|
Monday, February 27, 2006
Sayson: Mosley gets a second chance
By Homer Sayson
Second overtime
CHICAGO - At age 34, Shane Mosley seems to have quickly become a worthless relic. Which is truly a shame, given the fact that just a few yesterdays ago, everyone in boxing embraced him as a timeless treasure.
When he beat Oscar Dela Hoya for the first time in June 6, 2000, Mosley's name was perched high on the pound-for-pound list. Sugar Shane was on top of the world; slippery as a wet pole, faster than a turning page, and his punches were crisp as the summer wind.
But ambition, and the search for big paydays, almost knocked him out. Originally a 135-pound lightweight, he moved up to 147 pounds and badly lost twice to then welterweight champ Vernon Forrest in 2002.
Two years later, Mosley bulked up some more and became a junior middleweight. Mingling with the big boys at 154 pounds didn't turn out so sweet as Sugar Shane tasted two bitter defeats at the hands of a crafty lefty named Winky Wright.
Since his Nov. 20, 2004 loss to nasty Winky, Mosley had fought just twice. He won those so-called "comeback" fights against Jose Luis Cruz and Donald Estrada. But by failing to KO either one of those walking stiffs, it was evident the light in Mosley's bulb had dimmed.
Then came Fernando Vargas, an apparent lost soul with immense power and a stout heart. Though scarred by defeats to Felix Trinidad (12-2-2000) and Oscar Dela Hoya (9-14-2002), Vargas is only 28, still mean as a bottle of Tequila, and angrier than a woman scorned.
In other words, Shane Mosley had no business being on the same ring with Vargas last night at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Yeah, right. Just don't tell that to Mosley.
While his glory days may be history, Sugar Shane proved to all and sundry that he isn't ready to collect pension just yet. Against a bigger, younger, and brasher foe, the slowing and ageing Mosley boxed his way, artfully and convincingly, to victory.
Shane's 10th round TKO triumph over Vargas wasn't exactly a turn-back-the-clock performance, but it was close. Mosley's jab didn't have the same old sting, but it remained accurate and he sprayed it like a Gatling gun.
Obviously, Mosley's punches were no longer as lethal and the speed of his combinations were far from blinding, but he was much 'muy rapido' than the plodding El Feroz, who was so easy to find that late in the fight Shane peppered him with ridiculous ease.
As expected, Vargas tried to induce a physical fight, plowing and stalking Mosley relentlessly. He found moderate success in the 4th, 5th and 7th rounds, when Shane's activity level slightly dipped. But Mosley was able to suck in some of Vargas' heavy loads of left hooks to the body and face.
Vargas (26-3, 22 KOs) was also able to take the best Mosley (42-4, 36 KOs) could give, including brutal body blows. But Vargas' left eye, which began to swell in the opening round, got worse every round until it totally got shut in the 7th.
Rendered one-eyed, and with Mosley's assault coming from all directions, like a perfect storm, referee Joe Cortez mercifully stopped the bout at the 1:42 mark of the 10th.
The swelling in Vargas' eye was so grotesque he looked like he was carrying the Goodyear blimp on the left side of his face.
A plus 135 underdog, Vargas earned $4 million, more than enough to have a specialist fix his mangled left eye. Sadly, the $4 million couldn't make Vargas a gracious loser. Man, he was sore as a foot blister.
"It was a headbutt," he said of the Mosley right hand that caused his left eye to malfunction and eventually close. Vargas also insisted he "controlled the fight," a preposterous claim that was negated by the judges' scorecards, two of which had Mosley ahead 86-85.
A minus 182 favorite, Mosley pocketed $3 million, excluding a share in the pay-per-view revenues. He also won a $100,000 side bet from Vargas who goaded him into accepting it. Most importantly, Shane won a chance for another multi-million dollar megafight, which he hopes to be against Floyd Mayweather at 147 pounds.
Just like that, a boxing career that was all but dead is now suddenly racing with a steady pulse, heartbeats that tick with excitement and promise. And for Sugar Shane Mosley, that feeling of rebirth must be oh so sweet.
(homsay@hotmail.com)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 27, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here.
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
