MOSLEY POWERED HIS WAY TO A KNOCK-OUT SHOCKER

By Rod Mijares, January 24, 2009
www.Fil-AmBoxers.com, LV Valley Balita

“You have to be a special person to beat Margarito,”  Shane as matter of fact said after his monumental and shocking knockout win against the defending WBA welterweight champion, Mexican Antonio Margarito in front of the first ever sold out crowd of 20,180 fans at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

Sugar Shane Mosley is not only special but unbelievably super special going after Margarito from the first round until the fight was stopped by referee Raul Caiz, Sr.  He proved to be the experienced fighter as his age suggests and smarter and intelligent boxer he always is.  He jabbed to the face, jabbed to the body and another jab to the face before following up with his right hook or left hook and combination of punches  to the body and head of Margarito all throughout the entire fight.  As smart as Mosley was, he immediately went inside Margarito’s body, after each sessions of landing punches or throwing flurries of speeding punches and clinched Margarito’s arms making the 2-inch advantage in height and arms length useless. 

In the first round, Mosley after landing a combination of punches slipped a bit but was able to recover before Margarito could land some punches.  In the second round, both fighters were counter-punching with their jabs but whatever power punches Margarito threw, Mosley was able to block it and like a speeding bullet counter-punched with his right hook or left hook going into Margarito’s face.  Mosley kept on pushing Margarito into the ropes completely disappointing him.

Mosley opened the 3rd round with his crisp jabs.  Mosley again slipped but craftily threw his whole body  and clinched his opponent to prevent Margarito from taking advantage. Mosley landed good combinations successively before Margarito could counter-punch.

It’s so amazing that the 4th round continued with Mosley standing tall throwing jabs that connected their targets.  Mosley scored on a right hook, threw good combinations then before Margarito could hit back Mosley held his opponent’s arms again completely frustrating Margarito.

The fifth round showed Mosley’s total control of the fight.  Team Mosley’s strategy was evident and working.  He kept alternating jabs to the head, then to the body then to the head before landing a power right hook to the head of Margarito.  Both fighters traded punches before Mosley landed a significant left hook to Margarito’s face in the last 15 or 20 seconds of the round.

Going into 2:35 of the 6th round, Mosley connected a right hook to Margarito’s face.  The referee warned the two protagonist to watch their heads.  Mosley pinned Margarito to the ropes with combination of punches before Margarito was able to escape.

The 7th round was more of Margarito throwing more punches and connecting.  Mosley smartly went inside Margarito clinching his arms.

The 8th round was the beginning of the inevitable.  Margarito connected with his right to Mosley.  Mosley connected with his right that stunned Margarito.  Mosley followed up with an upper cut, then right and left hooks consistently peppering Margarito into the corner until the shocker came with Margarito going down with Mosley avoiding his fall going fast into the neutral corner.  The referee counted eight before Margarito could stand up to continue the fight but was saved by the bell.  Mosley approached him like a very honored boxer touching Margarito’s gloves with his acknowledging the end of the 8th round.

Not to give a chance for Margarito to recuperate in the 9th round, Mosley started punching reaching out and jabbing with his body, pushing Margarito to the ropes, constantly throwing left and right hooks and Margarito only could ill afford to throw his weak punches that only twice kissed Mosley’s shoulders until the referee could not afford to see the onslaught and the devastation from going further finally stopped the fight after 43 seconds of the 9th round.

“Shane Mosley always goes for a knockout.  The fans know that Shane will always goes for a Knockout,” Mosley said after the fight giving credence to his win.

YOUNG GUNS READY TO FIRE ON SATURDAY NIGHT
TOP PROSPECTS STACK MARGARITO VS. MOSLEY UNDERCARD
AT STAPLES CENTER

LOS ANGELES, January 23 - Some of boxing's top young talent will enter the ring at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles on Saturday, January 24th before Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley battle in one of the most highly-anticipated welterweight bouts in recent years.

In addition to Margarito vs. Mosley and the junior lightweight clash between former two-time world featherweight champion Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero and Edel "Cuate" Ruiz, four unbeaten prospects will be in action on an undercard which will provide a glimpse of the stars of tomorrow today.

Margarito vs. Mosley, which is promoted by Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate and Southwest Airlines, will be televised live on HBO's World Championship Boxing beginning at 10pm ET / 7pm PT.  

Remaining tickets, priced at $25, are available at the STAPLES Center Box Office, all TicketMaster outlets, by phone at 213-480-3232 and online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Heading up the undercard is a ten rounder pitting Tijuana's Saul Roman (29-5, 20 KOs) against Los Angeles' own Jose Varela (23-4, 16 KOs).  Known as "La Fiera", Roman has survived the ups and downs of the fight game and at 28 is making a move towards the top.  Owner of recent wins over former world champions Kassim Ouma and Luis Ramon "Yory Boy" Campas, Roman will be tested by the hard hitting Varela, who has been in with the likes of Marco Antonio Rubio, Edison Miranda and Joel Julio.

In lightweight action, Cincinnati knockout artist Adrien Broner (5-0, 5 KOs) will put his perfect record on the line against Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico's Jose Lugo (10-6-1, 5 KOs).  Four of the explosive Broner's five wins have come in the opening round, so don't leave your seat when the bell rings for this one.

Despite only two professional fights, 2008 Russian Olympian Matvey Korobov (2-0, 2 KOs) has already been drawing rave reviews from boxing insiders.  This Saturday, he'll look for win number three against Indiana's Jose Florentino (3-3, 3 KOs).  This super middleweight bout is scheduled for four rounds.

Mexico City's Juan Carlos Salgado (18-0-1, 13 KOs) will open up the evening's undercard against tough veteran Cristian Favela (15-16-6, 9 KO's) of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico in a six round lightweight battle.  Following Salgado vs. Favela, featherweights Jerry Belmontes (5-0, 1 KO) of Corpus Christi, Texas and Jesus Hernandez (2-3, 2 KOs) of Riverside, California, will meet in a four round contest.