Sugar Shane Mosley, who today celebrates his 50th birthday, enjoyed many great nights in the ring; he scored many great victories, and Mosley, who proved he was most deserving of holding the most exalted nickname in the sport, won numerous world titles. Yet Mosley, when he was closing in on the final years of his illustrious career, came oh, so close to pulling off what would no doubt have been ranked as his biggest, most shocking win.
Mosley – who smashed the living daylights out of Antonio Margarito for perhaps his most satisfying ring victory – is perhaps the only man who ever came truly close to flattening Floyd Mayweather Jr. It was back in May of 2010 when Mosley, pushing the age of 40 and having accomplished so much in the ring (wins over Oscar De La Hoya, a long reign as lightweight champion), cracked Mayweather, perhaps the finest defensive fighter of his era, not once but twice – this in a hectic round that had everyone screaming.
I’ll never forget it. It was a genuine, ‘jump up from the couch’ moment (or, if you were there live, a ‘jump from your ringside seat’ moment). Mosley blasted and tested Mayweather’s chin two times in the second round of their big fight. For a split-second or two, after Mosley’s second right hand had slammed into Floyd’s hitherto seemingly all but untouchable chin, it looked as though “Money” was headed for a spectacular fall. It didn’t happen. Instead, showing his own greatness, Mayweather soaked it up, regrouped, and then came back to largely dominate the remainder of the fight.
But ask yourself this: how truly great would Mosley be looked at today if he had scored the KO he looked, for a few fleeting seconds, to be on the verge of scoring? Ask yourself another question: what if a Mayweather had met a prime Shane Mosley? Would the blindingly fast Sugar have been able to close the show on Mayweather? We will never know.
Mosley was a special fighter. He took risks, he never ducked or dodged anyone (two fights with Vernon Forrest, the same with the criminally avoided Winky Wright), and for a while, his awesome speed of hand was like nothing you have ever seen.
Mosley might have fallen short in the biggest fight of his career, but he sure gave us some special nights and fights all the same. And through some 61 fights, Mosley was stopped just one time. At his best, Mosley really could do it all.
Floyd turned down a few fights that he probably could of lost but we would never know
Floyd turned down a few fights
Floyd turned down a few fights that if he would of fought would of went either way but we would never know
Floyd turned down a bunch of fights also
Big fan of
F Mosley if he were younger it may have been a closet fight. Salute
Sugar Ray Robinson was a machine and boxing artist stop comparing Mayweather to him it’s an insult to the great Sugar Ray Robinson .
Money is the greatest pound for pound boxer in boxing history! Period! He beat the hell out of everyone he ever faced, especially Canelo. Stop with the nonsense.
Floyd is not the greatest pound for pound. Sugar Ray Robinson is. Floyd is the greatest fighter of this generation. He’s also the best business man the boxing world has ever seen. Sugar Shane Mosley is a great fighter but he’s not on Mayweather’s level. He would’ve given Mayweather a good fight in his prime but he still would have lost.
Right…. that’s so disrespectful to Shane and to make it worst, talking about him almost defeating Floyd meanwhile you rather got a pic of Canelo punching him.
Your so stupid and unprofessional 🤮
I was thinking the same thing! He could have at least shown the pic of him punching Floyd Mayweather since that was what the subject of the article is. This person is inconsiderate.
This isn’t honorable at all. You sound more like you’re trying to be vengeful towards mayweather than actually respecting and reflecting on Mosley’s greatness.
Shane didnt want the fight on his prime.
Shane didn’t want the fight when he was in his prime.
Miguel cotto gives Mayweather a great figth also but he run out of gas but Mayweather definitely top ten boxers of all time.
Floyd. Beat. Paxman, shane,hatton,marquez,Marquez, he whipped on the new so called pound for pound king,marshmello canelo..
Yeah… back when he wasn’t at his peak yet
Why would you show a picture of Mosley getting hit by Canelo Alvarez in an article honoring him?
Same thing i thought
Bull. DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley was the one who hurt Floyd and almost got him out if there. Immediately, after their fight Floyd hired Chop Chop ad a sparring partner.
Floyd has to have sum of the biggest corns on his heels fighting off the back of his feet all those years. And de la hoya would’ve beat Mosley if he wasn’t all juiced up
Big heel spurs and only reverse run run marathon
it’s interesting talks about this 50 mark threshold and yet Chavez Sr was over 88-0 before he began to loose! I love Floyd Mayweather but his 50th mark is not, not even close to the greatest of all time so please stop such comparisons because it’s childish talks.
The two best fighters were Aaron Pryor and Sweet Pea Whitaker…whom are never mentioned as the greats!
Chavez, was fighting a bunch of cab drivers.
Which is undefeated 80 and 1 or 50 and 0 it doesn’t matter he should have stopped fighting at 80 and 0
Please stop talking about what he almost did. He never did it. Everyone gets caught in boxing sometime in their career. Comes with the territory. Oh and Shane did duck Floyd early in his career (loosy goosy tooth) He was desperate at the end of his career to get a bag.
Damm Patna youse all on mayweathers Nuttsack
Facts , Floyd turned down the fight earlier in both of there careers look it up.