Berto's Promoter Grilled on Lack of Testing For Mosley

BoxingScene.com sat down with promoter Lou DiBella and grilled him on the issue of random drug testing and whether or not a blood test for performance enhancing drugs is something that boxing needs as a mandatory pre and post fight requirement. DiBella's young charge, WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto, is going up against Shane Mosley in a unification fight on January 30 in Las Vegas.

Mosley admitted to inadvertently using performance enhancing drugs for his 2003 rematch with Oscar De La Hoya. Mosley never failed a drug test. Back in 2003, the Nevada State Athletic Commission did not have the necessary tests in place to catch fighters who were using illegal substances that were being manufactured for the sole purpose of "beating drug tests." At the present, the NSAC believe their mandatory pre and post-fight urinalysis will detect any performance enhancing agent - including those used by Mosley in 2003.

The biggest controversy in boxing is the issue of random blood tests for the super-fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. Mayweather and his team are demanding random blood tests for both fighters, including the ability to have both boxers tested for performance enhancing drugs within 30-days of the fight [tentative for March 13]. Pacquiao is open to taking blood test, but not within 30-days of the fight.

Mayweather is advised by the mysterious Al Haymon, who is also the manager for Andre Berto. Haymon is a driving force behind Team Mayweather's demand for random blood tests. Pacquiao has never failed a drug test or admitted to using any performance enhancing drugs. Mosley has admitted to using inadvertently using illegal substances.

There is an obvious question. Why would Haymon push for Pacquiao to get tested....but not Mosley?

DiBella is realistic. He knows Berto doesn't have the industry status or the leverage of a Pacquiao or a Mayweather to make those kind of demands. Does he think there should have been additional tests involved with Mosley-Berto? Yes he does. But DiBella is not only thinking about Mosley-Berto. He would like to see stricter drug testing procedures in every major fight - because there are athletes out there, even in boxing, who are always looking for ways to beat the system.

"Of course he should be tested but we signed contract without those requirements. I'm not going to call for any changes now. I don't think it's appropriate to ask for changes subsequent to making the deal. The reason we didn't request the [blood] test is because we were on a timeframe and I had to accept that I wasn't going to change the Nevada State Athletic Commission rules," DiBella told BoxingScene.com.

"I didn't have the leverage with the younger fighter [as opposed to the leverage of a Mayweather or Pacquiao] to force Shane Mosley into that situation. Shane has admitted to violations in that area in the past and would be subject to the penalty of law if he did it again. I hope and I trust that he's smart enough that he stopped the inappropriate performance enhancement."

DiBella states his case by discussing the history of the sport in the last few years. Boxing needs a stricter drug test protocol, DiBella says, and the last few years are proof.

"It's been proven by Shane and a number of fighters who have been caught using performance enhancing drugs, or admitted to them. We had Shane, Fernando Vargas, James Toney, Francois Botha. This is not a sport like baseball where you hit a ball. You are hitting another human being. We've even had a fighter load his gloves. As a sport we should address these cheating problems and ask the regulators to do the same," DiBella said.

By: Rick Reeno

Source: boxingscene.com

Andre Berto: "There isn't anything about Mosley's style that worries me"

This past week’s edition of On the Ropes featured two exclusive interviews. Highlighting this episode was the very nice chat with WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto. Here are some excerpts from that interview:

On preparations for his upcoming fight with Sugar Shane Mosley:
“The preparations have been going great, everything is right on time. We’ve been putting in extremely hard work and anybody who has ever been in our camp they know we are very extreme. We’re putting in all the work that we need to put in, and I’m excited, I’m confident, and everything is falling into place.”

On Sugar Shane Mosley and the possibility of him suffering from ring rust:
“Maybe, but Shane’s the type of guy he always stays in shape. He’s been out of the ring for nearly a year, but he’s done all of this stuff before, so I believe he’ll get in a rhythm pretty quickly, but we’ll see.”

Regarding what about Mosley’s style most concerns him:
“I’ve been watching Mosley for awhile, actually all through the amateurs. He’s a quick guy, he has fast reaction time, and point blank he can just fight. There isn’t anything about his style that worries me to a point..”

Regarding his controversial win over Luis Collazo”
“It definitely made me a better fighter, and I think I was able to just learn from the fight.”

On his and Shane Mosley’s other common opponent, David Estrada:
“I fought another guy like David Estrada, the same guy that Shane Mosley fought, and it was a tough fight for Shane but I got David Estrada out of there. I guess styles make fights.”

On his fight with Estrada:
“I believe that was my first really big test in a fight. It tested my conditioning, it tested me mentally, and everywhere around the board.”

On the possibility of becoming Manny Pacquiao’s primary sparring partner for his fight with Floyd Mayweather Junior:
“I just heard about that, actually. Somebody from my team actually get a call from Freddie Roach’s people. We didn’t get a chance to speak with them yet. It’s flattering, but at the same time, my whole team is fully focused on our fight with Shane Mosley and a win against Mosley can put me right there in contention to fight one of those guys, so we don’t know what we’re going to do when it comes to that whole situation. Me and Manny are really good friends, but all of my focus is on the fight January 30 right now.”

On his long term goals in boxing:
“I just want to basically stay undefeated, because right now I’m in a star-studded division. I’m blessed to be in this position. I want to continue to work hard, and stay undefeated and continue to improve myself.”

