Interest in the fight game is as high as it has ever been in Los Angeles, evidence being Staples Center is already sold out for Saturday?s battle of welterweights between Antonio Margarito and ?Sugar? Shane Mosely.
That shouldn?t be surprising considering the 7 p.m. bout slated for 12 rounds pits the WBA champion in Margarito, known as the ?Tijuana Tornado,? and Mosely, the three-division world champion from Pomona.
While Margarito, 30, tries to defend his title, Mosely attempts to dispose of Margarito in the same arena where he once defeated Oscar De La Hoya, and in the same manner, knocked out Nicaragua?s Ricardo Mayorga a few months earlier. Yet at 38, Mosely will need more than confidence and his track record to dethrone someone considered, depending on who you ask, to be Mexico?s second or third greatest welterweight ever.
Margarito previously wiped out undefeated champion Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico last July. Two years ago, Margarito made history by throwing a remarkable 1,675 punches in a single fight against Joshua Clottey.
Margarito gives a lot of credit to his trainer, Javier Capetillo.
?I don?t know how I do it,? he said. ?My trainer pushes me. He is my motivation. I think I can beat this record (for punches thrown). My plan is to attack.? Capetillo senses a knockout is in the offing.
?The pressure and force that he used against Cotto will be the same for Mosely,? Capetillo said.
Though approaching 40, Mosely is far from being over the hill.
He exhibited durability, speed and masterful boxing skill in his last outing against Mayorga, a fight that ended with a last-second knockout.
Margarito gave Mosely the opportunity this time, unlike years ago when neither Mosely, De La Hoya or Floyd Mayweather wanted anything to do with the Mexican fighter.
?Oscar said he would fight the winner of Margarito-Cotto, then he turns around to fight the smaller man (Manny Pacquiao),? Margarito said. ?What happened to his word? He back out on his word.?
Margarito?s co-manager, Francisco Espinoza, was upset about the outcome. ?Why can?t Oscar just sit down with us and discuss business,?? he asked. ?It is the fair thing to do. After Mosely we may fight Cotto again, but not for $3 million.?
