of mans he is. He begged his corner not to stop the fight with him on his stool. They reluctantly honoured his request and one terrifying assault later, his night was finished. Sugar Shane had done the impossible.

With this monumental win, Mosley grabs another title belt, guarantees himself a place in Canastota, moves up on the pound-for-pound lists, and sets himself up for some lucrative opportunities in the future. Big money fights with Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, Manny Pacquiao and maybe even Floyd Mayweather, are now serious possibilities.

37 year old welterweights are not supposed to be able to do what Shane Mosley just did. Margarito earned his reputation as one of the toughest guys in the sport, and Shane made him look rather ordinary. What you have to remember about Shane is that he is a gym rate. He lives a healthy lifestyle and is extremely competitive. 37 for him is 32 for most fighters because of his professional approach to boxing. He's a true throwback who would be right at home in any era.

On a personal level, January 24, 2009 will go down as the most satisfying night of my boxing life. Holyfield's taming of Tyson was special in it's own way, but I was too young to have witnessed The Real Deal's entire career. I first saw Shane in 1997 and he has been "my guy" ever since.

It hasn't always been easy. There was a period of time where his magic seemed lost, and I've had my fill of people trying to convince me that he was over the hill for the last few years, but Sugar Shane never stopped working so I never stopped believing.

When all is said and done, Shane Mosley will be remembered as a very special fighter. It's his rare combination of determination, grit, discipline, fighting spirit and athletic firepower that makes him one of the most accomplished and respected warriors of his time. And he's on top of the world, once again.

- Lee Payton e-mail
Read more!

Predictions For Margarito vs Mosley

You can expect fireworks when current champ, Antonio Margarito takes on former 3 division champ, Sugar Shane Mosley at a sold out Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Tijuana Tornado is a solid favourite to come out on top, but the older man should not be counted out. He's got his own set of advantages over the hard-charging Mexican, and will be looking to make them count in what should be a real battle of wills.

A few of The Boxing Bulletin's writers chose to weigh-in with their thoughts on this significant welterweight showdown, and the result was an interesting mixture of opinions.


Mosley brings a lot of things to the table that will trouble Margarito. He can match Tony in toughness and strength while having a significant advantage in speed. It really comes down to how much Shane has left in his legs for 36 minutes of warfare.

I expect Shane to come out blazing and take the early rounds. Margarito will work his way back into the fight and I see it even after eight.From there both men will dig deep into their unlimited reserves. I really want to pick Mosley as i can see him winning this, but I think age will leave him just short in the championship rounds. Margarito by UD. 7-5 or 8-4 in another excellent welterweight fight.

-Mark Lyons


Margarito will win this fight by UD. I see a score of 9-3. This is really a battle between a grinder and a fast handed slugger. Neither guy has one punch power and both guys have anvils for chins. But it seems obvious that Margarito will win due to his volume punching and his ability to move forward continually. Shane can only fight in spurts these days and when he does he can be effective, but it won't be enough to win many rounds even if the fight is quite exciting. If we're really lucky this might turn into a body punching extravangza. Unless fame has softened Margarito up, I don't see how Shane wins this fight. And I will say Margarito has the kind of style that requires absolute dedication for it be successful, but I don't think he'd risk losing the fame he worked so hard to build up.

-John Vaci


I've always been a Mosley fan. I've cheered for him in all of his fights and will cheer for him again on Saturday night. Only this will be the first time I'll go in thinking he's got almost no chance. He just doesn't have enough left to keep the fight where he needs it to be. He's still got hand speed, but it's one at a time speed, and his legs won't carry him the way they'll need to. He's in with an opponent that brings the kind of relentless intensity that can make an older fighter show his age. As the rounds go by, he'll start getting bullied to the ropes, and he'll slowly get worked. It won't happen immediately, but as the grind of the fight moves into the later rounds, we'll see the battle become gradually more one-sided. I think Shane is tough enough to see the final bell, but he's not winning.

-Andrew Fruman.


I'm going with Sugar Shane, and not just because he's been my guy for over 10 years now. I think he can win this fight. Fights are not fought on paper, but I think some are minimizing Shane's advantages while blowing up Margarito's. The fact is, he's fighting a guy who matches him in many of the key ares Tony can usually count on having the edge, like chin, strength, determination and size. That leaves him as the guy who throws more punches, but I think Shane will stand his ground, which has always messed with Margarito's output.