On the upcoming mega bout between Mayweather and Pacquiao:
“It’s kind of up in the air for me now, because Manny Pacquiao is so awkward and so relentless and I think that’s something that Floyd has never faced before and in the past, it looks like Floyd has probably had a little trouble when it comes to southpaws. So I believe Manny will definitely give him a hard time, but then again, Floyd is such a technician who is so smart in there and when I watch Manny Pacquiao fighting Cotto I see within the first round that Cotto was able to control him with the jab, and I just see that little bit, and I can see Mayweather throwing a jab like that all night.”

On why he does not use a boxing nickname:
“I have always had that mentality, even as a kid, that everything that I wanted I wanted to earn it, so I take that approach. I went into the professional game like, okay, I don’t want a nickname now, but with my performances and everything I do in the ring, I want the commentators, the people, and the boxing world to give me a nickname one day so I can say I really earned it.”

Regarding who he believes will win the Super Six super middleweight tournament.
“Actually, I’m going for the two Andres, so either Andre Ward or Andre Dirrell I see winning it, so those two guys right there are my pick for the tournament.”

His personal prediction for his upcoming fight with Sugar Shane Mosley:
“Victory.”

Source: eastsideboxing.com

Boxing Champ Andre Berto Embraces the Christmas Holiday Spirit in Central Florida

(WINTER HAVEN, FLA.) – WBC Welterweight World Champion Andre Berto (Winter Haven, Fla.) is enjoying the opportunity to share his own blessings with others during the holiday season. Berto took a morning off from training camp on Friday, heading east to Orlando to assist with a large, city-wide toy drive.

Berto went on a toy shopping spree on Thursday night to help ensure that several families in Central Florida will enjoy a Merry Christmas, despite the financial hardships Americans are facing across the country. He and his family helped out with the XL 106.7 FM Baby DJ Toy Drive, which is providing toys for needy families in Central Florida for the 18th straight year.

Berto and his younger sister, Revelina, older brother, Cleveland, and 2004 Olympian Ron Siler, hand delivered the toys to the Baby DJ Toy Warehouse on Friday morning. The trio got a glimpse at the incredible amount of toys that had been donated by people throughout the community.

“It’s amazing to see all of these toys that people have donated,” Berto said. “A lot of kids are going to have a Merry Christmas because of this, and I’m just happy that I could come and be a part of something like this.”

In addition to the toy drive, Berto’s Carma Foundation held their first Jingle Bell Ball on Sunday and raised over $50,000, which will benefit both the organization’s scholarship fund and philanthropic efforts in Haiti.

The 26-year-old Olympian is currently in training camp in his hometown of Winter Haven, Fla., in preparation for his January 30th match-up with Shane Mosley. Berto is finishing the fourth week of camp for the fight, which will take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nev.

Mosley should be bigger star than Mayweather

Floyd Mayweather fierce critics and most general boxing fans say that he avoids the best in the world, the best in the divisions he fights in, is boring to watch, cherry picks his opponent and lately fights smaller men.

I looked closely into Shane Mosley career and it seems that he is doing exactly what Mayweather critics says Money should be doing. I am surprised that critics are not talking about Mosley more and he is not all over the media the way Floyd is. Firstly, he cleaned up the lightweight division and skipped super-welterweight division to meet the bigger, undefeated and pound-for pounder in Oscar De La Hoya in 2000 for welterweight championship. The smaller Mosley came stronger in the second half and won a decision in a career- defining bout.

He tried to unify the division by meeting another undefeated champion in Vernon Forrest and lost 2 fights against the man. Shane went on to face De La Hoya again in Super welterweight fight and again won the decision albeit controversial this time around. As usual, he went after the best and tried to unify the super-welterweight division against Winky Wright and lost the decision as well the rematch.

Mosley went on to fight 2 men that Floyd’s critics always say he ducked; Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito. He lost against the then undefeated Cotto and was an underdog when he caused all sorts of upset when he stopped Margarito in 9 rounds. He produced the best performance of his career with his trademark ‘powerboxing’ and won in a scintillating fashion. True to the fashion, Mosley is scheduled to unify the welterweight division this February against WBC and WBA champion Andre Berto.

Shane goes for the biggest fights available, losses some wins some and is exciting to watch. He also beat De La Hoya in his prime and repeated the feat, becoming the only man to ever accomplish that. Floyd is criticized for preserving his undefeated record but Mosley is not adequately rewarded for taking more risks. If fierce critics and some general boxing fans are to be believed, Mosley should be the bigger star and we should be holding onto his talons more.

By: Klaas Mabetlela
Source: boxingnews24.com

Andre Berto Crams For Career-Defining Welterweight Test

Kindergarten was a breeze. Middle school was a cakewalk.

And high school, even with an occasionally difficult pop quiz, yielded honor-roll grades.

But late January in Las Vegas represents a little something different for Andre Berto.

It’s college graduation day.

“I’ve had a lot of fight against guys where I was able to work on things. To see what was successful and what wasn’t,” said the 26-year-old Floridian. “But now it’s step-up time. It’s like I’m in with the teacher and I’m the student. And I get the chance to show everyone what I’ve learned.

“I’m in with a guy who I’ve looked up to since I first started watching boxing and who was a world champion I emulated when I was an amateur. To think I’ll be in there fighting him is unreal. I can honestly say I never thought I’d be in this position.”

