Mosley takes on Mayorga, hoping for one last title shot

Sep 27, 2008 - 10:04 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - Three-time world champion Shane Mosley wants one more shot at a title. An impressive victory over Ricardo Mayorga may earn him that chance.

Light middleweights Mosley and Mayorga will clash in a 12-round bout at the Home Depot Center on Saturday.

Mosley (44-5, 37 KOs) is coming off a tough unanimous decision loss to Miguel Cotto on November 10, but proved he is still capable of competing with top-tier fighters.

"At this point and this stage in my career, when I go into the ring I like to fight," Mosley said. "I look to win in impressive fashion in every fight not just this one, the next one, the next one, and the next one.

"I'm motivated anyway right now to be the thorn in everybody's backside. I want to be the one people (say is) the best fighter out there."

The 37-year-old, who has two victories over Oscar De La Hoya and a pair of knockouts over Fernando Vargas to his credit, has been rumored to be WBA welterweight champion Antonio Margarito's next opponent if he can get by Mayorga.

Mosley will enter the ring as a 9-1 favorite.

"I think it's going to end in a knockout," Mosley said. "I feel so good. If he comes out reckless and crazy, then he might go a little earlier. So it's really up to him how long he wants to go."

Mayorga (29-6-1, 23 KOs) is a former welterweight champion and defeated Vernon Forrest in a pair of fights, including a third-round technical knockout victory in January 2003.

"El Matador" used that platform to get big fights against Felix Trinidad and De La Hoya, only to be outclassed and knocked out in both bouts.

Never afraid to speak his mind or make outrageous predictions, Mayorga feels Mosley has nothing left.

"I'm fighting a guy that is really smaller than me and he's weak," the Nicaraguan said through an interpreter. "If he stands toe-to-toe with me in the middle of the ring, I'm going to knock him out in the first round. If he runs, it's going to take from two to three rounds to knock him out."

In his last fight, Mayorga defeated a well-past-his prime Vargas at super middleweight, via unanimous decision on November 23.