Cotto and Mosley in NYC

Jerry Glick reporting: All one can say is Wow! Boxing has hit a stride that has not been seen in decades. Everyone who is anyone is fighting anybody who is anybody. Including, on November 10th, Miguel Cotto will make the third defense of his WBC World Welterweight Title against former IBF Lightweight, WBC Welterweight, and WBC, WBA, and IBA Super-Welterweight Champion, Sugar Shane Mosley. Their confrontation is aptly named; “Fast and Fu rious.”

A press conference was held at The Theater at Madison Square Garden to announce the fight in New York City. The day before they did the same thing in Puerto Rico.

Mark Taffet of HBO who will televise the fight on PPV said, “Boxing is back in New York. Indeed, boxing is back. In every weight class across the board, the best are fighting the best right now.”

“There are upwards of eight or ten great fights scheduled to take place between now and the end of the year,” added Taffet. “Headlined by what I refer to as the “Fab Five”. Fights like Taylor and Pavlik, Calzaghe and Kessler, Pacquiao and Barrera, Mayweather-Hatton, and of course the fight we are here to announce today; Miguel Cotto and Shane Mosley.”

On Thursday September 6th at the Theater at Madison Square Garden these two star athletes participated in the second day of the hype campaign to sell this PPV event to the fans. It’s a good one and will probably not need too much hype to build interest. It stands on its own merit.

Two class acts will clash and the big winner will be the fans.

Chairman Ron Scott Stevens of the New York State Athletic Commission welcomed the fighters to his State and Madison Square Garden. Both fighters are very aware of the historic significance of their meeting, and how doing this in big room at Madison Square Garden only serves to exemplify the event’s importance to the sport.

Both men looked to be in shape already. In fact Mosley said he was, “in shape and ready to go” with the fight still around eight weeks way. He said now he can concentrate on strategy.

Mosley went on to point out that if needed to he will rumble with Cotto who is one of the best at going toe to toe. It will be interesting to see that. Mosley points out that he is bigger than Cotto and that he is stronger than people think.

Mosley had mentioned in passing that he will turn 36 the next day, September 7th, what he didn’t know was that there was a birthday surprise waiting for him. After everyone spoke from the podium, Cotto announced that Mosley should wait as a huge cake was brought out for the birthday boy, empty calories, but I had some anyway.

This only goes to show that these are two fighters who live on a higher plain than those who would brawl at a press conference. There is a clearly seen and felt mutual respect, not only between the fighters, but the two camps as well.

That is very important because in recent years there has been nothing but animosity between the two promoters who will be working together on this show; Top Rank boss Bob Arum and The Golden Boy himself, Oscar De La Hoya. Well the hatchet is buried and the fight is on. Both sides talked about the peace that now exists between them. It is only good business for that to happen, and what better place to put that Hatchet away than Madison Square Garden.

One man who knows what it feels like to fight at the Garden is the old Executioner himself, Bernard Hopkins, who pointed out that fighting here, is unlike fighting anywhere else in the world.

“Being in Madison Square Garden to watch a fight it’s exciting itself,” said Hopkins. “But if you are fortunate enough and lucky enough to be an athlete to come through these doors to fight at Madison Square Garden like I have in 2001, we’re coming up on the anniversary in a couple of weeks, September 29th, with a great fighter who I still consider one of the great fighters of my era, Tito Trinidad. September 29th, two weeks after 911 originally scheduled for September 15th if my memory proves me right. It’s a special feeling. Like Bob (Arum) said earlier, other places have great venues, other places are historic in their own words and reputations. But Madison Square Garden is different. Fighters that come to Madison Square Garden, whether they are elite fighters, or coming up the ladder understand the pressure of fighting at Madison Square Garden.”

After Golden Boy Veep, and sitting Light-Heavyweight Champion, Bernard Hopkins finished talking about the virtues of fighting at the famed arena he talked about being called “Sugar.” How it is an honor for Shane Mosley to be called “Sugar”. How giving yourself that name means that you have to keep up with other great Sugars in boxing history; Sugar Ray Robinson, and Sugar Ray Leonard, Mosley was quick to point out that he did not pick that name for himself.

“To answer what Bernard said about my name,” said Mosley. “That wasn’t by me. I didn’t name myself Sugar Shane. The name was given to me when I was nine or ten years old by a group of fighters, Richie Sandoval, who used to box for Top Rank as well (among them), They saw me box and said ‘Wow, just like a little Sugar Ray. We’ll call you Sugar Shane.’ From that day on I was known as Sugar Shane.”

When Mosley met the great Ray Robinson’s wife, when he was around thirteen years old, he said that she told him that he had to be good to be a Sugar, “I said I am, I’m real good,” said Mosley who will certainly find himself enshrined in the Hall of Fame one day. That is high personal praise, but it is well deserved. Mosley can fight.


Mosley’s strengths are his speed and smarts. He has good power, and as he said, he is strong. He has trouble with tall guys (Vernon Forrest, Winky Wright) but that won’t apply here.

Mosley knows that he has a tough opponent in front of him, maybe the toughest he has ever faced.

“I learned (from the Cotto-Judah fight) that when he gets hit early he wobbles a lot,” explained Mosley. “He’s consistent in his attack and he is always powerful from the left side.”

Mosley has confidence in his speed of hand and foot, but still understands that Cotto does have speed, just not as fast as his own.

Both recognize the talents of the other. They know that they must be at their best on the evening of November 10, 2007. This is a classic match-up of conflicting styles. Mosley is the consummate boxer while Cotto is one tough slugger who has some real skills to back that up.

Mosley’s trainer is his father Jack who says that his son will be ready for anything that Cotto brings to the table.

“I’ve trained Shane to adapt to all styles of fighting,” said the elder Mosley. “And Cotto has a style that Shane has boxed many, many times.”

“This is a great style match up for me,” said Mosley, “because he comes right at you.”

“Stylistic wise, the way he throws his punches is something that I’ve seen all my life.”

For Champion Cotto he knows exactly what will put his career on the map; to help introduce him to the more casual fans. Those people who know who only the most famous or infamous fighters with names like Mike, Sugar Ray, or Rocky (real or written) are. One way to reach that fan is to face a big name.

“Shane is going to be the most recognized fighter I ever faced,” said Cotto. “He was a four time World Champion and I have to train to win, and I always train to win, especially in this fight.”

Bob Arum, who has a few years on others connected with the fight, and was in boxing for longer than some of them have been alive, compared this show with some of the events that he has been involved in that took place at Madison Square Garden throughout his long career.

“Over the years we presented so many great fights,” recalled the veteran promoter. “The second Ali-Frazier fight, the electric night that Roberto Duran knocked out Davey Moore. Marvelous Marvin Hagler fought for us in this building. What ever you say about Las Vegas, The Staples Center, or other arenas around the world, there is something special and magical about Madison Square Garden.”