Grading Berto’s final exam will be 38-year-old Shane Mosley – the already three-division champ who reemerged with a ninth-round TKO of Antonio Margarito last January to earn both a dubious WBA “super” title belt and a groundswell of support as the best fighter at 147 pounds.

The youngster holds the WBC’s gaudy green jewelry at welterweight, but is generally considered no better than fifth in the class behind Mosley and new WBO champion Manny Pacquiao, along with recent PacMan victim Miguel Cotto and prospective New Year opponent Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Combined, the foursome has won world titles in 16 divisions.

But Berto still considers his four title fights ample preparation for an advanced course.

“I’ve always had the mindset and the intention to be considered the best and I believe I am the best,” he said. “But I’m a younger guy and the other guys have been around longer and people know them better, so I understand the rankings and all that.

“I’m a humble guy, so I’m not going to be the one doing all the talking about who’s this and who’s that. I’m in a position now where fights can be made and if I do the things I need to do, that sort of thing will sort itself out. I’m here for a reason and I’m a fresh face. That’s how I look at it.”

A Haitian Olympian in 2004, Berto won 21 straight as an underclassman before gaining championship status with a seventh-round TKO of Miguel Rodriguez at the FedEx Forum in Memphis in June 2008.

Three defenses of varying difficulty have followed, ending in unanimous decisions over Steve Forbes, Luis Collazo and Juan Urango in which Berto won 77 of a possible 108 rounds.

Clearly Mosley, who won the IBF lightweight title a month before his foe turned 14, is a different animal.

“I plan to go in there and use the same methods that have gotten me to where I am,” Berto said. “I’m a newer guy and maybe I can bring something that he hasn’t been up against before. I’ve always been thought of as one of the stronger guys, so the way I look at it it’s going to be two sharp and fast guys in there going toe to toe, using their speed and power.”

Provided things go as planned against Mosley, Berto – who’s promoted by Lou DiBella – reeled off the predictable laundry list of register-ringing foils now residing at welterweight.

He declined, however, to confirm an interest in sparring with Pacquiao as the Filipino prepares to meet Mayweather on March 13. Recent reports indicated Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach coveted Berto for that role following the Mosley fight.

“I really can’t say,” Berto said. “I’ll probably be in contact with (Roach) to see if he was really serious about it, because right now I don’t even know that. But my mind is so focused on my own business right now that I can’t really comment on things like that. It’s not a priority.”

He was similarly reticent to issue a prediction for the welterweight mega-match.

“Floyd’s a great friend of mine and he’s a tactical genius in the ring,” Berto said. “His record speaks for itself. And obviously Pacquiao has been on a great roll, too. It’s a great fight and I’m just like everybody else. I can’t wait to see it and see how it unfolds.”

By: Lyle Fitzsimmons
Source: boxingscene.com

WBC Champ Andre 'The Beast" Berto Loves Karaoke, Pranks and the Ladies

WBC titlist Andre Berto takes a record of 25-0, with 19 KOs into his Jan. 30, welterweight (147 pounds) unification bout with WBA champ, Shane Mosley, looking to demonstrate why "The Beast" is among several nicknames he's earned for his skills.

In this video, his brother, Cleveland, and his girlfriend reveal Berto's playful side, including his love for karaoke, the ladies, his diamond-studded watch, and his penchant for pulling pranks.





Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Shane Mosley: When The Music Stops

Who didn’t enjoy a good game of musical chairs as a kid? When the music stops, you push, grab, and shove anyone in your way to get a seat. The lone person standing is out of the competition. Well, in the world of boxing, Shane Mosley was left standing when the music stopped.

Mosley is set to face WBC Welterweight Champion Andre Berto on January 30th, 2009 for a far less spectacular fight than he initially pushed for. He spent much of 2009 talking himself, the public and the media into believing he was deserving of a fight with Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.

It is Mosley’s belief that he’s the premiere welterweight in the world. This belief is partly due to a recent upset knockout of Antonio Margarito and his association with new trainer Nazim Richardson, trainer of Bernard Hopkins. (It’s Shane’s relationship with Hopkins that in all likelihood has spawned a “trash-talking” Mosley. I use the term “trash-talking” loosely because he’s absolutely terrible at it. Regardless of his impressive 46-5 record, there is nothing intimidating or funny about Shane Mosley)

Shane has been quick to point out both Manny and Floyd’s disinterest in a fight with him at 147lbs. But at age 38, is Mosley really as deserving of such a super-fight as he believes he is in his own mind?

Doping allegations aside (Mosley did admit to injecting himself with designer steroids prior to his 2003 fight with Oscar De La Hoya), Mosley’s resume isn’t exactly as “decorated” as he would have the public believe.

Prior to his KO of Margarito, Mosley went 12 rounds with the moving target known as Ricardo Mayorga, who had been recently knocked out by Tito Trinidad in round 8 and Oscar De La Hoya in round 6. Despite being considered the closest thing to a punching bag in the sport, Mosley only led by one point on one judge’s card, was ahead by five points on another and trailed Mayorga by a point on a third judge’s card. Basically, Mosley was a round misstep away from a loss before knocking out “El Matador” in the 12th.

