Mosley/Berto May Be Shane/Mini-Shane
Posted by Ryan Bates on 11.14.2009
Nobody discredits "Sugar" Shane's abilities at today's announcement press conference. The question is, how long until "Sugar" goes bad?
Photo by Laura De La Torre / 411mania.com
The battle lines were made clear today at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino: On January 30, 2010, Lou DiBella thinks that Andre Berto will begin a new era of welterweight domination. Oscar De La Hoya says Shane Mosley will continue his reign of domination, thank you very much.
"Ten years ago, a young 'Sugar' Shane Mosley faced a legend, seated to my right," said Kerry Davis of Golden Boy Promotions owner Oscar De La Hoya, "and he looked to place himself amongst the elite in boxing, and he did. On January 30, Andre Berto will look to do the same thing."
"When I first saw Andre Berto," Davis, VP of HBO sports, continued, "I was reminded of a young Shane Mosley. When I saw Shane Mosley fight Antonio Margarito, I was reminded of a young Shane Mosley."
Berto's promoter, Lou DiBella, had nothing but high praise for the welterweight champion, saying that only three people deserved to be called "Sugar": Ray Robinson, Ray Leonard, and Shane Mosley. However, he assured that Father Time is nobody's friend.
"Margarito was made for you," he told Shane. "He stood right in front of you, he had no speed, and he was caught for the cheater he is. He let you look better than you really are."
"All roads lead to 'Sugar' Shane Mosley," said De La Hoya of the welterweight champion and co-owner of Golden Boy Promotions. "Shane doesn't focus on hype or business or sales. He focuses on his game plan, on his talent. He fights for his legacy."
Mosley was all smiles discussing his comeback to the ring. "I'm so excited to be in the ring again," he told the crowd. "It almost seems as if I've been on the same restriction Margarito has. Berto was one of the few men to actually step up to the plate."
He commended Berto for mirroring his style, but he said when he first saw him fight, "There were mistakes. And there are still mistakes."
Referring to himself, WBC champion Andre Berto, with an aura of confidence bordering on cockiness, simply stated, "The time is here. The time is now."
