Keeping Pace: Thumbs Downs on Shane Mosley vs Sergio Mora

By now you've probably heard that Sugar Shane Mosley is fighting Sergio Mora in September, at Staples Center in Los Angeles.  The title of this event should be Why Is This Happening?

It should be said that Sergio Mora probably deserves a break.  He's had some bad luck recently in terms of securing fights, especially last year when his chance at the middleweight title fell through due to Kelly Pavlik's hand issues.  He's getting a crack at a name opponent on the downswing, and a win should lead to bigger things.

Good for him, but it's hard to see this fight providing an exciting spectacle for fans.  Mosley needs an opponent to come to him, and Mora's likely not going to oblige.  I sense a cagey 12 rounds with very few fireworks.

The entertainment value of the fight aside, what kind of matchmaking is this from Mosley's team?

Lining up a 38 year old fighter, who is obviously past it (or worse), with a bigger, taller, fresher and longer opponent who is also awkward as hell. Could Golden Boy not find a more stationary target Mosley's own size?

Have they seen Forrest I and II?!

But let’s say Mosley manages to pull out a win over Mora - what exactly does that do for him? Position him for a shot at a junior-middleweight belt? Couldn’t that be arranged without this fight?

I just don’t get the benefits here. Unless this is just for the cash and Mora is seen as the most marketable opponent in terms of building the gate. But that means Mosley’s fighting almost strictly for the money, and if he isn’t, he’s fighting just for the sake of fighting.

From a long time admirer of Sugar Shane, that’s depressing.

Adding to the unappealing nature of the show, the undercard might feature young junior-welterweight Victor Ortiz against a hopelessly shopworn Vivian Harris. Does anyone really think Harris is not going to get blasted out within a few rounds?

Everything about this event makes me a little annoyed. The only saving grace is the fact it’s a PPV and HBO aren’t forcing it down our throats at the expense of better fights. Good for you if you choose to save your money on this one, but as someone that hasn’t missed a Mosley fight since the man was dominating the lightweight division, I probably won’t be able to resist.

I’m already wincing at the thought of it all.

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