Tony is a come forward fighter, and if you can disrupt that with the threat of speed and power, as well as clinching here and there, you've have won half the battle. I see Shane's athletic advantage as the decider. He has a pretty potent, offense himself. I see this fight as offense vs offense between to hard men. In this case I'll take the sharper, faster, harder hitter, who can mix it up a bit with some defense.

Mosley guts out a tough fight. His speed and more memorable power shots are the difference to the judges who award him the close decision win. Shane goes 2-0 at Staples.

-Lee Payton Read more!

Sugar Shane Can Win, And Here's How... Part 2

by Lee Payton

Shane Mosley will attempt to make history this Saturday night, when he enters the ring with relentless Mexican fighting machine, Antonio Margarito, who is seen as the #1 welterweight in the world. The Tijuana Tornado is in the middle of a scary prime, and he is a prohibitive favourite to prevail, but Sugar Shane has never backed down from anyone.

In part 1, we examined the last time these two men were between the ropes. We also touched on their fighting reputations, and came to the conclusion that this fight will be something new and could be something special. In part 2 we'll take a closer look at how they stack up against each other and discuss some of the intangibles that Shane might be able to take advantage of on fight night.

© 2008 Ray Kasprowicz

Now for the physical ingredients. Here is a list of some important categories, and who I think holds the edge in each.

Age- Advantage Margarito. He's 30 to Shane's 37. Not much can be argued there. I'll just say that Shane is a dedicated prize fighter, who is always in shape. Tony is a similar kind of gym rat, but he has taken more than his share pf punches over a hard career, and you never know when that can show up.

Size- Even. Some would say that Antonio is bigger, but I disagree. Sure, Mosley boiled his body down to lightweight, but he was really a welterweight during his reign. Both are 147 lbers who have dabbled in the jr middleweight division. They are also basically eye to eye.

Power- Mosley has the bigger single shot. Margarito can also punch, but not quite as hard.

Hand Speed- Mosley, without a doubt.

Foot Speed- Mosley again, though he plants his feet most of the time these days.

Body Punching- Margarito goes there more often these days. His commitment to the ribs may bring out some of Mosley's best work downstairs.

Chin and Durability- Even. There is titanium in the jaws of both men.

Output- Margarito. Though I don't think he'll be allowed to get to the number he prefers as often as he has in the past.. I trust that he'll throw more punches than Shane in every round, or close to it.

Stamina- Margarito throws more punches so I'll give it to him. Both have done great work late in fights.

Defence- Mosley. Fitting that this category is listed last, as both warriors are offensive-minded fighters, but Shane can slip slower shots when he wants to so the edge goes to him. It's quick fighters that have hit him most in the past.

The score is 4-4-2. The fight looks a lot closer than Shane getting beat up and stopped late now, doesn't it?

Sometimes you can correctly pick a winner by recognizing what the fighters typically depend on to win, Then you can decide whether they are likely to find what they are looking for this time around.

Margarito depends on being bigger, stronger, tougher and not only outworking his opponent, but being the much busier fighter. It also helps if the guy can't take his punch over the short or long haul.

In this case, he's not bigger, stronger or tougher. Those are a wash. He will be the busier fighter, but as we covered earlier, Shane can do some things to keep him from achieving his desired activity level, like taking advantage of clinches, getting off first, and moving here and there to set up pot shots. In order to negate the flashier fighter's best work, I think Tony probably wants to be throwing about 90 punches a round, and I just don't think he'll get there in 6 or more of the 12 rounds this time. His opponent is a very tough customer, so erasing a solid lead with a stoppage will probably not be an option. He's going to have to start and finish fast this time.

Mosley depends on being faster than his opponent. These days, he needs their cooperation in there as well, because his mature legs don't like chasing movers. He prefers to bite down and fight it out, so quick cuties also annoy him. He's at his best against slower guys who will either stand in front or come to him all night. The tricky part is that Antonio Margarito comes as hard as anyone in the sport and too much pressure can bring out age in a hurry.

