The business relationship took root about 21 years ago, when Sugar Shane Mosley was just Shane Mosley and decided he wanted to be a champion boxer. The blood relationship began 29 years ago, when Shane Mosley took his first breath on this planet and brought a smile to his father’s face.
The father-son bond between Jack Mosley and Shane Mosley will last their lifetimes.
Their bond as trainer and manager won’t endure that long, but in this era in which parents seem to be more of a hindrance than a help in their children’s athletic endeavors, the business union between Jack and Shane Mosley seems as healthy and profitable as any.
“It’s a model of how families can come together and reach new heights,” is how Madison Square Garden vice president Kevin Wynne described the Mosleys. “They should be commended for that.”
Jack Mosley serves as father, manager and trainer to his son, Shane. Jack was named the trainer/manager of the year in 1998, while his son has compiled a 35-0 record with 32 knockouts. Their relationship outside of the ring appears healthy as well.
“He’s my father in and out of the ring,” said Shane Mosley, who last night defended his WBC welterweight title against Antonio Diaz at the Madison Square Garden Theater.
“But I’m a man now so he doesn’t treat me like a kid. There’s a lot of mutual respect there.”
Judging from the way Shane conducts himself, it’s had to say whether Jack has done a better job as a father or a trainer. Both have generated positive results.
Sugar Shane is one of the more charming and engaging boxers you would ever want to be around. Among the first things he did upon his arrival in New York 10 days ago was to take part in the school awareness program initiated by the Garden. He took time out of his training schedule to visit a high school in Manhattan and talked to 200 kids.
When it came to talking about his opponent, Diaz, Mosley didn’t embark in the traditional trash talking built on belittling his challenger. Instead, he completed the fighter’s courage-“He’s a strong warrior,” Mosley said – and made mention of Diaz’s boxing roots. “The whole family is bred to fight,” Mosley said.
It doesn’t come off as false humility, either. It’s part of the lessons instilled in him by his father since that day when Shane was 8 years old and told his dad he wanted to be a prize fighter.
“At the age of eight, he had a date to be great,” Jack Mosley said of his son. “And he’s been regimented about it ever since. He has been on time for all his workouts and he has been very dedicated. Shane has faith in all his skills, and he’s been all around the world showcasing those skills.”
Among the lessons Jack imparted on his son was to treat opponents with respect.
“I told him never to taunt his opponent because it takes courage to get in the ring knowing you may not win,” Jack said.
“Diaz thinks he’s going to win, and that’s the way he should think. But this is Sugar Shane time. There’s no question about that.”
As trainer and manager, Jack has his son’s career headed on a profitable path. Sugar Shane’s victory over Oscar De La Hoya in June has put him on the cusp of being one of the top attractions in the sport. The Ring magazine recently named him the best fighter, pound-for-pound, in the business, and HBO is ready to make him one of its premier fighters.
After cleaning up on Diaz last night, Mosley was hoping to clean up the rest of the welterweight division, including a rematch with De La Hoya and a rematch with the man who beat him in the 1992 Olympic Trials, the undefeated Vernon Forrest.
He also is eyeing potential bounds with the victory between Felix Trinidad and Fernando Vargas.
That date with greatness may have arrived.