by James Slater – As has now been confirmed on a number of boxing web sites, ESPN.com originally, the on/off Antonio Margarito-Shane Mosley fight is back on for good. The two welterweight stars will clash, as originally planned, in Las Vegas on January 24th. The fight was thought to have been a done deal anyway, only for Margarito, the reigning WBA 147-pound king, to have a change of heart late last week. Deciding to “pass on the fight,” the Mexican great reportedly decided to go straight into a much more lucrative return fight with Miguel Cotto, next June. Now, however, thanks to a increased purse, “Tony” will take on “Sugar” first..
“It’s back together. Everybody got satisfied. Everyone was sensible,” Bob Arum of Top Rank told ESPN.com. “We adjusted the purses as far as HBO putting more money in and everything got solved. They’ll meet January 24th at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.”
Golden Boy’s Richard Schaefer, who was fuming when it appeared as though his fighter Mosley would not get his shot at Margarito, is now as happy as can be.
“The fight is done,” Schaefer said. “I think it’s fantastic to end 2008 with a bang with Oscar De La Hoya against Manny Pacquiao and then for Golden Boy and Top Rank to start 2009 with a bang with Margarito-Mosley. It’s a fight that fans want. Now, it’s a fight the fans will get. It’s exciting.”
Schaefer also added that the January fight will be officially announced on December 6th, at a news conference in Las Vegas on the morning of De La Hoya-Pacquiao. While Arum added that Margarito-Cotto II would take place next year regardless of what happens on Jan 24th.
So, now that everyone is seemingly happy, will the fight live up to the hype? For while Margarito-Mosley is not seen as a true mega-fight, it has been given more than it’s fair share of publicity. Also, any fight involving the quite fantastic “Tijuana Tornado” is well worth paying to see. But will a 37-year-old Mosley be capable of giving the teak-tough Mexican warrior a serious argument?
Back when the fight appeared to be off, this writer said how it was a blessing in disguise for Mosley, as only a painful stoppage, the first of a long career, awaited him. I still feel the same way now, and surely all the foolish talk of Margarito being afraid of Mosley has now been put out with the garbage where it always belonged. “Tony” is, and never has been, afraid of any rival fighter – something Shane Mosley will discover next year.
Plan-B for Mosley, after it seemed his chance at Margarito had passed, was a fight with WBC 147-pound champ Andre Berto. Come January 24th, by around the 8th or 9th round stage, Mosley will be wishing this was how things had worked out for him.
Look for a brave Mosley to be stopped for the only time in his pro career on Jan 24th – somewhere in the last third of the fight.