Other recent notable wins include a win over Luis Collazo and Fernando Vargas (who has since retired and is currently competing with James Toney to see who can get to 200lbs over their fight weight.) Throw in a loss to recently battered Miguel Cotto and only one fight has elevated Mosley to the top of the pound for pound list. Quick analysis would show that this fight, in which he defeated a fighter in Antonio Margarito, could have been due to his corner preventing a cheater from cheating.

Regardless of how much value you place on the Margarito fight, none of the facts outlined here substantiate his new found bravado within the welterweight division. Somehow I feel compelled to make a comparison to Daniel-Son picking fights at school after winning the All Valley Tournament.

Shane Mosley with have to face the music when he steps into the ring to fight Andre Berto (25-0 19 KOs) on January 30, 2010 and we’ll have to wait until then to see if he is still standing when the music stops.

By: Jesse Campbell

Source: newyork.fighthype.com

Berto in Charitable Spirits

Carma Foundation and Berto to recognize some great humanitarians.

Andre Berto who is currently in training for his January 30th fight with "Sugar" Shane Mosley, and his Carma Foundation will hold the first ever Jingle Bell Ball, on Sunday December 13 benefitting the organizations philanthropic efforts in Haiti. The event will pay tribute to The Wire's Jaime Hector, attorney/activist Sanford Rubenstein, and humanitarian Leslie Sosnowski for their outstanding international charity work.

"I am very proud of my relationship with the Carma Foundation, and I wish I could be there in person, but my focus right now is 100% on January 30th and Shane Mosley," Berto said. "I wish Melky and the entire Carma Foundation crew a successful event on December 13."

Source: .411mania.com

Two Weeks Down, Eight to Go

What's up everyone, its your boy Andre Berto. I'm down here in Winter Haven, FL, training for my January 30th fight with Shane Mosley in Las Vegas. We are just finishing up the second week of camp and are working hard every day go get ready for Shane.

My brother, Cleveland, is my Strength and Conditioning coach and my trainer, Tony Morgan, have us doing all different things in the gym plus work in the pool and on the track. I'm definitely going to be ready for Shane when January 30th hits. I know this is my time.

Source: andreberto.yardbarker.com

WBC Champion Andre Berto Opens Training Camp for "Sugar" Shane Mosley

WBC Welterweight World Champion Andre Berto (Winter Haven, Fla.) has opened training camp in his hometown of Winter Haven, Fla., for his title unification bout with WBA Champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley. Berto is returning to his roots for the second straight training camp, holding his 10-week camp in Central Florida at his long-time amateur training facility, the Winter Haven PAL gym.

While he is zoned in on Mosley in Florida, Everlast is featuring Berto on the cover of their 2009 Holiday Catalog, showcasing the 26-year-old champion to over 300,000 boxing fans nationwide.

With the biggest fight of Berto’s career quickly approaching, his team is working feverishly to prepare him for battle with one of the sport’s living legends. Long-time trainer Tony Morgan has joined forces with Berto’s brother, Cleveland Berto, who is serving as the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Mosley Training Camp, his second straight with his brother’s team. They are using a wide range of training techniques to prepare for Mosley, incorporating swimming, strength and agility exercises, track work, and standard boxing workouts into the regimen, which includes three workouts a day.

Using the backdrop of his Winter Haven to prepare for January 30 has provided his hometown fans with the opportunity to watch and share in his fight preparations. Berto conducts his track workouts at his High School track and when he completed his training on Thursday morning, a student from his Alma Mater, Winter Haven High School, was waiting anxiously in his Andre Berto t-shirt take a photo with his boxing idol. The 26-year-old provides much a needed role model for the youth in his area. “I wanted my son to see that there was more out there than being a thug or getting into drugs,” the fan’s mother said as the pair waited excitedly for Berto to finish his workout. “Andre Berto is proof that you can make something of yourself no matter where you are from if you work hard enough.”

Berto has also reached out to one of his closest friends from his amateur days to join him during the early portion of his training camp, bringing in 2004 U.S. Olympian, Ron Siler, to Florida, to participate in training camp. Siler hopes to make his long-awaited professional debut in early January, and Berto wanted to make sure that he was prepared to step back into the ring. The two traveled the world together as amateurs, racking up trophies and medals, and now provide outstanding motivation and encouragement to one another during the extremely grueling training camp.

Yet Berto knows that he is no longer fighting for a trophy, and plans to make his mark on the welterweight division and the professional boxing world with a victory over Mosley. The highly-anticipated match-up will take place on Saturday, January 30 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nev., and live on HBO. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased through www.ticketmaster.com or mandalaybay.com. Berto will be posting regular training camp updates and photos to his official website, www.andreberto.com, to keep all the fans informed about his preparation for January 30.

Andre Berto is the World Boxing Council Welterweight World Champion and maintains a perfect 25-0 record as a professional. An accomplished amateur with numerous national titles, Berto represented Haiti in the 2004 Olympic Games. Outside of the ring, he champions the cause of Haitian citizens as a Board Member of the Carma Foundation, an organization founded by Melky Jean to improve the health and living conditions of poor and vulnerable women in Haiti.

Source: boxinginsider.com

Shane Mosley: Defying Time, Time and Again

Both Shane Mosley and Andre Berto share the same birthday, September 9, twelve years apart. When the two meet up on January 30th in Las Vegas, Mosley will once again have to prove that he is closer to his prime than social security. Against an unbeaten, 26-year-old opponent, a single grain of sand in the hour glass of time can make the difference between an Indian Summer and a one way ticket to Shady Acres Retirement Home.

