The Fighting Spirit: A Closer Look at the Mora-Mosley Face Off
Mexican Independence Day had always been a day of celebration and joy for Mexicans everywhere. This year however September 18 will ignite an especially high level of nationalism amongst anyone of Latin origin as the day will not only bear the mark of freedom, but also the unity of two of the greatest boxers competing in the sport today, one of them being “The Latin Snake” himself, Sergio Mora.
Mora’s upbringing in the boxing world was anything but a walk in the park. Only a few years ago, the world watched as strong willed, talented fighters were plucked from some of the most downtrodden areas of the United States and thrust onto television to perform at what they did best. The reality show, “The Contender” became one of the most beloved introductions to the struggles and obstacles a fighter had to go through in order to receive their shot at fame and fortune.
Once an unknown boxer, Sergio Mora or “The Latin Snake” was catapulted to a level of instant fame after winning the final match against Peter Manfredo Jr., held in Las Vegas’ Caesar's Palace. The undefeated champion would go on to hold the WBC light middleweight belt for some time, creating a sort of rags-to-riches tale to justify his past endeavors.
Now in the coming weeks, Mora will once more lace up his gloves and face off against hard-hitting Shane Mosley. Having been out of the ring close to two years, fight fans were sceptical about whether Mora would still possess the fighter’s edge, but The Latin Snake proved that even though time had passed, his skills were still as fresh as ever, when he faced off against Calvin Green only a while ago.
Green, who barely managed to get punches in early on, suffered a seventh round technical knockout giving Mora a record of twenty-two wins, one loss and one draw. Mosley however may seem to be running short of luck these days.
Having fought over twice as many fights as Mora, but losing six of them, Mosley’s record (46-6, with 39 knockouts) tells the story of an aggressive fighter who was destined for greatness, but whose recent loss may signal the downward spiral of his career.
Mosley who faced off acclaimed pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, Floyd Mayweather Jr., met defeat long before the judges could ever finish their scorecards. From the start of the fight Mosley came out strong, but by the third round the power punches he had delivered had worn off of Mayweather and Mosley could not match the stamina of his opponent, whose quick speed and combinations eventually led to his loss.
Simply speaking, Mosley looked too slow and too old during the entire fight. The crowd longed for that one hard punch that would make Mayweather’s knees buckle, but after the second round it seemed that “Sugar” Shane was all out of steam.
However despite Mosley’s defeat, the ageing boxer is far from over. Looking at the fight just before Mayweather, where he faced off with contender Antonio Margarito, Mosley’s fierce punches and determined efforts cut away at Margarito’s defences until the battered Mexican/American boxer finally met with a technical knockout in the ninth round.
Mora thus may reach the ring on September 18th, with little knowledge as to what to expect. If Mora meets the Mosley that traded punches with Margarito then the “Latin Snake” may deliver a painful independence day to the Mexican population, one that would be quite unbearable to swallow. However if Mosley’s behaviour continues to take a fall and his strength and skill fail him once again, Mora may prove to the world, like he did a few years ago, that boxing truly is a sport where the determined underdog can always succeed.
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