The Big PPV card between Shane Mosley and Sergio Mora is due up this Saturday, and the main event fighters and their trainers hosted a final press conference before the fight itself. Check out quotes from Mosley, Mora, Nazim Richardson, Oscar De La Hoya and more.
SUGAR SHANE MOSLEY
“I am excited to be here and to celebrate the Bicentennial of Mexican Independence. I want to thank my team, the Mosley Tribe. Everybody did a phenomenal job of getting me in shape and making sure I have myself in tip top condition.
“Naazim did a great job making sure I don’t take Sergio Mora for granted.
“I always thank my father for my existence and getting me together as a fighter. I thank him for all of these years of preparing me, supporting me and having my back.
“I have to get past Sergio Mora. I thank him for taking the fight and accepting the challenge. This guy is not someone to take lightly. He beat Vernon Forrest. I never beat the late great Vernon Forrest. He is a competitor and he comes to win.
“I kept myself busy while training for Sergio. I have kept my tools sharp.
“Sergio has added pressure because he feels that he has to prove to the world that he is somebody.
“I feel that I am working to prove to myself and prove to the fans that I can do this.
“Win, lose or draw, I am expecting fireworks Saturday night. I am going show the world that Sugar Shane Mosley is here to stay.”
SERGIO “THE LATIN SNAKE” MORA
“I have been with the same team since I started boxing and everyone that has been a part of my team has been tremendous.
“It has been a pleasure to get this great opportunity. I want to share the emotion that is going through me, and that is excitement. It is going to be hard to contain my emotions because I have to put my game face on and I am not going to be as animated.
“This is what makes me shine. You put the lights on, you put the pressure on. I am not afraid of the limelight.
“Some people say I don’t have enough this, I don’t have enough that. Let me tell you, I have it because I got here. It took one man to beat me and that was the late great Vernon Forrest.
“I know I can do it. My team knows I can do it and I will do it Saturday.
“Sugar Shane Mosley is someone I respect and someone I value outside of the ring. He is a legend. I am fighting another Hall of Famer. He has everything behind him. He has the experience, the power and the chin. He has never been knocked out and he is undefeated at STAPLES Center. He is the real deal.
“The stars are aligning for something special to happen on Saturday. It is fate, faith and destiny. People don’t believe in destiny, they believe in luck. If you believe in luck, go live in Las Vegas. This is my time, and I am finally with a promoter that believes in me.
“When you leave STAPLES Center, you’re going to say ‘Vargas couldn’t do it. De La Hoya couldn’t do it. Margarito couldn’t do it, but Sergio Mora did it.’ It takes more than speed, experience and guts to beat Mosley and I know I have what it takes.
“I see the Concrete Jungle is in the house. I have a lot of respect for Philadelphia, but they are going to get introduced to the Snake Pit and East LA on Saturday night.”
OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President of Golden Boy Promotions
“We feel honored and privileged that STAPLES Center and L.A. Live have given us this opportunity to really bring a festive night, a festive week to the L.A. fans.
“This is where Sugar Shane Mosley has had some of his best victories. Sergio Mora fought here and had a tremendous win when he won The Contender.
“We feel that this undercard and the main event will pack the house because fans know when they have a fight that they can watch up close and personal, they will come. We put together something very special headlined by the great Sugar Shane Mosley and Sergio Mora.
“Boxing knows no borders. There is no nationality in boxing. All boxing knows is ‘fight.’ That is the nationality of boxing.
“This weekend is very special for people across the globe who are celebrating the Mexican Bicentennial.
“Whether you are going to Cabo San Lucas or Cancun and popping open a Tecate, you can feel Mexican, you can feel that same energy and that same passion. You can feel that L.A. too. Come on down and enjoy the weekend. Have your tacos and nachos. Have whatever you want that is Mexican. It is all here.
“This is historic. Let’s live it. Let’s enjoy it because we are never going to see it again. In another 200 years, we aren’t going to be here so let’s enjoy these festivities.
“To top it all off, on Saturday night, the great Sugar Shane Mosley will fight Sergio Mora, both are in a tough fight, both are ready to win. Both are hungry and ready to prove themselves.
“We love mentioning that what Sergio did for boxing when he was involved in ‘The Contender.’ He brought another audience to the sport of boxing.
“Mora has beaten World Champions and former World Champions. He beat the late Vernon Forrest and people need to be reminded of that.
“Sugar Shane Mosley is a lock in for the Hall of Fame. That is not a doubt. He is a three division World Champion. He knocked Mayorga out with one punch. He knocked out Fernando Vargas. He had spectacular wins against me.
“I have known Mosley since he was a kid and he has always been a fighter. He has been a fighter that goes the extra mile. He has that will; the fighter’s will. That’s what makes Mosley who he is. Now he is paired up with an amazing trainer in Naazim Richardson.”
NAAZIM RICHARDSON, Mosley’s Trainer
“I know people of Mexican descent, the Latino people. They respect boxing. They respect any athlete who puts his heart in the ring. That is why Mosley has so many Latino fans, because he is cut from that same cloth.
“I knew Sergio Mora from the amateurs. This kid can fight. He never got the proper credit. If you underestimate Sergio Mora…he will beat you.
“Jack Mosley did a phenomenal job teaching his kid how to fight. I watched the Mosley family, the Mosley Tribe come out and support Shane Mosley Jr. at his amateur tournament just like they were all here at STAPLES Center. It makes you understand what Jack and his family raised Shane to be.
“I always say Shane Mosley is a great human being who just happens to know how to fight his behind off.
“Saturday night you will see a warrior. If you respect boxing, you are going to see two warriors match up.”
DEAN CAMPOS, Sergio Mora’s Trainer
“We had a great training camp. Most of all I want to thank Sergio for coming in to camp and just killing it. This kid was amazing.
“I want to thank Shane who is a great athlete. I hope everyone comes out Saturday and has a great time. Everyone should go to the Fiesta de Independencia and then come to the fight.”
JUAN MARCOS GUTIERREZ GONZALEZ, Consul General of Mexico in Los Angeles
“Thank you. It is a great honor for me to be here. Not only because of the announcement of this great boxing card, but we are at the same venue where we are celebrating Mexico’s Bicentennial tonight.
“This fight is the Mexican Consulate’s official sporting event of the month of September – the month of Mexican Independence.
“This event has a lot of meaning with great fighters, a great program and a great crowd that I am sure will attend. I invite everyone who is going to be at the El Grito Celebration tonight to come back on Saturday for the Mosley vs. Mora fight night.”
“200: CELEBRATE AND DOMINATE” is headlined by Five-Time World Champion Sugar Shane Mosley facing off against former World Champion Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora and also features Mexican phenom Saul “Canelo” Alvarez against World Champion Carlos “Tata” Baldomir, top junior welterweight contender “Vicious” Victor Ortiz taking on former World Champion “Vicious” Vivian Harris and former World Champion Daniel Ponce De Leon squaring off against number two world rated featherweight Antonio Escalante in a WBO Featherweight Title Elimination bout.
