by James Slater: According to a written article by David A. Avila that has been posted on a number of boxing web sites, it looks like WBA “Super” champion at welterweight, Antonio Margarito, will next face “Sugar” Shane Mosley, probably in January of 2009.
According to Avila’s article, the top administrators from both Top Rank and Golden Boy met this past Monday to discuss a number of upcoming bouts; one of which was Margarito against Mosley.
“We just have to work out the numbers with HBO,” said Top Rank Promoter Bob Arum.
And Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy reportedly will be calling HBO to find a date for the fight, probably in January a week before The Super Bowl on Jan 31st.
“We’ll see what we can come up with,” Schaefer said.
Also according to Avila’s article, Arum is currently working on a Joshua Clottey-Paul Williams unification match-up, and, in yet another prospective fight, the winner from the Margarito-Mosley bout will then probably face former WBA champ Miguel Cotto in June of next year. This all makes interesting news for the currently red-hot welterweight division.
Cotto, who is scheduled (according to BoxRec) to make his return to the ring in February, will be hoping Margarito beats Mosley, that way he will likely be given the chance to avenge his sole career loss. And while Clottey was hoping for a rematch of his own with “Tony,” a big-money showdown with the feared “Punisher” will come as a very reasonable compensation. It is not yet known when Clottey and Williams will meet, but Margarito-Mosley does seem to be pretty much on for January.
Mosley, as fight fans know, has been calling out the Mexican warrior for some time. However, after his tougher than expected win over Ricardo Mayorga Mosley said he would not wait on Margarito and Cotto, and it seemed he would head in another direction. Now it appears as though he will get the mega fight he originally called for. Is this a wise move on the 37-year-old’s part, and will the fans get excited about a Mosley challenge of Margarito?
Mosley is fearless, give him that. But is he also too far past his best to be in with a good chance of beating “The Tijuana Tornado?” Easier to hit now than he has ever been and slower of both hand and foot than he was in his dazzling prime, “Sugar” surely runs the risk of taking a beat down if and when he gets in there with the mighty Mexican. Indeed, could Mosley even get stopped for the very first time in his great career? I think such an outcome is very possible.
Should Mosley and Margarito get it on next year – as looks to be the case – the 30-year-old who wrecked Kermit Cintron and Cotto this year will be looking to do the same thing to Mosley. Then, after he’s done so, “Tony” will hopefully reacquaint himself with the man he sensationally upset in July of this year.
Good times are ahead for fans of the welterweights, that’s for sure!