03.02.07 – By David Lahr: Shane Mosley (43-4-0, 37 KOs) returns to the ring on Saturday night when he meets up with the slick boxer Luis Collazo (27-2, 13 KO’s) for the WBC interim welterweight title at the Mandalay Bay Resort, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Originally, Mosley had hoped to fight IBF welterweight champion Kermit Cintron, however, that fight wasn’t able to materialize due to promotional problems, making it necessary for Mosley to find an alternative opponent.
Collazo, 25, presents a tough obstacle for the 35-year old Mosley, especially given the fact that Mosley has lost 4 out of his last bouts, dating back to January 2002. In large part, three of the losses were bad career choices, as Vernon Forrest was simply too large for Mosley, and presented an insurmountable road block. After being beaten once by Forrest, instead of realizing that he was just too undersized for Forrest, Mosley opted to fight him again.
Then, too, the same could be said for Mosley’s two losses against Winky Wright, another fighter that was larger in frame than Mosley. However, since then, Mosley has rebounded with four consecutive wins, beating David Estrada, Jose Luis Cruz and Fernando Vargas, the latter for whom he beat twice.
Collazo, a fast southpaw fighter and former WBA welterweight champion, recently lost his title to Ricky Hatton, losing a 12-round decision on May 13, 2006, in a fight that was very close and with whom many boxing fans felt that Collazo should have rightfully won. After having a tough time with Hatton’s high intensity pressure in the first five rounds of the fight, Collazo adapted well to Hatton’s style, and took the fight to him during the rest of the bout, even hurting him at one point in the 12th round. Since that loss, however, Collazo stopped Artur Atadzhanov in the 6th round on November 4, 2006.
For Mosley, has a lot to lose if he’s defeated by Collazo.
There’s a potential bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr. on the horizon if Mosley can get by Collazo. For the most part, this should be a fight that Mosley can win. Collazo though a fast puncher, is more of a counter puncher, and lacks power in which to gain respect from Mosley. In order to win, Mosley keep pressuring Collazo, and keep him backing up, because if he lets up on him, Collazo can easily get back into the fight. Look for Mosley to outwork Collazo, and win by decision. I don’t see Mosley knocking him out, because Collazo has a tough chin and takes a good shot.