Is Shane Mosley really that big of a deal anymore, or is he just a big name??

[p4pking]

He's a lot more then a big name, he's approaching pound for pound status yet again and that is if he isn't already.

Vargas may be a shot fighter, but the guy in front of you doesn't have to be Ray Robinson for you to look good. He was fast, accurate and punched in combinations again.

Then against Collazo he just looked excellent, sweeping a good fighter completely out. Shane hadn't been that good since before the Forrest bouts and before the BALCO stuff. It's been rough on Mosley, but he's done a good job in resurrecting his career.

To be honest I never thought he would return to form but he did and that's what makes this matchup so good. Can't wait, Cotto KO but this is the one, unlike Judah, that I'm not positively sure of. It's the first time Cotto has been in the ring with someone of his own skill level imo.

What is BALCO And I disagree,when the fight was made,people thought Quintana was more skilled than Cotto and would beat him. A similar situation with Paulie too,ALOT of people thought he would outbox Cotto.

BALCO is the Bay Area lab that made the steroids "The cream" and "The clear", the owner is now in Prison but implicated in the thing was Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, Marion Jones, Tim Montgomery and a whole host of other elite athletes including Shane Mosley. Mosley ended up testifying about the thing and he fell off immediately after that came out.

And I hugely rate Cotto's skills, I like both Quintana and Malignaggi to come back and be champions but Cotto was better skilled then both of them especially Malignaggi. But Cotto did indeed prove better.

Mosley is a guy we KNOW will match Cotto in skill level. It's a very evenly matched fight imo, while even if they were seeming close matchups, Quintana and Malignaggi were never P4P champions. Wasn't discrediting either but this is obviously the best guy Cotto has ever faced.

I never heard much about the BALCO affair at the time, do you know exactly what Mosley testified to, did he admit to using the clear etc??

[amat]

Mosley testified but the only two who testified who's transcripts got out were Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi. I think it was 18 or 19 that testified that were athletes, so most we just don't know about what they said.

Mosley has always said in public though, that he never took anything.

[Eli_jr24]

I think you are overrating Cotto's jab...because it's not nearly the same as Winky's or Vernon's...two fighter who had way more range, reach, and size than Cotto. As far as me giving too much credit to Mosely's power...Shane is pound 4 pound of the strongest fighters in the sport. No doubt Cotto's strong...but Cotto's weak chin has been seriously wobbled by much less punchers than Shane. As far as the Judah comment...Zab's speed was giving Cotto plenty of trouble....but the classic Judah mental weakness, along with cheap shots to his groin, lost the fight for him.

Judah's speed gave Cotto trouble early in the fight. Just like every fight of Judah....unstopable in the first 4-5 rounds and then disappears after that. Cotto learned from the Mayweather-Judah, Tzyu-Judah fight that if you continue to pressure Judah...he will start fighting moving backwards or get beat.

You don't need a great jab to stop speed. You just need an accurate and consistant one. You have to know when to throw it. Cotto's jab isn't great but he uses to his advantage. He used it very smartly against Judah and will do the same against Mosley. He uses it enough to keep someone from getting flurrys on him and uses it to force fighters to the ropes so that he can work the body.

Go watch Oscar de la Hoya-Mosley 2. Oscar isn't known for a HOF jab, but he uses it smartly and to his advantage. Watch how easily Oscar controls most rounds with his jab early/mid in the fight. You don't need a great jab, you just need a consistent one.
Cotto has an advantage in reach. I believe he is a stroger fighter than Mosley. Especially at welterweight. Mosley would destroy Cotto and Mayweather at lightweight, but at welter, It's a whole new ball game.

[brucelee]

I can only remember how mosley tutored de la hoya.

[JonesJrMayweather]

i don't know why everyone is thinking of the shane from 154..he was too bulky and only threw one or two punches at a time...he seemed to feel as if because he'd added all the muscle that he could kayo the bigger guys, but being able to lift 400;bs doesn't mean kayo power although he did hurt winky in the second albeit winky dropped his hanbs he did hurt and wobble him...cotto is tough, but it will take more than toughness when starts to eat overhand rights as he tries to dig to the body..but if cotto beats shane then it will be the final coronation for the the new king...but if he loses he will be just another vargas...IMo

[OumaFan]

Its like your trying to do damage control for Shane losing...

Pretty much.

Its a win-win situation, if Cotto wins then Mosley was shot. If Cotto loses then not only does he lose to Mosley he loses to a past his prime Shame and therefore is even more of a joke.

[The Rookie Fan]

I say Shane Mosley is as close to his prime as any 35 year old fighter is ever going to be. And beting him will be a great acomplishment for Cotto.

This is indeed the toughest test in Cotto's career, but it is by no means the first time he will get tested. Cotto has been tested plenty and has passed every time with flying colors. If you take Kostya Tszyu out of Hatton's record than Cotto's look 10 times better IMHO. I know no one is talking about Hatton here I'm just giving an example. Some people here think Cotto is some kind of green up and cummer who just got his hands on a title. Cotto is a young and hungry lion with the goods to give ANYBODY a hell of a fight.