16.12.05 – By Travis Marks: Eastsideboxing.com recently caught up with former IBF lightweight, WBC welterweight and WBC/WBA super welterweight champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley. Shane was at a press conference that was being held at Gallagher’s Steakhouse in midtown Manhattan to promote his upcoming super fight against former WBA/IBF super welterweight champion “Ferocious” Fernando Vargas. This HBO PPV (pay–per-view) fight is a WBA super welterweight title eliminator bout and it will take place February 25, 2006 in Las Vegas. Mosley is on a two fight winning streak after dropping a narrow decision in the second of two consecutive losses to former undisputed super welterweight champion Winky Wright. Mosley, a one time pound for pound king and two time conqueror of Oscar De La Hoya sat down to talk about Vargas, about his career and about his future.
Shane, what are your thoughts about fighting Fernando Vargas?
It’s going to be a good fight, a legendary fight. That’s a fight that people should want to watch for the reason that I feel that every great fighter of each era should fight each other. Like you had Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran all fought each other. Oscar (De La Hoya) has fought Fernando, (Felix) Trinidad fought him, everybody has fought, so now it’s our turn to see who is the best fighter..
What type of strategy do you plan on using?
I’m just going to fight the way that I fight and that is going to make it a good fight. I’ll box a little bit, punch a little bit, throw some body shots, and head shots, basically the total package. The speed that I have is going to be the determining factor.
For most of your career you were known as a power boxer with fast hands that threw great combinations, mostly to the body. Why haven’t we seen that in the last few years?
Maybe my training methods have changed a little bit. Now we have to get back to that. I have to use my hand speed to throw more shots to body and just power box.
What do you feel was the peak of Shane Mosley the fighter and does the Shane before me compare?
My peak was probably when I fought Oscar the first time. I believe if I change my training a little bit it will show in the fight that I’m not that far away from where I was.
Will you be campaigning at super welterweight or will you go back to welterweight?
I will be going back to welterweight. I am only in this division for this fight.
What is your prediction on the Floyd Mayweather vs. Zab Judah fight? And why?
That fight I’m not sure because Zab’s chin has already been checked and Mayweather hasn’t been really been hit. Zab is fast enough and hits hard enough to catch Mayweather. Floyd is not really a welterweight and neither is Judah but Zab is more adjusted to this weight. I really don’t know, but one thing that has happened is that Floyd has only been rocked by southpaws and he’s fighting a southpaw that has more pop that those other southpaws.
How does it make you feel that the media has been so negative since you’ve lost but at the same time made the guys that beat you household names?
When you start thinking about the media and start reading the press you begin believing what they write. I don’t think most of the media have ever put on gloves before, sparred with anyone or even fought. Those that have been in the ring have the right to say anything but once you start believing people that don’t know what it takes then you are done. I don’t really read the press.
I know you are a proud man, do you still plan on avenging your losses to Vernon Forrest or have you put that out of your mind?
If the time comes or it’s the right time and he’s on top then yes, I would definitely fight Vernon Forrest and I would fight Winky Wright also.
What do you think about your overall career and how many more years can we expect to see you in the ring?
You can expect to see me in the ring another three, four, five years. My career went very well. I made a lot of good money, everyone is my family is well off and I’m still breathing and speaking well. I’m not slurring my words and my health is good. I have a great future as a promoter ahead of me. I can’t wait to help young up and coming fighters become world champions and legendary fighters. That’s my next challenge and next goal. I want the fighters that I have, those that are under me to be the best that they could possibly be, all the way around.
If there is one thing you could change about your career what would it be?
I wouldn’t change anything. God’s law is written, what happens happens and that’s what defines me. It’s already written, God is perfect, and he makes no mistakes.
Is there anything you like to say in closing?
Watch the fight February 25th on pay-per-view. Shane Mosley vs. Fernando Vargas, it will be a great night for boxing.
On behalf of Eastsideboxing.com we would like to wish “Sugar” Shane Mosley the best of luck on January 7th.
Contact Writer at travioso76@yahoo.com