Mosley, aged 38, is old by boxing standards. But if you ask "Sugar Shane", age is simply a mindset and being old is not something he chooses to subscribe to. Mosley is staring down a younger opponent primed to "change the guard" and send him to the land of eternal boxing irrelevance.

Mosley was in a similar position in 2007 when Luis Collazo - still riding high from his attention grabbing close call with Ricky Hatton - was a popular pick to upset the aging legend. Forty-eight minutes and many one-sided rounds later, Mosley had re-established his world class credentials.

Against Antonio Margarito this past January, Mosley was seen as a tuneup opponent while Miguel Cotto recovered for a proposed Summer rematch with his Tijuana conqueror. Instead of being sent into retirement, it was Margarito's career (and reputation) that sustained irreparable damage. And, for the first time since 2002, Mosley was king of the welterweights.

Given his recent history, how can anyone tell Shane Mosley that he's "old"?

"I feel like I'm still 25 years old," WBA welterweight champ Mosley tells BoxingScene.com. "I'm in tremendous shape and I love to fight. I've been fighting for 30 years and I can't get enough of it. I'm getting tired waiting for everyone to come out and get in the ring. If I don't fight, I might end up in the ring and the age will catch up with me. I think this is a good fight for me, to keep me in the fighting spirit and keep that burning fire in my gut."

By the time Mosley, 46-5 (39 KO), steps back in the ring next year, he would have been out of the ring for a year and six days. Compound that with the fact that he had fought only once in 2008 and once in 2009 and it's hard to imagine a scenario where Mosley doesn't lose a step.

Mosley counters that Berto, who hasn't fought since schooling Juan Urango in May, hasn't been active, either. To stay sharp, the Pomona, California native has been in the gym helping his 15 year old son Shane Jr., an aspiring amateur with five fights to his credit.

"I've been in the gym with my son training, getting up in the morning to run and doing things to make myself a better fighter. You know, keeping my eyes sharp. Has Berto been doing that? I don't think so. Has he been in the ring sparring?"

Berto, 25-0 (19 KO), is considered smack dab in the middle of his prime. Three defenses into a WBC welterweight title reign, Berto has scarcely faced adversity in his five-year professional career.

While Margarito was a tough test on paper for Mosley, he presented a plodding, face-first style that was tailor-made for an older fighter to excel against. Berto is young, mobile and energetic.

Furthermore, he's hungry.

"Since I'm the underdog, of course [I have something to prove]," Berto was quoted as saying in an ESPN.com article by Dan Rafael. "But I'm going to go in there and do what I gotta do.

"He used to come and talk to me after my fights and he was amazed and said I reminded him of himself when he was coming up. My last two or three fights, when I was basically worked on some things and moved around and boxed a little bit, he probably forgot that aggressive style I have. And I think I just have to try to give him a reminder about it. I'll show him what he was nervous about a few fights back."

Berto himself is in a position where he must prove something to critics. Though being unbeaten, public support has been iffy since a tough defense with Collazo earlier this year. To borrow verbiage from a recent Boxing Digest cover story, some are wondering if Berto has also "reached his ceiling." Mosley dismisses such critiques.

"I'm high on Andre Berto," says Mosley. "I think that he's a good fighter. He's good for the sport and will go out there and fight. He might have bitten off a little more than he could chew at this point in his career but I respect him for getting in the ring.

"He wants to enter the realm of great fighters and in order to do that you have to fight the best fighters out there. I take my hat off to him for taking that step. I don't know if that's the right step yet but he took that step. Hopefully he can fight Collazo again or get another ABC belt because he still has a long career ahead of him. He's only 26 years old. If he lasts as long as I did, he has another 12 years ahead of him."

Removing one of the other titlists in the division - especially one with HBO's backing - would go a long way towards putting him in line for one of the mega paydays everyone in and around those divisions desires: Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr. or the winner of a proposed bout between the two.

Even with his legacy secured as a former lightweight, welterweight and junior middleweight champion with two wins over a prime Oscar de la Hoya, Mosley still finds himself as the odd man out in that equation. Beating Oscar did not make him Oscar.

Perhaps it's because he narrowly missed making the 1992 Olympic squad. Or perhaps it's because instead of thinking like a businessman and avoiding rematches with Vernon Forrest and Winky Wright - two tall boxers that just had his number - he thought like a fighter and tried against logic to reverse his fortunes. Whatever it was, he doesn't look back with regret.

"By the time I started boxing I had a local promoter. I didn't have anybody going out there and promoting for me like that. I guess I paid for it.

"I'm happy though because I've made millions of dollars. I could have made 50-60 million. IRS takes half of that and then, you know. But I've been making good money since 1998, that's a long time to make money. I've been making mega money since 2000 when I first fought Oscar."

Mosley's best case scenario is that the egos of Pacquiao and Mayweather impede negotiations, leaving him next in line.

Mosley, who will fight three times in 2010 on HBO, hopes to get one of them in April or May, and then have another big fight in November or December. If he had his pick, he'd prefer Pacquiao due to the combustible styles employed by both.

"This would be the best thing for boxing. I could beat Berto then come back on Cinco de Mayo and fight Pacquiao. Me and Pacquiao would be the best fight because we're both fighters. You know it's going to be phenomenal. Let's get it on.

