All He Wants Is a Fighting Chance

Disappointed about his stagnation as a boxer, , tired of fighting no-name, no-threat opponents, fed up with watching one megafight after another from his living room, World Boxing Council welterweight champion Shane Mosley says he has taken command of his career.

Mosley won’t go so far as to say he will be his own manager. His manager is his father Jack, who has guided Shane’s career, both in and out of the ring, since he first laced on a pair of gloves when he was 8.

But Shane recognizes there’s a problem. Here he is, considered by many the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world since Felix Trinidad’s defeat last Saturday, and yet, at 30 with a 38-0 record and 35 knockouts, he can’t get a big fight, a big paycheck or even a big arena.

Shane strongly defends his father against those who blame Jack for poor managerial decisions, saying he and father will continue to work together, continue to speak with one voice. But now, it will be Shane’s voice.

“I’ve been frustrated about fighting guys people didn’t think were qualified,” he said. “I felt they were good fighters, but I’m a great fighter.

“My father would relay that message, but it was not taken seriously. My father and I have discussed it, but I don’t know what the problem is. We can’t get what we are asking for. Other fighters get what they are asking for.

“My father has been talking to HBO [which televises Mosley’s fights], but maybe he’s not relaying the intensity of what I feel. So now I have to step forward. Now, what I’m saying, they are going to hear first-hand out of my mouth.”

That, says Jack, is fine with him.

“Shane is a grown man,” he said. “Whatever he decides is OK with me. Shane is pretty bright. He knows what’s going on. He’s learned the boxing game, picked it up pretty well.”

Shane says his increased involvement won’t change his relationship with Jack, who has been highly praised for his work as Shane’s trainer.

“There have been no confrontations with my father or anything like that,” Shane said. “Things ... will be the same as they’ve been since I was 6 years old.”

Mosley’s first decision: Tired of waiting to defend his 147-pound title against Vernon Forrest, who engaged in long, contentious and ultimately futile negotiations for a $2-million purse, Shane wants to move to 154 pounds, intending to fight Winky Wright on Jan. 12.

Wright must first beat Robert Frazier at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio next Friday in a match for the International Boxing Federation’s 154-pound title.

“When I move to 154, I’ll be inside the circle with [Oscar] De La Hoya, [Fernando] Vargas and maybe Trinidad,” Mosley said. “I’ll be saying, ‘Here I am.”’

Cedric Kushner, Mosley’s promoter, says he is in favor of increased participation by Mosley.

“Yes, positively,” Kushner said. “I’ve never been his manager. I’ve never told him what to do. I’ve advised him. He’s not taking my role away. What benefits him benefits me.”

HBO vice president Kery Davis expects to be dealing strictly with Mosley.

“Although I have, of course, spoken to Shane many, many times, I have never spoken to him about negotiations, about matters of business,” Davis said. “I have always talked to his promoter or to Jack, about marketing or about whom Shane was going to be fighting.

“I haven’t been told that Jack is no longer his manager or that Cedric is no longer his promoter, but I have gotten the indication Shane wants to be more involved in his career.”

Still to be determined is Kushner’s future with Mosley. The Mosleys maintain Shane is a free agent after his next fight. Kushner has maintained he has two fights left with Mosley

Their contract is based on the number of Mosley’s fights on HBO. Kushner says Mosley’s match against De La Hoya in June of 2000 doesn’t count because it was on TVKO.

The Mosleys say that it does count because TVKO is a pay-per-view arm of HBO.

“We have pretty much settled it,” Mosley said. “I don’t think we will have any problem.”

The Pomona fighter says he might stick with Kushner for his next two fights--because he wants to, not because he feels he is contractually bound to do so.

Mosley’s career peaked when he won a majority decision over De La Hoya at Staples Center for the 147-pound title.

And, thought Mosley, a place among boxing’s elite.

But since, Mosley has fought Antonio Diaz, Shannan Taylor and Adrian Stone, all in small ballrooms.