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Round-by-round recap of the Mayweather-Mosley fight

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Floyd Mayweather Jr. (41-0) remained unbeaten with a 12-round unanimous decision over Shane Mosley (46-6) in their welterweight bout tonight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Two judges scored it 119-109 and another had it 118-110 in favor of Mayweather.

The Times’ Kevin Baxter was ringside and filed this recap:

The time for Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Shane Mosley to stop talking and start punching is drawing near tonight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Following an eight-bout undercard that lasted more than five hours, Mosley, a world champion at three weights, is the first of the main-event fighters into the crowded ring, leading an entourage of about a half-dozen people on the slow, short walk from the dressing room into the sold-out arena at 8:25 p.m.

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That marks the first time the Pomona fighter has been in a boxing ring for a fight since he beat Antonio Margarito at Staples Center in January 2009, an absence of 461 days.

Mayweather, unbeaten in 40 fights, follows a full five minutes later with an over-of-top entrance that includes fireworks and a live musical performance music by the O’Jays, who sign ‘For the Love of Money’ as they make their way into the ring.

If the judges were scoring this, they probably would have given the entrance to Mayweather, though they certainly should have deducted points for excessive use of arrogance.

Among the celebrities in attendance are former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, who made a much-more-understated entrance just before the fifth round of the final undercard bout. Other luminaries ringside include former boxers Oscar De La Hoya; Sugar Ray Leonard and Mike Tyson; rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs; basketball’s Magic Johnson; California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger; actress Eva Longoria; and actors Michael J. Fox, Mark Wahlberg, Will Smith and Jamie Foxx.

Referee Kenny Bayless, meanwhile, is the third man in the ring.

Round 12: Mosley needs a miracle now and Mayweather isn’t going to let him close enough to get it. Whenever Mosley gets close Mayweather either backs away -- waaaay away -- or wraps his opponent in a clinch. Mosley throws a wild left and Mayweather responds with a right that lands. Both fighters throw wild punches in the final seconds.

Mayweather’s round, 10-9. Mayweather wins, 117-110 (unofficial)

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Round 11: In his corner between rounds, Mosley looks like a beaten fighter. He’s still jittery, bouncing on his toes in the ring but Mayweather is toying with him. Mayweather is fighting defensively, but that’s also his best offense -- let Mosley miss with a punch and counter by landing a stronger one. Mayweather misses with both punches in a combination with 1:07 to go. Mayweather lands a left with about 25 seconds left but it didn’t have much steam. Mayweather gets off another right to the side of Mosley’s head.

Mayweather’s round, 10-9. Mayweather leads, 107-101

Round 10: Mayweather is leaning back, avoiding the punches that Mosley was landing in the opening two rounds. He gets off two short, solid rights in the opening seconds, then follows it with a left about a half-minute later. Perhaps out of fatigue, Mosley’s hands are down and that’s making Mayweather’s job a little easier. Mosley is showing some fight but not enough and Mayweather gets off a good combination with about a minute left in the round. Mosley’s face is red and flushed, though it’s unclear if any of that is blood.

Mayweather’s round, 10-9. Mayweather leads, 97-92

Round 9: Mosley is in danger of being knocked out. He needs to regain the pace he had in the first two rounds but it doesn’t appear to be in him. Mayweather, on the other hand -- most likely a strong right -- looks to be one clean punch away from ending this. Mayweather is landing short lefts, mostly to the side or back of Mosley’s head where they aren’t doing much damage. He starts the last minute of the round with a short right that stung Mosley. Mayweather for the first time looks a bit fatigued.

Mayweather’s round, 10-9. Mayweather leads, 87-83

Round 8: Mosley does not appear to be bleeding but his eyes are swollen. Mayweather still looks fresh. Mosley is warned by Bayless for clinching and throwing his opponent into the ropes. As the two fighters go back to the center of the ring, Mayweather catches Mosley with a sharp left that almost looks like a sucker punch. Mayweather lands another hard right with 1:15 to go. Mosley is still breathing open-mouthed while Mayweather’s lips are clenched tight around his mouthpiece.

Mayweather’s round, 10-9. Mayweather leads, 77-74

Round 7: The fight is more than half over and Mayweather is beginning to take control. Mayweather lands a left to the side of Mosley’s head about 50 seconds into the round. A strong right again stops Mosley’s advance. Another strong right to the face with about 62 seconds left rocks Mosley, and Mayweather lands another punch a few seconds later. Mosley charges back but he’s hurt.

Mayweather’s round, 10-9. Mayweather leads, 67-65

Round 6: Mayweather is gaining confidence with each round. Mayweather continues trying to lure Mosley close. A left jab stops just short of Mosley’s nose. Mayweather lands a strong right that shook Mosley. Then Mayweather reaches him with another short right. Mayweather is missing with his lefts, though, Mosley’s mouth is open and he may be feeling his 461-day layoff. Mayweather doesn’t seem to be breathing hard.

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Mayweather’s round, 10-9. Mayweather leads, 57-56

Round 5: While Mosley keeps looking low, Mayweather is having some success going over the top. Now Mosley is clinching. Mosley’s eyes are swelling. Mayweather is, at time, seeming to invite Mosley close by dropping his hands. Mosley remains cautious and at a distance. Mayweather misses with a wild hook but later lands a right.

Mayweather’s round, 10-9. Fight is a draw, 47-47

Round 4: Mayweather is probing rather than just swinging at the start of this round. But Mosley still won’t let him close. Mosley’s speed clearly has Mayweather worried and you have to wonder what an even faster fighter like Manny Pacquiao would do to Mayweather. Mayweather lands a right counterpunch midway through the round. He lands a jab and another right in the final 40 seconds. Mosley’s pace has slowed considerably and he spends much of the last half-minute backing up.

Mayweather’s round, 10-9. Mosley leads, 38-37

Round 3:
Mosley twice stung Mayweather with rights in the second round so Mayweather tries to go on the offensive in the third. But that’s not his game. He looks angry, not patient. Mosley has clearly gotten Mayweather out of his game as Mayweather is now going forward rather than laying back waiting to counter. Mayweather’s punches aren’t finding their range and now Mosley appears content to lay back. Mayweather is much more active but his punches aren’t effective. The pace slows down markedly in the final minute.

Mayweather’s round, 10-9. Mosley leads, 29-27

Round 2: Mosley races out and ducks again, this time grabbing Mayweather around the waist and wrestling him into a neutral corner. Mayweather ducks a strong right. Mosley ducks a wild left, then lands a right. Mayweather clinches but Mosley breaks away and chases after him. Mayweather appears flustered. Mosley’s speed is stunning him. The best Mayweather can do is clinch. Mosley is all over him, in the center of the ring, on the ropes. Mayweather’s only answer is to clinch, trying to slow the aggressive Mosley’s charge. The crowd is on its feet chanting ‘Mosley! Mosley! Mosley!’

Mosley’s round, 10-8. Mosley leads, 20-17

Round 1: Mosley comes charging out to the center of the ring at the bell. Twice he ducks low but can’t get off a punch. Mosley is feeling out Mayweather with this right, holding the left cocked. He’s active but Mayweather won’t let him near. Mayweather lands two rights midway through the round and Mosley stumbles trying to back away but the referee rules it is not a knockdown. Mosley never fully went down anyway. The pair clinch a half-dozen times in the round.

Mosley’s round. Mosley leads, 10-9

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