It looks like Shane's speed might be the telling advantage, so far.

Some would insist that Margarito is a better fighter in close and Mosley would be playing into his hands by standing his ground, but I think he can take advantage of some of the openings Tony leaves when he goes on the offensive. When he lets go, he typically does it with both hands and because of this, his face out there to be hit. If Shane stays in there, he can line up bombs that should wow the judges and those in attendance. There really is a lot of time and space to launch between those punches and the older man should still have the speed to get there.

The fact that Shane actually has a real boxing guy heading up his corner for this one could also boost his chances of pulling off the upset. Naazim Richardson knows his boxing and was the lead man for Bernard Hopkins when he undressed both Antonio Tarver and Kelly Pavlik. I'm sure that they studied enough tape and have come up with a realistic fight plan that the two believe in.

Mosley may also be the hungrier fighter that night. He wanted to make this fight more than Margarito did and it's been awhile since he was on top. He's intensely competitive, so I expect him to lay it all on the line. I expect both men to be at their best.

With all that said, I'm going on record as picking Shane Mosley by very close decision, though I do think a draw is a very real possibility. It might even be worth throwing a few bucks on. I don’t believe that he is as far gone as many others, nor do I think Margarito is just going to overwhelm him. Suggesting that there might be a knock out or a stoppage seems almost preposterous, in my opinion. This is a 12 round fight if ever there was one.

When all is said and done, Sugar Shane Mosley will have earned a decision over the top welterweight in the world by fighting his fight. He's not going to stick and move or stink out the joint by holding excessively. It's not in him. He's going to make his weapons matter most on this one important night. It will be close and hard-fought, but Shane will have put just enough sugar in Margarito's gas tank to beat him to the finish line.

Lee Payton
prodigious1@hotmail.com
Read more!

Sugar Shane Can Win, And Here's How... Part 1

by Lee Payton

Sugar Shane Mosley has won world titles at 135, 147 and 154 lbs, he’s a future hall of famer, and was once regarded as the best fighter in the world, but when he takes on Antonio Margarito, he'll be facing the number 1 welterweight as a heavy underdog. Bookies have set the line as high as 4-1 against Shane, based mostly on his age (37) and the fact that he lost a close decision to Miguel Cotto, who was just stopped in 11 rounds by the Tijuana Tornado.

I have a few problems with the conventional wisdom surrounding this particular fight and so I am going to try to present a strong case for a Mosley victory on Jan. 24.

Photo © Ray Kasprowicz

Boxing fans often make the mistake of looking at the fighters' most recent battle and picking a winner based on who looked better. It's not a terrible general rule, but there are many things to consider before one can really determine how significant that factor will be.

For instance, was it a case of a bad style match-up? Was it a case of the challenger being better than he was on any other night? I also think that it's quite important to remember that these guys are human beings and therefore it is impossible for them to be 100% all the time or look like gold every time out. Fighters have off nights.

Let's look back on the last time these two were in a ring and see if we can find anything that directly relates to this fight.

Margarito was in the fight of his life with Cotto and was obviously inspired for the long-awaited occasion. He used his advantages in size and durability to walk down the Puerto Rican star until his man had nothing left. It was a massive win and he deserves all the acclaim he has received for fighting his heart out like that. Still, that style might suit him better than Shane's considering Miguel was moving back all night, only stopping to defend himself. Cotto allowed Tony to get into his rhythm by doing his work and then going off to the races again. It must have done wonders for Margarito's confidence to have taken his opponent's best and then be chasing him again a second later.

Shane will almost certainly stand his ground more and try to use his speed to get off first in order to mess with that rhythm. Another way Shane can break up the forward momentum is by clinching after he gets off, or whenever he is feeling uncomfortable. The two bodies will be coming together naturally quite a bit because of the styles anyway. It's up to the old man to take advantage of them, like his partner, the even older Bernard Hopkins, has done in his later years.

One more advantage Mosley has over Cotto is durability. He is a much more difficult guy to hurt, and has proven his granite chin throughout his career, only being in real danger one time in 50 fights. Tony will not be able to stun the iron man from Pomona with the same type of stuff, which makes a stoppage extremely unlikely.

