Boxing Preview Analysis: Antonio Margarito vs. Shane Mosley
|
|
In a matchup I’m personally looking forward to, Mexico’s Antonio Margarito makes the first defence of his WBA Welterweight Championship against three weight world champion Shane Mosley tonight at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
For the 30 year old Margarito, the big fights are finally coming. A pro since 1994, the WBA Champion has long been the ‘avoid at all costs’ man in the 147 pound division.
Whilst the likes of Mayweather, Hatton, Cotto, Judah and Mosley were engaged in big money fights, the Tijuana resident often found himself on the outside looking in.
A titlist twice in the 147 pound division, Margarito finally hit the major league when he dethroned Miguel Cotto in 11 rounds last July to become a three time welterweight champion.
In a bout which was my top fight of 2008, Margarito, seemingly made of iron, absorbed the bombs of Cotto before literally breaking the Puerto Rican’s heart en route to his stoppage win.
In Mosley, Margarito meets a man who is no stranger to big fights. In fact, in the very arena he fights in tonight, Mosley, 8 and a half years ago, produced arguably his finest performance at 147 pounds when he dethroned Oscar De La Hoya over 12 rounds.
Mosley, however, who began his career by dominating the lightweight division, has had his fair share of lows as well as highs.
The highs include two victories over Oscar De La Hoya, two victories over Fernando Vargas and a last gasp win last time out against Ricardo Mayorga. The lows were two defeats each against Vernon Forrest and Ronald ‘Winky’ Wright in matches that certainly didn’t suit the Mosley style of fighting.
Predicting a Mosley fight these days is sometimes harder than choosing the winning numbers for the lottery. This Saturday night, he is certainly meeting the immovable object.
Margarito, after his stunning win over Cotto last year, has established himself as number one in the welterweight division in my eyes. I’d still fancy Shane to beat most of the welterweights today, but this Saturday, I feel he’s bitten off more than he can chew.
I’d love the old pro to prove me wrong, but for me, the will and apparent indestructibility of the champion should see him through over the 12 round course or even a late stoppage.