“Sugar” Shane Mosley Announces His Retirement

“Sugar” Shane Mosley, one of boxing’s best pound-for-pound fighters in the late 1990s all the way to the late 2000s, has announced his retirement.

Mosley told ESPN that he’s gotten too old for the sport and does want to step out of active competition. Mosley did say he will remain in the sport and help out, but won’t be pursuing any fights anymore.

“I decided that I’m older now. I’m not the same as I used to be, so I need to let it go as far as me trying to compete as a fighter anymore,” Mosley said. “I’m definitely always going to be around boxing. I’ll still go to the gym and show people stuff, help them out. I still love boxing. It’s still my life but just not as a fighter anymore.”

The 45-year-old Mosley, who turns 46 in early September, did have a fight planned in Russia later this year, but the bout was canceled after Mosley needed to have surgery to shave down a bothersome bone spur and to remove fragments from his right elbow.

Despite fighting for a world title last year against David Avanesyan, Mosley’s surgery was a sign for Mosley to step down.

“What happened was my arm is breaking down, my knees, shoulders,” Mosley said. “My back is starting to break down. My body is telling me I’m older and I can’t do it at 100 percent. I can’t see myself fighting again. I’d have to say I’m retired.”

After starting his pro career with a perfect 23-0 record, Mosley won his first world title when he beat Philip Holiday in 1997 to win the IBF lightweight title. Mosley defended the title for almost three years, defeating names such as John Molina and Jesse James Leija.

Mosley moved up in weight from lightweight to welterweight and scored a career-defining win against Oscar De La Hoya in 2000 to capture the unified WBC, IBA and lineal welterweight world titles.

Mosley and De La Hoya ended up having a rematch in 2004, this time for the unified light middleweight titles and Mosley once again scored the win, winning a world title in three weight classes.

Best known for never stepping down from a challenge, Mosley fought an extensive list of Hall of Fame-caliber boxers such as Vernon Forrest, Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito, Canelo Alvarez, Ricardo Mayorga, Floyd Mayweather, Fernando Vargas, Manny Pacquiao and many more. Mosley retires with 49-10-1 with 41 KO and 1 NC.