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BOXING: He backs up his promise and puts Vargas away easily in the sixth round of their rematch.
By DAVID A. AVILA
"Sugar" Shane Mosley promised a more decisive win and delivered it with a perfect left hook from the hip to score a technical knockout Saturday over Fernando Vargas that could spell the end of the Oxnard fighter's career.
Mosley (43-4, 37 KOs) looked faster and more accurate in dominating Vargas (26-4, 22 KOs) with right hands to the head and body shots in a junior middleweight fight scheduled for 12 rounds before 9,722 raucous fans at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. It was Mosley's first fight with his father, Jack Mosley, back in the corner.
The rematch proved to be one-sided as Mosley seemed too fast and too strong for Vargas, compared to their first bout in February. The Pomona fighter's fluidity and marksmanship allowed him to win every round. According to Compubox, Mosley landed 136 punches to 68 by Vargas in the bout.
Vargas tried to counterpunch in the sixth after failing to pressure Mosley in the earlier rounds. A three-punch combination by Vargas made it appear the tide might turn. Before that, Mosley rampaged through his opponent with rights and more rights.
"He was weaker in this fight," said Mosley, 34. "He looked like he was breaking down."
But Mosley timed a double jab by Vargas and slipped a left hook that caught Vargas on the chin and down he went at 2:38 in the sixth round.
"I remember Oscar De La Hoya's fight against Vargas, and he threw that perfect left hook," said Mosley, referring to the Golden Boy's knockout of Vargas two years ago. "I was dancing around and saw the opening and threw that perfect left hook again."
Vargas went down, stumbled twice but managed to get to his feet before the count. He was allowed to continue, but Mosley fired a barrage of punches, and referee Kenny Bayless stopped the fight for a technical knockout.
"I thought I was doing good, and he caught me with a good shot," said Vargas, 28, who also suffered a small cut on his left eye in the fifth round. "I didn't see it (the left hook) until I saw it on the replay."
Vargas said he does not know if he'll continue fighting.
"I need to talk to my fans and my family," he said.
The judges scored all five rounds for Mosley before the knockout.
Mosley gave credit to his father for the win.
"He was very inspirational to everyone in the camp," Mosley said.
He also gave Vargas some kind parting words.
"We're all California brothers, and we do it for our families," Mosley told Vargas after the fight. "There are no hard feelings."
Both fighters drank water in their corners -- and that was a big deal in some boxing circles. Mosley's promoters got a temporary injunction Friday night preventing Vargas from drinking Gatorade during the fight, something that became legal earlier in the week with new rules adopted by the Nevada Athletic Commission. |
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