"You put Mayweather in the mix and you know it's going to be a twelve round snooze fest with Mayweather-Pacquiao because Mayweather is going to potshot and run. That's the biggest hype fight but the best fight is with me and Pacquiao. Mayweather makes money with hype, he has a lot of hype. It'd still be a good fight, I think.

"With Pacquiao fighting Mayweather, they'd need to figure out how to trap him to make a fight. When you got Pacquiao, he's going to come to fight, I'm going to come to fight. It'd be a force, there'd be bombs going on in the ring. With Mayweather, we'd have to try to figure out how to get the fireworks together."

Of all the many opinions voiced on a possible Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, perhaps none are more relevant than Mosley's due to his position as possible opponent down the line. He says his perception of Pacquiao's chances with Mayweather changed after his fight with Miguel Cotto a few weeks ago.

"I think that it's going to be [an issue] if Pacquiao can get to him and be effective. Pacquiao can throw a lot of punches and wear him down. The only thing with that is Mayweather's counterpunching. With everybody else that Pacquiao fought, they went in chin-first thinking that Pacquiao was a little guy. [Ricky] Hatton, Cotto, they thought, 'This guy's smaller than me, he can't hurt me.' Once they got hurt, 'Oh what happened now?' Then he starts throwing rapid fire and they don't know what to do.

"With Mayweather, the cat's out of the bag. He knows [Pacquiao] can crack and knows he's dangerous. He's gonna use that little check left hook and knock him off balance with that. Mayweather doesn't like southpaws, he hates fighting them. That could be a problem. It could be a problem for both styles. Can Mayweather keep up his style for the whole fight?"

One possible opponent that can be ruled out is former welterweight champion Paul Williams, the 6'1" giant that challenges junior middleweight champ Sergio Martinez this weekend. He says the size disparity between him and Williams makes the fight impractical.

"Paul Williams is a middleweight, but he's fought at welterweight. He's like me when I was fighting lightweight. He's really a middleweight and could possibly go to light-heavyweight like Bernard [Hopkins] did. He's a great fighter, a great talent and he fights hard to the last breath. That's what you look for in a great fighter."

Mosley has seen his ups and downs, a two year stretch where he went 1-4-1, witnessing the ugliness of boxing politics and the such. These "learning experiences" are lessons that he intends to pass onto his son when he decides to become a pro fighter.

"Things happen in certain ways. The mistakes that I've made, I can pass those lessons onto my son when he goes up the ranks and decides he wants to be world champion. The legacy will still live on through him."

History has shown that the sons of contenders (Mayweather Jr, Mancini, Trinidad) have fared much better than the sons of champions (Frazier, Hearns, Pryor) in their own careers. Mosley points out that this was not something he had forced upon his son, as so many fighters have, but a decision he made on his own about his future.

"He's his own man now, he can choose his own destiny. I support all of his decisions. He knows what he wants to do. I didn't discourage him. My father and I have been doing a lot of training with him. He's improving and getting better. He fights a little similar to me but he just needs to get a little sharper. He moves good and he's developing well. The only thing left is to see how he holds up mentally."

Despite the next generation of Mosleys on the rise, "Sugar Shane" has no intentions on ending his career anytime soon. Even if 2010 is the banner year he is hoping for, he plans on continuing for another four years. Perhaps the success of Golden Boy partner Hopkins has inspired older fighters the way George Foreman did in the mid-90s.

"I definitely will miss boxing 4-5 years from now but my son will still be doing his thing and I'm going to be there to watch him. I feel good about putting it down because I know I will still be in the boxing world until the day I drop dead being a partner in Golden Boy Promotions with Oscar and Bernard.

"After four years, I'll pass the torch to my son and let him take over the legacy. In the meantime I'm going to be around to cause problems for these guys." -RS

Ali Still a Champion...Forever

"A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life."

This quote has always been my personal favorite from Muhammad Ali, who even to this day maintains iconic status among young people and old alike. Television cameras were on hand for nearly every moment to capture Ali in his element, from his training camps in Deer Lake to his notorious press conference verbal assaults. We know how he viewed life at 20. Champions Forever: The Definitive Edition shows how he viewed the world at 50.

Even though I was born during the Tyson era and had to acquaint myself with the Golden era of heavyweight boxing through ESPN Classic, the story of Ali, along with those of Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes and George Foreman have always served to cultivate my appreciation for the sweet science. Producer Craig Glazer accrued countless hours of interviews and footage for his 1990 documentary that reunited the five heavyweights that defined the 1970s boxing and naturally it couldn't all fit in one film. The reissue includes over 30 minutes of lost interviews with Ali 20 years after it's initial release.

As Ali's Parkinson's Disease has progressed, his speech and ability to express himself have deteriorated. This DVD captures Ali after his career had long been over in his playful, yet always introspective element. Ali throws his hands with surprising hand speed, boasts in the way only he could get away with and sheds light on some of his classic moments. Most amusing is his answer to the eternal question: Who would win, Muhammad Ali or Cassius Clay?

Champions Forever: The Definitive Edition is an essential piece to any hardcore boxing or Ali fan.

