Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Mosley takes top billing into fight against Wright

1. Roy Jones Jr.

2. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

3. Erik Morales

4. Acelino Freitas

5. Shane Mosley

6. Bernard Hopkins

7. Oscar De La Hoya

8. Kostya Tszyu

9. Manny Pacquiao

10. James Toney

The arbitrary process of listing the greatest active fighters in the world requires more than simply citing the men with the best records. But a sterling record is a consideration and it's certainly notable that the top 10 fighters in the Sun's pound-for-pound evaluations are a combined 414-16-5.

The top five in that group are 200-4, and Shane Mosley -- at No. 5 -- is 39-2 with two wins against Oscar De La Hoya highlighting a career that is in for another test Saturday when he faces Winky Wright at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

"Me, I like to be considered among the best," Mosley said of jockeying for position in these mythical but fan-friendly lists. "I believe I truly am one of the best pound-for-pound fighters out there."

His victories in each of his two fights against De La Hoya make Mosley a candidate for any pound-for-pound argument or aficionado.

The Sun places him fifth, behind Roy Jones Jr., Floyd Mayweather, Erik Morales and Acelino Freitas, and ahead of Bernard Hopkins, De La Hoya, Kostya Tszyu, Manny Pacquiao and James Toney.

That group includes two reigning undisputed champions (Hopkins and Tszyu), one former undisputed champion (Jones), four current champions (Hopkins, Tszyu, Jones and Morales) and two undefeated fighters (Mayweather and Freitas) who are not currently recognized as world champions by the sport's three major governing bodies.

Wright, of course, would like to crack that illustrious top 10 but he will have to beat Mosley to have any chance of doing it.

"Great," he said. "Things like that are important to me."

Wright, 46-3, is the International Boxing Federation champion at 154 pounds, and Mosley is the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association champion at the same weight. They're scheduled for 12 rounds in a fight to be televised by HBO that is expected to attract a live crowd of around 10,000 fans in the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

"We're going to have a nice fight," Mosley predicts. "I'm sharp and ready to go and he's a great fighter, a crafty southpaw, and a good guy, too.

"In some instances it may be a tactical fight, but there are also going to be a lot of punches thrown. And when punches are thrown there are bound to be fireworks."

Mosley has weathered his share of firestorms, particularly in the hard-charging rematch with De La Hoya last September. While promoter Bob Arum and the HBO broadcasters saw it otherwise, Mosley was quicker and stronger than De La Hoya and deserved a decision victory in a hotly contested fight that all but erased his earlier two losses to Vernon Forrest in the public's collective mind.

"I'm a little faster than he is," Mosley said Wednesday, speaking of an advantage he expects to carry over from the De La Hoya fight to the one with Wright. "I'm feeling very fast and elusive."

He swears he's not taking this fight lightly despite the fact an ensuing fight with Felix Trinidad is not only on the drawing board for the fall but is scheduled to be announced at the post-fight news conference.

"I'm looking for a tough fight but this will show my talent and skill," Mosley said. "Winky's style isn't tailor-made for anybody, but I've picked up a few things over the years."

By chance, he also learned something by talking to a small group of reporters when one of them apprised Mosley that Wright is actually a natural right-hander who merely fights as a southpaw. Mosley said he sparred with "nothing but southpaws" for this fight, although he has fought only two of them (Oscar Lopez and Raul Marquez) as a professional.

"That gives me some insight into why (Wright) does what he does," Mosley said, seemingly delighted with the information and smiling at the possibilities.

At 32 years old and with the consecutive losses to Forrest in 2002 behind him, Mosley is nearing or at a pinnacle few ever reach. He is a former world champion at lightweight and welterweight who is quick and punches with increasing authority.

"I always try to put on a good show," Mosley said. "That's what it's about.

"I think it'll be an exciting fight. I'm thinking Winky will be charged up and I will, too."

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