Shane Mosley returned to the welterweight division last weekend while Vivian Harris tried to regain his spot amongst the top light welterweights.
Vivian Harris vs. Juan Lazcano
Vivian Harris looked like a future star in boxing until he was derailed by Carlos Maussa in 2005. He overlooked his opponent that night and his motivation has been a question mark since. Lazcano has won four fights in a row since moving up to light welterweight.
Vivian Harris landed with ease early. He was outclassing Lazcano with superior punch efficiency through the first two rounds. Lazcano began to force his way inside and started to land good combinations. Harris was still countering well but Lazcano stepped up the intensity in the third round. By the sixth round it was clear that this fight would be decided by the fighter that was able to dictate the pace of the fight. Harris dominated by fighting at a distance and picking Lazcano apart with his jab. Lazcano got the better of Harris when he was able to bully his way inside and land short punches.
Harris pummeled Lazcano across the ring in the seventh round and appears to have him hurt. Lazcano weathered the storm and Harris gasses. A nice left hook by Lazcano finishes off the round. During the eighth round, Harris complained to the referee that Lazcano was biting him during a clinch. Harris let his emotions get the better of him and a big staredown after the bell in the eighth round set up a dramatic finish to the fight.
Harris’ foul temper is playing into Lazcano’s gameplan because it is allowing him to get inside. Harris just seems angry and ready to abandon the fight plan that allowed him to win the early rounds. Harris was back in his grove by the tenth round until Lazcano cornered him and landed a big left hook to the body. Lazcano maintained the aggression for the last half of the round. Harris used his jab to keep Lazcano away in the 11th causing Lazcano to fight with urgency in the final round. Referee Tony Weeks deducted a point from Lazcano for a low blow in the final round, ensuring Lazcano would need a KO to get the win. It didn’t come and Harris received the unanimous decision with two scores of 115-112 and one score of 114-113.
Shane Mosley vs. Luis Collazo
Mosley was a one-time pound-for-pound king that toppled Oscar De La Hoya twice in his career. Multiple losses to both Vernon Forrest and Winky Wright blemished his record but back-to-back wins over Fernando Vargas thrust Sugar Shane back into the limelight. Collazo is a former welterweight champion that gave Ricky Hatton all he could handle during his one-fight stint in the welterweight division. He has a lot of tattoos as well. Larry Merchant’s stupid quote of the night was that “Collazo is decorated with more tattoos than the Baltimore Ravens.†What made Larry go with the Ravens?
Mosley outworked Collazo in the opening round, a trend that would continue throughout the fight. They both land clean, hard punches in a second round that ends with a wild flurry. Mosley has been the busier fighter but Collazo is landing the heavier punches. Mosley rips off some nice combinations in the latter part of the third round. Collazo suffers a cut over his left eye due to an accidental headbutt.
Mosley is still going strong with his workrate through six rounds. Collazo is just not showing the toughness that he had against Hatton. Mosley’s style is a big reason why Collazo couldn’t get things going as he did with the Hitman. Mosley lands clubbing hooks to start the eighth round and Collazo is in trouble. Collazo survives the round but looks greatly fatigued.
Jim Lampley is bringing up a lot of hypothetical situations for this fight and it is becoming annoying. If this fight was close (it’s not), if Mosley wasn’t Mosley (he is), if Collazo had more power (he doesn’t). Shane Mosley complains to his corner about a pressure point in his neck before the tenth round begins.
Mosley lands a nice right hook as Collazo comes in with lazy jabs. Mosley is too fast and frankly just better than Luis Collazo. Sugar Shane catches an off-balance Collazo with a right hook for a knockdown in the 11th round. While most boxers would coast in the final round with a comfortable lead, Mosley opted to fight it out to the final bell. Mosley landed 200 punches in total for the fight at a 33% connection rate. Collazo landed only 87 punches at a 14% connection rate. The final result is a unanimous decision for Shane Mosley. Two scorecards were 118-109 while the third came in 119-108.
Other Results From The Week
– Rocky Juarez won his super featherweight bout with Emmanuel Lucero by TKO in the fifth round.
– Light heavyweight Otis Griffin defeated Marcus Pernell by unanimous decision.
– Eddie Chambers gave up thirty pounds to Derrick Rossy but still earned the TKO victory in the seventh round.
– Chris Arreola (my second favorite name in boxing) scored a third round TKO over Zakeem Graham.
