Mosley Prepares for Feb 8 Clash With Marquez

28.01 - At 31 years old, "Sugar" Shane Mosley is right where he wants to be as he prepares for his jump to the junior middleweight division against former 154-pound champion Raul Marquez at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 8. In fact, he has some sweet company on his side as he prepares to make history by chasing after a title in a third weight class.

* In his 31st year, the legendary "Sugar" Ray Robinson moved up from the welterweight divison and won the middleweight crown by defeating Jake LaMotta in 1951.

* A month before his 31st birthday, another boxing legend, "Sugar" Ray Leonard, shocked the world when he moved up to the middleweight division and beat Marvin Hagler to win the 160-pound title in 1987.

And in his own quest to be today's best as well as to go down in history as one of the premier "Sugars", Shane Mosley is prepared to not only beat Marquez on February 8, but to move on to some marquee fights in 2003 and 2004.

"I enjoy fighting the big fights because they’re meaningful and they’re the fights the fans want to see," said Mosley, 38-2 with 35 KOs. "I enjoy having the fans happy and satisfied after the fight, walking away and going home saying, ‘that was a great fight.’ That’s what my enjoyment is."

Against Marquez, 34-2 with 23 KOs, a warrior who is looking to pull the upset, Mosley knows he will have his hands full, and that means the fans will see action. "Raul is not going to back down from me," said Mosley. "And I'm looking forward to the fight because I know he's coming to win. It's my job to stop him. That's what makes a great fight"

Great fights are what the Hall of Fame "Sugars", Robinson and Leonard, were all about. The latest to proudly hold the "Sugar" name, Shane Mosley, wants to carry on that legacy, and he has the chance to do so in the talent-rich 154-pound class, where quality fighters like De La Hoya, Vargas, and Wright all ply their trade.

"All the Sugars showed a lot of class and a lot of heart, and they fought not only to be the best, but for the fans’ enjoyment," said Mosley. "Most importantly, they loved the sport. And so do I."