Shane Mosley Jr, the son of the boxing icon, credits his love of the sport with his ongoing evolution as a fighter. That evolution will be tested in a pivotal summertime clash against two-time middleweight titleholder Daniel Jacobs, at 168lbs. For Mosley Jr, it’s about his passion for boxing, and surrounding himself with others who share that passion.
The super-middleweight contest will co-headline an event featuring mixed martial artists Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz boxing at light heavyweight at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
Mosley Jr. (21-4, 12 KOs), 33, sees his fight against Jacobs (37-4, 30 KOs), 37, as more than just a fight; it’s an opportunity to enhance his reputation to an all-time high, and to showcase his love for the sport.
“I believe in myself and I put myself around people that still love boxing,” he said. “A lot of people in boxing have been around boxing; fighters; trainers; managers. All those things, right? They don’t always necessarily love boxing. So if you have a love for boxing and you feel like you have a purpose in boxing, you have a different perspective and more willingness to grow; to understand the challenges and grow yourself. Keeping the right people around me; keeping the right motivations, and just staying strong.”
Mosley Jr trains under Chris Catalan, Larry Wade assists with his strength and conditioning, and his father contributes to his training and sparring. Their team dynamic is credited for Mosley Jr’s career resurgence. He is relishing a four-fight win streak that began with an upset victory over Gabriel Rosado, which marked his move to super middleweight.
“I just add an intensity, if anything – it adds a lot more love; a lot more desire; a lot more purpose,” he said. “No matter what happens in this fight, I’m going to be better because of it. I’m going to be a better fighter; a better man. I will just be better in general. So I’m super excited about this fight, and I think every day I’ve done all of the things to go out there and win this fight; to be at my best, and that’s what I plan on doing.”
Reflecting on his journey, Mosley Jr acknowledged that he can’t control the outcome of the fight – only how hard he trains.
“You think my dad ever wanted to lose?” he asked with a chuckle. “That’s what I plan on doing – to put on my best performance against a legend, and eventually try to prove to the world that I’m a legend as well, because I love boxing. I grew up with a man who loved boxing, so it was inevitable for me to love it too. That’s why I’m still in the sport – making a run for it – and continuously growing. My sons love boxing too.”
Mosley Jr isn’t putting undue pressure on himself – instead he is relishing the opportunity to compete at his peak against a highly accomplished fighter. Jacobs will be returning from a two-and-a-half-year layoff that began when he lost a split-decision to John Ryder, who retired in January after being stopped by Jaime Munguia.
“Me being an older fighter – it’s weird because I’m just hitting the surface, but I’ve been in the game for 10 years as a professional,” he said. “I’ve been able to have that understanding – been around fights – and I know you can’t really control everything that happens in the fight. You can only control what you can control, and hopefully, that gets you the win.”
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