Boxing News : Fischer : Winky Wins World-Class Fight; Mesi Holds On to Edge Jirov

Doug Fischer

Chief editor

Winky Wins World-Class Fight; Mesi Holds On to Edge Jirov
by Doug Fischer (March 14, 2004)

Send this page to friend

Give us your feedback

LAS VEGAS, March 13 - The Mandalay Bay's Events Center was not sold out, but it should have been. The first seven rounds and the 12th round of Ronald "Winky" Wright's decisive decision win over Shane Mosley was championship boxing at its highest level.

The 8,000+ real fight fans in the arena, and the people watching the HBO telecast at home, were treated to a wonderful, world-class boxing match. And Wright, who added the WBC and WBA 154-pound titles to his IBF belt to become the undisputed world junior middleweight champion, improving to 47-3 (25), proved to be the better boxer.

By keeping Mosley on the outside of his southpaw jab and measuring the odds favorite with hard straight lefts to the head and body, Wright won rounds seven through 10 on all three official scorecards to win a unanimous decision by scores of 117-111 (Chuck Giampa and Dave Moretti) and 116-112 (Paul Smith).

"I wanted to show some skills but I was tired for some reason," said Mosley, now 39-3 (35). "I don't know what happened in there. It wasn't anything that he was doing, I just couldn't do what I wanted to do."

Wrong, Shane, you couldn't do what you wanted to do because Wright wouldn't let you. Despite the fact that Mosley fought his best fight in more than three years over the first half of the bout, the former three-division champ found that Wright could take what he could dish out on the inside and was able to control and dominate the action from the outside.

"[Mosley's] fast but I tried to keep him away with the jab and it worked," said Wright. "He's a very strong fighter but I got my chance and I proved it. If everybody wants it we can do it again."

There was a rematch clause in their contract, and Mosley's promoter Gary Shaw says they plan to exercise it, but unless Mosley learns how to deal with a tall boxer who knows how to utilize his jab and time counter punches over the former lightweight's wild hooks and crosses, there doesn't seem to be any point to holding a return bout.

Wright will likely repeat tonight's masterful performance.

After Mosley took the first round with his aggression, Wright stood his ground and landed sneaky counter hooks and crosses to take the next three rounds. The two veteran boxers traded jabs and body shots like true professionals. In the fifth, Mosley rallied by bulling his way inside and landing a series of overhand rights, but Wright was still able to buzz him with a counter left near the end of the round. Mosley came back with a double right to the body and the head before the bell.

Rounds six and seven could have gone either way, as there was a wonderful ebb and flow of power punches between the two professionals, but in rounds eight through 11 it was Wright who controlled the action against a tired and befuddled-looking Mosley. The 12th round was a classic and all three official judges scored it for Mosley, probably on the former champ's effort alone.

"After about the fifth round, I felt dehydrated, I just didn't have any energy," Mosley said at the post-fight press conference. "I don't know what I did wrong, but I couldn't do what I wanted to do. I was probably throwing a lot of single shots, too many one or two shots, just to try and get him out of there.

"I was still going for the knockout in the final round, but he's a true champion and I knew he would fight to the end. Winky was just the better man tonight."

Wright was grateful that Mosley had the guts to give him the chance to prove it.

"I give [Mosley] much respect because if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be up here right now," Wright said. "He was the only champ who would give me a chance. Without him I'd still be fighting on undercards."

After 14 years in the business, and 50 pro fights, Wright's undercard days are finally over. He's a major player in the game, and nobody recognizes that more than Mosley.

"This fight was great for fight fans. It showed them that there are a lot of great fighters out there right now," said Mosley. "It's not just Sugar Shane, Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad, now we have Winky Wright."

And although Wright is more than happy to grant Mosley his mandatory rematch, and even accommodate worthy number-one contender Kassim Ouma, he said he is ready for the big players and the big pay days.

"I see Don King and Felix Trinidad in here," Wright said upon spotting the promoter and Puerto Rican hero at the post-fight press conference. "DK, Trinidad! I'm lookin' for ya! I'm looking for ya in the day time with a flashlight, baby!"

MESI BARELY SURVIVES LATE RALLY FROM JIROV

If the brain trust behind Joe Mesi hopes to make the really big money with the popular Buffalo native, they better cash out now. This year. In his very next fight.

As weak as Michael Moorer's chin is, and as vulnerable as Hasim Rahman has looked in recent fights, those former champs - who would normally be targets for a truly talented up-and-coming world beater - are too risky for Mesi, a tough and gutsy but limited young heavyweight prospect.

If there were any questions that Mesi has overrated power, stamina problems and a shaky chin, former cruiserweight champ Vassiliy Jirov answered them last night. It's "yes" to all the above.

After winning the first round with a few thudding right hooks, Jirov absorbed a frightful beating from the second round through the eighth, only to rally by scoring three knockdowns in rounds nine and 10. It was a enough to expose Mesi, but not enough to win the fight. Mesi won the fight by a narrow 94-93 margin on all three official scorecards.

"I didn't know it was so close," Mesi said after the fight. "Had I known, I would have taken more chances. I feel like I didn't do a good job but I will learn from this."

Although Jirov, now 33-2 (29), was repeatedly wobbled by Mesi's counter right hands and uppercuts and bled from an accidental clash of heads, he never fell and he never quit trying.

"He looked like a beaten man," Mesi said. "Pretty much from this point on, I'll be fighting more experienced opponents. I'm still learning but I'm ready to move up the ladder."

No you're not, Joe. You had a beaten man in front of you for at least three rounds, but you were too tired to finish him off.

And even though Jirov was looking worse for wear in the middle rounds, he remained a threat to hurt the naturally bigger man as evidenced by the end of the fourth round when he staggered Mesi with a right. Mesi teed off on the '96 Olympic gold medalist (at light heavyweight) in rounds seven and eight, but you can never underestimate the heart of a champion. After holding on to survive round eight, Jirov landed a left to Mesi's body followed by a right to the top of the head that put the tiring Mesi to one knee in round nine.

Jirov dropped a very weak Mesi twice in the 10th and final round. Those 10-8 and 10-7 rounds almost won the fight. Almost.

If Mesi is going to make that eight-figure payday that his popularity is capable of earning him, his next fight better be against Mike Tyson, Roy Jones or Vitali Klitschko. Any heavyweight who can take a beating for seven or eight rounds and then mount an offense has a shot at ruining the Third Franchise.