"Sugar" Shane Mosley has never been one to start a war of words.
He'll respond, but is rarely the instigator.
Indeed, the ever-present smile aside, Mosley is not the most flamboyant of fighters outside the ring. He has talked a bit more of late, especially when he was calling out the likes of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. But he still does it in a respectful manner.
His father and former trainer, Jack, said he has told his son that he needs to make some noise.
"I've always told Shane he needs to talk a little more because the mouth that stays closed never gets fed," Jack Mosley said. "Guys like Floyd, Bernard Hopkins and Roy (Jones Jr.), they usually kind of get the jump on him because they're running their mouths.
"And people, while they might not like that, they're on top with the PR stuff. I encouraged Shane to start talking a little more, let people know that, `Yes, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere.' "
The promotion for Mosley's fight against Mayweather on May1 at MGM Grand in LasVegas begins in earnest tonight with the first episode of HBO's award-winning documentary "24/7." (The fight will be available on HBO pay-per-view).
This will be Mosley's first appearance. But it will be the big-talking Mayweather's fourth.
"I'm an entertainer and the upcoming `24/7' will be the best one yet," Mayweather said this week from his camp in Las Vegas. "The cameras have been rolling since the fight was announced, and you know you're going to see something exciting when you follow me."
Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) last appeared on "24/7" for his fight against Juan Manuel Marquez last September. Marquez was shown doing something that probably grossed out a lot of viewers.
"Marquez tried drinking his own urine last time around," Mayweather said. "People do crazy things when they know they have to face the best fighter in the world. Hopefully, Mosley got the memo that drinking (urine) doesn't work. Let's see what he tries to do."
Good stuff. Now, here's Mosley.
"People who watch `24/7' Mayweather/Mosley will get to see the real me," Mosley said from his camp in Big Bear. "I'm not worried about being over the top and doing anything crazy like Floyd. He's playing a character and doing his thing.
"I'm just excited to let the fans in and give them a glimpse of my life and what it's like leading up to one of the biggest fights of my career."
Pardon us while we yawn. Just kidding.
Seriously, though, this fight doesn't need a lot of hype. Besides, Jack Mosley has himself to blame. He taught Shane about respect in sports at a young age.
"He always wanted to win, but he didn't put anyone down when he did win," Jack Mosley said. "He never stood over anyone and taunted them."
Not only does Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs) not talk a lot of smack, he bowls.
A fighter bowling? Oh, and he's in a league in Big Bear, too. Every Tuesday night, it's on.
"Bowling is something I just really enjoy," said Mosley, whose high game is 242. "It's a chance for me to relax with my tribe and people from this community, hone my skills and have a good time.
"Just like when I step in the ring, when it comes to bowling and basketball - another favorite sport of mine - I always want to win."
That is not going to happen May 1, said Floyd Mayweather Sr., who probably runs his mouth more than his son.
"Shane is going to get his (butt) whipped," Floyd Sr. said Monday. "That's what's going to happen. Floyd's faster than Shane, much faster; much slicker, more clever, smarter. He's got so many things he can do."
Mosley has a loaded arsenal, too. His speed and power overwhelmed Antonio Margarito in January 2009, when Mosley shocked the industry with a ninth-round stoppage of Margarito.
Some wonder if Margarito entered the ring out of focus because he had just been caught with illegal hand wraps containing plaster inserts prior to the fight.
Floyd Sr. certainly wasn't impressed with Mosley's work that night.
"All that Margarito stuff he did, Margarito was a walking mummy," he said. "He was tailor-made for Shane."
That could be partially true. But Mosley looked terrific that night. The thing is he hasn't fought since then because of fights getting canceled and because others are not thrilled about getting in the ring with him after blasting Margarito.
The layoff is probably one reason why Mosley, 38, is the underdog. That, and the 33-year-old Mayweather has never lost. Big deal, Mosley said.
"I was 38-0 with 35 knockouts when I stepped into the ring and lost for the very first time," Mosley said. "So when you say 40-0, that doesn't mean a thing to me. All it means is that I'll be the one giving him his first loss.
"No disrespect, but I really don't think he's been in there with a fighter like me, and I believe that when I beat Floyd, I will send him into retirement."
That's better. ---------
Sport mourns longtime promoter Chargin
Promoters Don and Lorraine Chargin were inseparable during their 40-plus years in boxing. Sadly, the sport lost half of that duo Tuesday when Lorraine Chargin died after a short fight with cancer. She was 79.
Longtime publicist Bill Caplan is a close friend of the Chargins and remembered Lorraine fondly.
"Lorraine was a very tough lady but had a heart of gold," Caplan said. "Tough exterior, soft center. She was a wonderful person.
"The only thing that gives anyone any comfort at all is that they discovered the cancer six weeks before she died. She didn't suffer for months and months. But she did suffer for those six weeks. She is really going to be missed."
Caplan mentioned how tough Lorraine Chargin was. The Sacramento Bee this week recalled an incident at a 1995 heavyweight fight between Lionel Butler and Lennox Lewis at Arco Arena in Sacramento.
Promoter Don King represented Butler. As the story goes, King and his entourage tried to rush past Lorraine Chargin at the gate, apparently without credentials. Lorraine Chargin wasn't having it. A heated verbal exchange ensued and prompted an arena employee to go running to find Don Chargin.
"Mr. Chargin, Mr. Chargin," the employee said. "There's a terrible argument going on out there between Don King and your wife."
"Aren't you worried?" a bystander asked.
Replied Don Chargin: "Yes, for King."
Don Chargin was the matchmaker at the Olympic Auditorium from 1964-84. He was given the moniker "War a Week Chargin" for the hard-hitting matches he made. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2001.
"People feel she should have been in there with him," said Caplan, who said the Hall of Fame is expected to honor Lorraine Chargin at its induction ceremony in June. "It was a 50-50 deal. When Don worked at the Olympic, she did, too."
The Chargins lived in the San Fernando Valley for about 25 years but recently moved to Cambria (in San Luis Obispo County). Lorraine Chargin's services will be held there Wednesday.
"I don't know what I'll do without my sweet Lorraine," Don Chargin said in a statement. "I can't stop looking at her picture. The only comfort I have is knowing that my sweetheart is no longer suffering." ---------
Etc.
Orthodox boxers never like fighting southpaws. But Andre Berto (25-0, 19 KOs) has fought more than his share and will defend his welterweight championship tonight against former champion Carlos Quintana at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla. (on HBO). "Carlos Quintana is a former world champion and a crafty southpaw," Berto said. "This is my third straight southpaw, so I'm pretty used to them by now." Quintana (27-2, 21 KOs) won a welterweight world title with a stunning decision over Paul Williams in February 2008. Williams stopped Quintana in the first round of a rematch four months later. ... Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield (42-10-2, 27 KOs) will take on Frans Botha (47-4-3, 28 KOs) in the main event tonight at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Holyfield
is 47, Botha is 41. It will be available
on independent pay-per-view. ...
Orlando Lora (26-0-1, 18 KOs) and
David Estrada (23-6, 14 KOs) will
tangle in the welterweight main event tonight at Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage (ESPN2).
Source: dailynews.com
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