Roy Jones Junior is not the only once great boxing master refusing to call it quits. Former three-weight king “Sugar” Shane Mosley, a fighter cut from similar cloth to the great the Jones, has another fight scheduled at age 45. Last seen dropping a decision to David Avanesyan in May of last year, Mosley, 49-10-1(41) is scheduled to face 10-0 Russian prospect/contender Magomed Kurbanov in Ekaterinburg on May 5th.
As was the case with Jones, Mosley is also heading to Russia as he attempts to defy both Father Time and the critics. Kurbanov, who has won eight of his pro bouts by stoppage, is just 21-years-old and he has never before faced anyone of Mosley’s class at pro level. The May fight will contest the WBO Inter-Continental strap at 154 pounds and it’s anyone’s guess what type of fight we are be in store for. Mosley has retained some of his skills, as well as plenty of the heart and courage that helped him become a truly special fighter in the 1990s and 2000s.
While Kurbanov, an amateur standout, has boxed all 10 of his pro fights at home, yet he has faced just five fighters who entered the ring with winning records. It’s possible Mosley, with what he has left, outboxes the man 24 years his junior. Of course, it’s also possible youth is served and Mosley gets beaten for an eleventh time. Mosley has been stopped just once throughout his long (pro since 1993) and illustrious career, so a Kurbanov KO seems unlikely.
Still, what does Mosley really gain from a win, if he can score one? “Sugar” Shane, like Jones, loves to fight. It’s a pity how the classy Pomona star appears to not know what else to do with his life but carry on chasing past glories in the ring. It would be one awful shame if the man who beat the likes of Oscar De La Hoya (twice), Antonio Margarito, John John Molina, Philip Holiday and others became a journeyman/stepping stone. If he hasn’t already.