15 years ago yesterday (in an AU) - "Sugar" Shane Donte Mosley Sr. vs. Joshua "Grandmaster" Clottey

This was scheduled for December twenty-sixth of 2009 - a Saturday, the day after Christmas - to headline a card on HBO from Staples Center in Los Angeles. On the line would have been the lineal/super WBA championship at 147lbs, in Mosley's first defense.

Clottey was coming off a June loss to Miguel Cotto, and Mosley off his TKO9 victory over Antonio Margarito in January. They were the #5 and #2 rated welterweights in the world per Ring Magazine as of December of 2009, and the Ghanaian was the WBA's number four ranked contender for the American's crown.

Some network shenanigans led to not only this date getting scuppered (having already been delayed a few weeks to accommodate Paul Williams vs. Sergio Martínez I, bumping it from its original December 5th slot) but SSM rusting away on the shelf for more than 15 months between the Margarito and Mayweather bouts. As it happens, Clottey also benefited from the pivot in plans with his own career payday - although his effort in Dallas the next March versus Manny Pacquiao was a bit more ignominious than Shane's college try against PBF a short while later that May.

How would this have gone? Let's give them each the benefit of the doubt and generously assume Clottey in the same form as when he fought Cotto (not the emasculatingly gun-shy version that showed up at Cowboys Stadium), and more or less the Mosley of the Margarito fight (so, less shot than he looked after just a few rounds with Mayweather).

A big edge in athleticism, footwork, speed, combination punching, killer instinct and power to even a fading 38 year old Mosley campaigning two full divisions above his peak. Clottey had that iron chin, terrific jab, good workrate - at least when not fighting Pacquiao - and some passing similarities defensively to Winky (a man that gave Mosley fits on two separate occasions).

Think it would've been good.

It also would have satisfyingly closed the loop on this:
https://www.boxingforum24.com/threa...ve-all-fought-each-other.169185/#post-4942414

 

I think Over 9.5 rounds is a much safer bet than any specific outcome prop.

 

Clottey is a sniper’s dream.

 

Clottey beat Cotto and Floyd exposed Mosley for being shot. Clottey in a scrappy decision

 

Would Mosley be juicing or would he be regular washed up Mosley?

 

Exactly the Mosley of Margarito, whatever that means to you.

 

And a midget Pac just pummeled Clottey like a punching bag..

 

So a juiced up Mosley it is. I think Clottey would decision him.

 

Call it simplistic but I always saw this fight as replicating Hoya v Quartey.

Clotteys jab will be the main punch of the fight but Mosley lands a kd and takes a disrupted victory.

 

Pacquiao had crazy volume and power and was just entering his prime. Mosley was already out of his prime in 2009. Mosley from early 2000s definitely beats Clottey but in 2009 I think Clottey takes it.

Remember, Clottey fought Margarito w plaster for 12 rounds w a broken hand and lost a decision. A healthy Clottey probably wins that fight versus a plaster Margarito. A healthy Clottey DEFINITELY pummels a Margarito without plaster. The Margarito that Mosley beat (in 2009) had NO plaster so Margs didnt have his "usual power".

After the Margarito win in 2009 Mosley never had a meaningful win. And, before the Margarito win in 2009, Mosley didnt have a meaningful since 2003...in a fight many thought he LOST (DLH 2). Mosley was a good, solid champion but he wasnt beating the Clottey that beat Cotto who beat Mosley

 

Wasn’t Mosley also supposed to fight Berto too?

don’t want to derail the thread. Clottey had a knack for losing tough fights. Feeling like Shane pulls it off

 

Clottey on points.If the Mosley-Berto fight had taken place in early 2010,I’d take Berto by split decision.