Mosley vs. Margarito Recap - How Sweet it Was

Sugar Shane Mosley proved a lot of people wrong on Saturday night by knocking out the heavily favored Margarito in the ninth round, a man who had been touted as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world coming in. The fight was a thorough beat down as Mosley dominated the fan-favored Mexican from the first round on and was close to ending the fight in the eighth as he had Antonio on the canvas after a series of powerful combinations. Margarito was saved by the bell but it merely delayed the inevitable as he had the look of a beaten man as he sat on the stool in his corner. It was the first time any one had knocked out Antonio Margarito and on Saturday night, the WBA welterweight title went to the better boxer.

On a night where record numbers of people showed up at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and were heavily leaning towards Margarito, I doubt any of them left feeling cheated. Despite the favorite loosing, it was more a case of Mosley being the better boxer than it was Margarito not showing up. He did look unprepared for the speed of Mosley but I think everyone in the building was caught a little off guard at how quick the 37 year old was tossing the leather. It must have felt extra sweet for Mosley, who seemed to relish the underdog status and the fact that the crowd was heavily favoring the Mexican born fighter. It after all was Mosley who grew up in Pomona, California and surely had his share of friends and family in attendance.

Coming into the fight, Margarito looked to be in the prime of his career with an impressive victory over Miguel Cotto in his pervious bout. It was Mosley who looked to be the much slower and aged boxer coming in as he needed a last second knock out of Mayorga to seal the victory over the very aged fighter. But it was Margarito who looked as though he were the older man in the ring, as he did not win a round on one of the judge’s card and only received the nod twice in nine rounds on the others.

Despite starting slow and eating most of the punches, Margarito smiled throughout the first few rounds as he kept trying to shrug off the big shots Mosley was landing. That smile soon turned into a confused and tired expression that the crowed also seemed to notice and chanted the Mexicans name trying to evoke a comeback. That never happened and at +300 in the BetUS Sportsbook, Mosley made some people very happy when he stopped Margarito in the ninth. If sports bettors took a shot at the over under which was set at 10 ½ rounds, the under paid off at +120.

So for a guy who came in as an underdog and past his prime, he is now the new Welterweight champion of the world and could be the face that boxing needs to help salvage a sport desperately in need of a true champion. So what’s next for Sugar Shane? There are a number of fights that would be dream bouts and the most enticing could be Mosley vs. De La Hoya 3. Other names being tossed around are Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., two fights that would be epic in the world of boxing. I guess were just going to have to sit back at see.