Now let's have a gander at Shane's last fight. He engaged in a sloppy little slugfest with Nicaraguan former welterweight champion, Ricardo Mayorga. The two swung big between periods of inactivity and it was surprisingly even through 11 rounds. Then, in the last minute of the 12th, Mosley broke through with some slamming shots to the jaw of his wild adversary that finally put him down. After taking an 8 count and rising, Mayorga was knocked flat by a single left hook, one second before the final bell.

It was a memorable finish to a forgettable fight. Most fans expected the classier fighter to toy with the flawed brawler before blasting him out, and when it didn't happen, Shane had to be finished. No consideration given to the awkward style match-up, or to the idea that El Matador had actually got himself into decent shape.

I think assuming Mosley will lose based on those two fights is a mistake because none of the 4 fighters mentioned are anything alike.

Mayorga is unconventional, deceptively quick and swings for the homerun with every shot.

Margarito is conventional, relatively slow, and usually throws in combination.

Cotto is quick of hand and foot, can fight attacking or countering and keeps his hands high on defence. He got the decision over Mosley using tools that the Tijuana Ticker-Tester doesn't have.

Shane has fast hands and usually wins fights with power punching and athleticism.

So can we all agree that their most recent fights have nothing to do with this one, other than to state that Margarito is indeed closer to his prime? Great!

Tomorrow I'll analyze the physical tools each fighter brings to the dance, determine who holds what specific advantages and what it all means. I'll also be going on record with a prediction.

Read Part 2


Lee Payton
prodigious1@hotmail.com Read more!

Betting On Boxing - Margarito vs Mosley

Our in-house betting expert, Michael Nelson, gives his thoughts on the Margarito-Mosley fight taking place next Saturday night. It's a difficult fight to handicap as both fighters are tough, determined professionals who are sure to swap a lot of leather. Read on for his opinion on how to maximize your cash.


Shane Mosley vs. Antonio Margarito

Betting line - Margarito: -500 Mosley: +350
My adjusted line - Margarito: -300 Mosley: +240
Hot prop - Over 10 1/2 rounds: -140

Needless to say, this is an intriguing match-up. Mosley is quicker and more experienced than anyone Margarito has faced. But more importantly, he might be the most durable opponent Margarito has encountered (although Joshua Clottey and Paul Williams have
extraordinary chins as well). The main question going in is how well Shane Mosley will remain intact under the blistering pressure the Tijuana Tornado is forecasted to bring. Simply well enough to survive? Or well enough to win crucial rounds during the final
stretch?

Body punching is key in resolving that question. Antonio Margarito may possess the most intense body attack we've seen since... well, a young Shane Mosley. Mosley will have to deal with a cocktail of uppercuts to the sternum, right hands to the rib cage, and left hooks to the liver that he's not accustomed to dealing with. On the flip side, while Mosley's lack of commitment to the body against Mayorga was disappointing, he's still very dangerous when he has his mind set on putting in work downstairs. It should also be noted that on close review of Antonio's fight with Sebastian Lujan, Lujan briefly doubled Margarito up a few times in the early going. Mosley's new trainer Naazim Richardson is a notorious liver shot lover (listen to him scream for a body shot right before Bernard Hopkins KO'd De La Hoya). It could stand to reason that he's training Shane to do what I feel is his best shot: rip into Antonio's midsection, early and often.

Another fact that you have to consider is how much clinching and wrestling Mosley has initiated in recent years. The Collazo, Cotto, and Mayorga bouts all had its fair share of grappling. Antonio's strengths lie in beating opponents into disfigurement on the inside, but expect Mosley's newfound tendency to clinch to at least partially neutralize that. It should play a large role in his preservation for the last half of the fight.

Shane's still an elite, superbly conditioned athlete, as evident by his last second knockout of Mayorga. But it's hard not to notice that Shane, now in his mid-thirties, has become increasingly tired during the final quarter of his fights as he has gotten older. For that reason, I see Margarito taking a hold of the fight after an evenly contested 7-8 rounds to win a hard decision. Look for Mosley to gut out the last round and make things close.

My recommendation: In all likelihood, this is a grueling 12 round affair. Double down on the over. Read more!