Shane Mosley's career was rejuvenated. Oscar De La Hoya insisted he was robbed.
That was the fallout from Mosley's victory on Saturday night, a unanimous 12-round decision over De La Hoya in their super welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. All three judges -- Stanley Christodoulou, Duane Ford and Anek Hongtongkam -- scored the bout 115-113 for Mosley. Yet De La Hoya was protesting the decision rather than accepting that he had lost to Mosley for the second time in two tries.
"On Monday, I will put a full investigation into what happened tonight," De La Hoya said at a postfight news conference, during which several in the crowd yelled "sore loser."
"It's not about my future. It's about boxing. Boxing does not need this anymore. Boxing needs good decisions to stay alive."
It was unfair to Mosley to suggest that De La Hoya had dominated: Some who watched the fight felt Mosley had won, while others thought De La Hoya had won. But the three judges went with Mosley, and unless De La Hoya's proposed investigation uncovers impropriety, De La Hoya will have to accept that Mosley got the best of him -- again.
This was an important victory for Mosley (39-2), who was without a victory in his previous three fights -- two losses to Vernon Forrest and a no-contest against Raul Marquez.
Many thought the 32-year-old Mosley's best days had passed, but he had a solid game plan against De La Hoya (36-3) and the skills to execute it.
While neither fighter was knocked down, Mosley had the best punch of the fight, a right hand in the ninth round that snapped De La Hoya's head back. De La Hoya looked hurt for the next minute, and when the fight ended, Mosley was proud of his performance.
"I thought it was a close fight," Mosley said. "I'd be lying to you if I said I flat-out beat him every round. I'd have to go back and look at the tape to see what's what. But I thought I won the fight."