Shane Mosley would like to ask a favor.
He'd like you to forget everything you know about him.
And though the ex-three-division champ hasn't won a title fight since Day 5 of Barack Obama's presidency, he still maintains he has plenty to offer as the second term winds down.
But rather than simply banking on the skill set that yielded belts at 135, 147 and 154 pounds through 2009, he insists that Mosley 2.0 will be even better than the original version.
"I have the blueprint, the fountain of youth," he told CBS Sports. "If people were really smart -- not just boxers, everyone -- they would be trying to copy what I am doing. It brought me back to life.
"I am better than I was then. I was only 80 percent. I am 100 percent perfect both physically and mentally."
Now 44, Mosley will take his middle-aged aplomb into the ring this weekend in Glendale, Arizona, where a defeat of once-beaten Russian import David Avanesyan might mean a return to the main stage for the first time in many years.
The Saturday fight -- to be broadcast by CBS Sports Network at 10:30 p.m. ET -- is for the WBA's interim welterweight title, a fancy way of saying the winner will be in line for a shot at the winner of next month's full-fledged championship match between Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter.
That bout, incidentally, will be the first prime-time main event on CBS since 1978.
As for Avanesyan, he was all of 4 years old when Mosley began his own professional career in 1993, and was just shy of 9 when "Sugar Shane" won his first professional championship in 1997. Nevertheless, when it comes to locking horns with a now 27-year-old version, it's the old guy who promises fireworks.
"They want to discard me and say I am washed up. Maybe I was. But I'm not anymore," Mosley said. "I am back. And I intend to prove it against the No. 1 Russian killer who broke (IBF champion) Kell Brook's rib. People may not know him by name, but he is a tough opponent.
"They will see a war, and then they will know."
What they'll know, he claims, is the difference made by clean living and legendary training.
The Californian, who won two fights in 2015 after going 1-4-1 in his previous six, recently celebrated a two-year anniversary with girlfriend Trista Pisani -- whom he credits for the outside-the-ring renaissance that's changed his approaches to eating, sleeping and relaxation.
These days, he rises at 6 a.m., meditates up to 60 minutes and consumes an organic diet that includes fruit and vegetable juices, eliminates sugar and incorporates a parasite cleanse every six months.
He also proclaims the benefits of six hours of nightly sleep, 90 minutes of daily naps, yoga, social media venting and elimination of "every negative or parasitic person from your life."
"My girl is real enlightened. She opened a whole world up to me," Mosley said. "She gave me unconditional love and support and respect and knowledge. I'm invincible right now. You will see. Everyone will see."
Inside the ring, he's training with Hall of Famer Roberto Duran, who won championships in four weight classes in a career that spanned 33 years and saw him record the last of his 103 wins at age 49.
It's the first time the two have worked together.
"I am very happy to have Duran on my team," Mosley said. "This is the type of addition that will push me even farther. He is a fighter that I looked up to when I was coming up. How can you not learn from a legend like him?"
Mosley had most recently been trained by Kenny Porter, the father of Shawn Porter.
In fact, it's the close relationship with the Porter family that's prompted Mosley to suggest he'd not pursue the WBA title shot if he and Porter win their respective fights.
"There are more important things than a title. Like real friendship and people who have your back," he said. "I wouldn't want to beat Porter. And I know he wouldn't want to beat me. I know I can beat him. And I believe he can beat Thurman. I would fight Thurman for no belt even if he lost. I won't fight my little brother, though."
He'd like you to forget everything you know about him.
And though the ex-three-division champ hasn't won a title fight since Day 5 of Barack Obama's presidency, he still maintains he has plenty to offer as the second term winds down.
But rather than simply banking on the skill set that yielded belts at 135, 147 and 154 pounds through 2009, he insists that Mosley 2.0 will be even better than the original version.
"I have the blueprint, the fountain of youth," he told CBS Sports. "If people were really smart -- not just boxers, everyone -- they would be trying to copy what I am doing. It brought me back to life.
"I am better than I was then. I was only 80 percent. I am 100 percent perfect both physically and mentally."
Now 44, Mosley will take his middle-aged aplomb into the ring this weekend in Glendale, Arizona, where a defeat of once-beaten Russian import David Avanesyan might mean a return to the main stage for the first time in many years.
The Saturday fight -- to be broadcast by CBS Sports Network at 10:30 p.m. ET -- is for the WBA's interim welterweight title, a fancy way of saying the winner will be in line for a shot at the winner of next month's full-fledged championship match between Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter.
That bout, incidentally, will be the first prime-time main event on CBS since 1978.
As for Avanesyan, he was all of 4 years old when Mosley began his own professional career in 1993, and was just shy of 9 when "Sugar Shane" won his first professional championship in 1997. Nevertheless, when it comes to locking horns with a now 27-year-old version, it's the old guy who promises fireworks.
"They want to discard me and say I am washed up. Maybe I was. But I'm not anymore," Mosley said. "I am back. And I intend to prove it against the No. 1 Russian killer who broke (IBF champion) Kell Brook's rib. People may not know him by name, but he is a tough opponent.
"They will see a war, and then they will know."
What they'll know, he claims, is the difference made by clean living and legendary training.
The Californian, who won two fights in 2015 after going 1-4-1 in his previous six, recently celebrated a two-year anniversary with girlfriend Trista Pisani -- whom he credits for the outside-the-ring renaissance that's changed his approaches to eating, sleeping and relaxation.
These days, he rises at 6 a.m., meditates up to 60 minutes and consumes an organic diet that includes fruit and vegetable juices, eliminates sugar and incorporates a parasite cleanse every six months.
He also proclaims the benefits of six hours of nightly sleep, 90 minutes of daily naps, yoga, social media venting and elimination of "every negative or parasitic person from your life."
"My girl is real enlightened. She opened a whole world up to me," Mosley said. "She gave me unconditional love and support and respect and knowledge. I'm invincible right now. You will see. Everyone will see."
Inside the ring, he's training with Hall of Famer Roberto Duran, who won championships in four weight classes in a career that spanned 33 years and saw him record the last of his 103 wins at age 49.
It's the first time the two have worked together.
"I am very happy to have Duran on my team," Mosley said. "This is the type of addition that will push me even farther. He is a fighter that I looked up to when I was coming up. How can you not learn from a legend like him?"
Mosley had most recently been trained by Kenny Porter, the father of Shawn Porter.
In fact, it's the close relationship with the Porter family that's prompted Mosley to suggest he'd not pursue the WBA title shot if he and Porter win their respective fights.
"There are more important things than a title. Like real friendship and people who have your back," he said. "I wouldn't want to beat Porter. And I know he wouldn't want to beat me. I know I can beat him. And I believe he can beat Thurman. I would fight Thurman for no belt even if he lost. I won't fight my little brother, though."
Article courtesy of CBS
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