BAMAPHIN 22
FinHeaven Elite
No butts about it, Shane Mosley made an undeniable case for who's the better fighter Saturday night at the MGM Grand, winning his junior middleweight rematch against Fernando Vargas with a TKO victory at 2:35 of the sixth round.
Mosley, who relied on right hands to stop Vargas Feb. 25 on a 10th-round TKO, was in control of the rematch when he uncorked a perfect left hook that put Vargas on his back and sent up a roar from the crowd of 9,722 that saw the fight along with a worldwide HBO pay-per-view audience.
As Mosley ran to a neutral corner and leaped on the ropes with his arms raised in celebration, Vargas rolled over, stumbled on his knees and scrambled to his feet before the count of 10. Referee Kenny Bayless let the action resume, but stepped in just moments later to stop the fight after Mosley unleashed a four-punch finishing flurry.
"Shane anticipated the stoppage almost before I stopped it," Bayless said. "As soon as I said stop, Shane just kind of turned away."
Although most observers disagreed, Vargas argued that head butts rather than Mosley's repeated right hands were responsible for him losing the first fight after his left eye was grotesquely swollen shut. As for Mosley's big punch Saturday night, Vargas really didn't know what hit him.
"I didn't see the left hook until I watched it on the replay," said Vargas. "I thought I was doing well up until the left hook. I thought it was slowly going my way."
Mosley (43-4, 37 KOs) was ecstatic after the victory, which he shared with his father. Jack Mosley got him started in boxing at age 8 and was back in his son's corner for the first time since 2004.
"In the gym, we worked really hard," Mosley said. "He was an inspiration not only to me but to every one in camp."
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/2006-07-16-mosley-vargas_x.htm