Shane Mosley vs. Ricardo Mayorga

Night of the Welterweight Elite: Mosley vs. Mayorga

Date	September 27, 2008
Venue	Home Depot Center, Carson, California, U.S.
Title(s) on the line	vacant WBA Inter-Continental light middleweight title
Tale of the tape
Boxer Shane Mosley Ricardo Mayorga Nickname Sugar El Matador ("The Killer") Hometown Pomona, California, U.S. Masaya, Nicaragua Purse $1,500,000 $550,000 Pre-fight record 44–5 (1) (37 KO) 28–6–1 (1) (22 KO) Age 37 years 30 years, 9 months Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) Weight 153+1⁄2 lb (70 kg) 153+1⁄2 lb (70 kg) Style Orthodox Orthodox Recognition 2-division world champion 2-time light middleweight champion
Result
Mosley wins via 12th-round knockout

Shane Mosley vs. Ricardo Mayorga was a professional boxing match contested on September 27, 2008 for the vacant WBA Inter-Continental light middleweight title.

Background

Negotiations for a Shane Mosley–Ricardo Mayorga fight began in mid-June 2008 after a planned Mosley vs. Sergio Mora WBC light middleweight title fight fell through days earlier. Mora had upset previous light middleweight champion Vernon Forrest a week earlier after which he entered into negotiations to face Mosley in his first defense, but Forrest had a rematch clause in his contract and demanded an immediate rematch from Mora, threatening legal action should he face another opponent, resulting in Mora and Mosley ending their negotiations and Mosley instead pivoting to Mayorga. In August, the Mosley–Mayorga fight was announced at a press conference held at The Biltmore Los Angeles at which Mayorga vowed to knock Mosley out within the first three rounds.

Fight Details

Mayorga got off to a fast start, taking the early rounds, though Mosley rebounded and starting in the fourth, found his footing and took a majority of the middle rounds, though neither fighter was in serious trouble and the fight remained close going into the 12th and final round. Mosley held a narrow lead over Mayorga going into that round as he was ahead on two of the three scorecards while Mayorga was winning the third, though the fight hung in the balance as the two fighters were separated on two of the scorecards by only a single point. With less than 20 seconds left in the round, Mosley finally broke though, sending Mayorga down on his hands and knees. Mayorga was able to answer the referee's 10-count and resumed the fight with just 5 seconds left, but Mosley was able to deliver a left hook that sent Mayorga down on his back with a second remaining after which referee David Mendoza stopped the fight.

Fight card

Confirmed bouts:

Weight Class	Weight		vs.		Method	Round	Notes
Light Middleweight	154 lbs.	Shane Mosley	def.	Ricardo Mayorga	KO	12/12	note 1
Welterweight	147 lbs.	Andre Berto (c)	def.	Steve Forbes	UD	12/12	note 2
Light Middleweight	154 lbs.	Luis Collazo	def.	Russell Jordan	TKO	8/8
Middleweight	160 lbs.	Craig McEwan	def.	Hilario Lopez	UD	8/8
Super Featherweight	130 lbs.	Jason Litzau	def.	Edel Ruiz	UD	10/10
Light Middleweight	154 lbs.	Henry Crawford	def.	Jose Juan Bermejo	UD	8/8
Light Middleweight	154 lbs.	Nelson Linares	def.	Jorge Alberto Padilla	UD	8/8
Heavyweight	200+ lbs.	Evans Quinn	def.	Victor Barragan	TKO	1/8

^Note 1 For WBA Inter-Continental light middleweight title
^Note 2 For WBC welterweight title

Broadcasting

Country	Broadcaster
United States	HBO