By: Ryan Songalia
Source: boxingscene.com

Pacman eyed as opponent in victor of Mosley-Berto fight

The winner in the mega-fight between American boxing superstar Shane Mosley and rising boxing star Andre Berto on January 20,2010 could end up fighting the top boxer of the world today next year. According to reports, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao had been eyed as possible opponent on the winner of the blockbuster fight anytime in 2010. Based on the report, if ever the dream fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather Jr. will not push through next year, it is highly possible that Pacquiao’s opponent will the winner of the Mosley-Berto fight. No less than the celebrated trainer of Pacquiao American Freddie Roach has told the media that the victor of the slug-fest between Mosley and Berto are strong candidate to become the opponent of his favorite pupil. Roach was quoted as saying that although they prefer Mayweather to be the next opponent of Pacquiao they cannot discount the possibility that the Filipino boxing superstar will fight either Mosley or Berto if his ward and the American boxing superstar cannot strike a deal to fight next year. He said anyone between Mosley and Berto who will slug it out for the crown as the top boxer in the 147 pounds Welterweight division, could give Pacquiao a strong competition if ever they square off in the ring in an expected boxing spectacle in 2010. However, before Mosley and Berto gets the chance to fight Pacquiao they must first emerge victorious in their ring battle on January 20,2010 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

The fight between Mosley and Berto is expected to be a great one since both fighters are known sluggers and hard hitters who could send any opponent to the canvas. Mosley a former boxing world champion and veteran of many fights is optimistic he can defeat the younger Berto and get the opportunity to fight Pacquiao whom he chased year-long to negotiate for a fight to no avail. The former boxing champion believe his vast boxing experience and boxing skills will give him victory against the undefeated Berto who is sporting an impressive 25-0, 19 knockouts record. Berto for his part is confident he can upset Mosley and arrange himself a mega-fight against Pacquiao. The rising American boxer who resembles the fighting style of Mosley said he will do his best to defeat Mosley and give himself the chance to battle other big named professional boxers in the world. He said Mosley is a great boxer but comes fight night he will show the world who is the better and more talented boxer by defeating the latter. Boxing fans who are eager to witness another big fight should not dare miss the chance to watch the Mosley-Berto fight live .

Source: eautoblog.com

Shane Mosley: "A fight with me and Pacquiao would be more explosive"

(The following interview transcript with Sugar Shane Mosley aired on episode 50 of ‘On the Ropes’, November 30, 2009)

Jenna J: Sugar Shane Mosley, welcome to the On the Ropes boxing radio show. How’s it going today?

Sugar Shane Mosley: I’m doing pretty good, it’s a little nippy here in Big Bear.

JJ: Alright, well we’re very glad to be talking to you again, and one of the things I’d like to start off with is that your next fight has been set. You will be fighting a unification bout with WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto on January 30. Can you tell us a little bit about how your preparations are going for that match-up?

SSM: It’s going pretty good. I’ve gotten to camp early, already, but I’m living in Big Bear so I kind of keep myself together..

JJ: One of the things I want to ask you is that you’re fighting an undefeated belt holder who is twelve years younger than you and also a fighter that you said during a post fight interview reminded you a lot of yourself early in your career, so what do you think you’ll have to do to be successful against Berto on January 30?

SSM: I think be smart, use my intelligence and my experience on him, and I think that I can be successful with someone like Andre Berto.

JJ: I’m going to go over to my co-host, Rummy.

Geoffrey Ciani: Hi Shane. I recently had the chance to speak to Emanuel Steward and he said with you having been unsuccessful in being able to land a fight with (Manny) Pacquiao, or (Floyd) Mayweather, or even (Miguel) Cotto that it has to be very frustrating for you, and Manny noted that it’s going to be a tough job for you to get mentally up for this fight with Andre Berto. Is there any truth to that?

SSM: No, no. I’m going to be up for any fighter that gets in the ring with me. I have this thing in my mind that I’m going to destroy anybody in my weight division. I just want to prove that I’m the best fighter.

GC: Now I’m curious Shane, you had a chance to see the fight I’m assuming between Pacquiao and Cotto and Pacquiao was able to do something that you weren’t able to do and that was stop Miguel Cotto. What was your impression of that fight?

SSM: I think Pacquiao did a spectacular job of fighting Miguel Cotto. I think that when I fought Cotto I probably wasn’t mentally as ready as I am right now to fight anybody. Even with the fight with me and Cotto I was looking to stop him in that fight as well. You noticed that me getting better is when (Antonio) Margarito stopped Cotto, as well, with throwing a lot of punches just like Pacquiao did and he was able to stop Cotto as well, but I was able to stop Margarito after that. So that’s just showing my comeback and showing that I’m ready and willing to take on all comers.

JJ: Alright, Shane. Now that’s one of the things I want to follow up on is do you think the Miguel Cotto that faced Pacquiao was the same fighter as when you faced him or do you think he had something taken out of him from his fight with Margarito that allowed Manny to beat him so easily?

SSM: You know, I can’t take anything away from Manny Pacquiao’s performance because I think he did a great job. I’m not sure if Cotto was the same fighter when I fought him or the same fighter when he fought Margarito, but I’m sure that Manny Pacquiao looked spectacular. He looked great, and nothing should be taken away from that performance.

JJ: Well it seems as though the Mayweather and Pacquiao camps are trying to negotiate a fight for May 1, and if that fight comes together, who do you see winning it and do you think the winner would face you if you’re successful in your fight with Berto?

