LAS VEGAS, Nevada, 26 December 2003 — Ronald “Winky” Wright received the Christmas present he wanted most — a chance to fight fellow American “Sugar” Shane Mosley for the undisputed world super welterweight crown.
Promoter Gary Shaw announced here Wednesday that Mosley has agreed to a March 13 unification showdown here on March 13, the first time in 29 years that the 154-pound division crown will be unified.
Southpaw Wright, 46-3 with 25 knockouts, owns the International Boxing Federation crown in the weight class. Mosley, 39-2 with 35 knockouts, owns the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association titles.
Mosley was set to fight Nicaragua’s Ricardo Mayorga in March, but Mayorga lost a welterweight unification showdown to Cory Spinks earlier this month at Atlantic City. Spinks called out Mosley but Wright got the much-desired fight.
“Mosley-Wright is the biggest fight in their division,” said Shaw, Mosley’s promoter. “Everyone has had an excuse for not fighting Sugar Shane or Winky.
“But when the opportunity presented itself to fight for the undisputed title Sugar Shane and Winky offered not excuses, but pens to sign their contracts.”
Mosley captured the WBC and WBA crowns by taking a 12-round unanimous decision from “Golden Boy” Oscar de la Hoya here last September in the American rivals’ long-awaited rematch of Mosley’s 2000 WBC welterweight title triumph.
“I’ve accomplished a lot in my career,” Mosley said. “No one has defeated De la Hoya twice and not many can boast three world titles in three different weight classes.
“Now I want to add the undisputed 154-pound world championship to my trophy case. History is always a little sweeter when you add some Sugar to it.”
Wright has won seven in a row since losing a majority decision to fellow American Fernando Vargas in 1999. He won the IBF crown after Felix Trinidad vacated it in 2001 and has won four title defenses.