SSM: I think it would be a real close fight. I’m not sure exactly who would win. I think that I might give the edge to Mayweather but I like Pacquiao as a fighter, and if Pacquiao wins I will be excited and be happy because a fight between me and Pacquiao would be more exciting, because there’s two guys that want to get in there and fight. With Mayweather, he’s a boxer. He’s going to seek to draw it out. He’s going to make it a very ugly fight with Pacquiao. I think it’s going to be a good fight for Pacquiao because of his fighting style. I think that a fight with me and Pacquiao would be much more explosive, much more dramatic than a fight with Pacquiao and Mayweather. I really can’t choose. I choose a dull fight being made by Mayweather, but I really can’t choose who to win it.

GC: Now Shane, you said that you think a fight between you and Pacquiao would be more explosive and I think most people would agree with you on that, I know I do, but do you think a fight with Pacquiao would be more difficult than a fight with Mayweather for you?

SSM: It’s going to be a difficult fight for him to fight Mayweather because of the styles and what Mayweather chooses to do. Me and Manny Pacquiao can both box, but we can also punch, so we choose to box and punch. Mayweather chooses to do a lot more boxing. He can fight on the inside a little bit, but he doesn’t, really. His main game is to get up on his toes, move around, and counterpunch, and that will make it very difficult for Pacquiao to get in with Mayweather. Even though Mayweather has had problems with southpaws, but I’m not sure if he has problems with the type of southpaw Pacquiao is. Pacquiao is the type of southpaw who circles a different way. He circles to your left as a southpaw, and I think that’s going to play into Mayweather’s hands. Mayweather doesn’t like southpaws that move to their right and that’s going to be a problem.

GC: Shane, the end of 2009 is coming up and at the end of the year you’re going to be widely regarded as the best welterweight in the world. Going forward a year from now, at the end of 2010, do you think you’ll have even had the chance to prove that you’re still the best welterweight in the world?

SSM: Well I’m trying to prove that right now. I think Ring Magazine is trying to put Pacquiao in front of me without fighting me and I’m having a problem with that. I have to talk to Nigel Collins and a few other guys about that because I don’t think that’s fair. If I’m the number one guy, in order to be the number one guy you got to beat the number one guy, you can’t just say you’re the number one guy without beating him. I thought Ring Magazine, that that’s what they encouraged and what they wanted. I got to talk to Nigel Collins about that and see what happens with that.

JJ: Now to follow up on that a little bit, if you’re unable to secure a fight with either Pacquiao or Mayweather after your fight with Berto, where do you see yourself going from there?

SSM: I see myself fighting against the other welterweight champions, so I’m just going to collect all the belts. Just start collecting all of the belts, and pretty soon, these guys will have to fight me because I’ll have all the belts.

JJ: Shane, you’re 38 years old and you’ve accomplished a lot in your career. How much longer do you think you’ll be fighting?

SSM: I’m going to fight for about another four to five more years. I’m grooming my son right now to become the next to add to the boxing name, but until then, I got about four more years.

JJ: I’m going to go back to Rummy.

GC: Shane, I’m wondering, you know Oscar De La Hoya pretty well and when he lost to Pacquiao a lot of people just figured it was time for him to retire, but since then, Pacquiao has shown such dominance in the ring, I was wondering if maybe Oscar ever mentioned anything to you about the possibility of making a comeback?

SSM: He’s never mentioned coming back, but you know, when it’s in your blood you definitely want to come back. I never want to retire too early before my time, because if I comeback, that’s when you start hurting yourself. You can get yourself hurt in the ring because you’re out of the ring. You’re not training or working out. For me, I’ve been training and working out to keep myself in shape, keep myself ready, and just to have the fire in my gut before a fight to show the fans and everybody that I’m the best fighter and just to prove that to them and to continue adding onto my legacy as the best fighter of this era.

JJ: Alright Shane, well we just have a couple of more questions before we let you go, and one of the ones that I want to ask you is your Golden Boy stable mate Bernard Hopkins will be facing off against Roy Jones Junior coming up in the first quarter of 2010. Who do you see winning that fight and why?

SSM: I think when those two guys fight I have to go with Bernard, because Bernard’s been more active and Bernard is a complete fighter. He can box, he can punch, and I think he’s just been around the game fighting high level competition more than Roy Jones has, so I have to give the edge to Bernard Hopkins. Both guys have to get past their “warm ups”, if you will. Enrique Ornelas is for Bernard Hopkins, and I can’t think of the other guy’s name—his last name is Green and he’s in Australia—Roy has to get past him. So they both have to get past their little tune ups and then face each other.

JJ: Do you have a prediction for January 30 against Andre Berto?

SSM: Always a knockout! In every fight that I take and every fight that I have, I predict a knockout because that’s what I look to do—knock guys out.

JJ: My final question for you, is there anything you want to say anything to all your fans out there over at East Side Boxing or the fans you have around the world and what they have to look out for from Shane Mosley in 2010?

SSM: 2010 is going to be very explosive. It’s going to be very exciting and I can’t wait to do my thing.

JJ: Alright, well we’re very glad that you gave us this time here to talk to you, and we wish you the best of luck in your fight with Andre Berto and your future fights after that.

SSM: Thank you, thank you.

GC: Thank you, Shane.

JJ: Have a nice day, Shane.

By: Geoffrey Ciani & Jenna J

Source: eastsideboxing.com