With his unique pay-per-view event less than two weeks away, and going head-to-head with a major Premier Boxing Champions event, Shane Mosley is selling the addition of a female title fight to his card, saying he’s taking a stand against sexism in boxing.
Mosley has added the bout to his PPV main event, a rematch between Mosley, 43, and Ricardo Mayorga, 41, in Mosley-Mayorga 2 live at 10 p.m. ET at the Forum in Los Angeles. Mosley is pioneering the first independent pay-per-view event promoted by a big-name boxer — his company is called GoBox Promotions.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. has promoted many of his recent PPV events, but all were aired on either Showtime or HBO premium networks.
Maureen Shea, known as the “Real Million Dollar Baby” because of her sparring work with Hilary Swank in the 2005 movie Million-Dollar Baby, and Mexican fighter Yulihan Avila will face off in a 10-round super bantamweight bout. It is believed to be the first female title fight on a men’s pay-per-view event in more than a decade. The last is believed to be undefeated champion Laila Ali vs. Erin Toughill on the undercard of Mike Tyson’s final fight, when he quit on his stool against journeyman Kevin McBride in Washington D.C. on June 11, 2005.
Mosley used the dramatic rise of UFC star Ronda Rousey to become the UFC’s star attraction as a comparison to boxing’s perceived sexism and said he needs to stand up for women in boxing.
“It’s an embarrassment to boxing that UFC and MMA show more respect to their woman fighters than the boxing world does, and it’s about time we caught up,” said Mosley. “I just hope the community gets behind me in this decision by buying the PPV and coming out to support at the Forum live.”
Shea (24-2-0,12 KOs) is the current IFBA junior featherweight champion, current NABA featherweight champion, and former interim WBC featherweight champ. Avila is 12-2-0, with 1 KO.
Mosley (47-9-1, 39 KOs) says he is making his fight against Mayorga (31-8-1, 25 KOs) affordable for most boxing fans, with the PPV under $50, and tickets for the fight starting at $35 and available through The Forum box office and Ticketmaster.com.
“I am ready for war these days and I don’t care what kind of blocks they try and put up: I am making a stand,” said Mosley. “It’s time somebody stood up and demanded things change. Thankfully I have the name and the funds to do that at Mosley Vs. Mayorga 2.”
The co-main event for Mosley-Mayorga II features undefeated featherweight Joel Diaz Jr. (19-0, 15 KOs) against Luis Arceo (28-13-4, 18 KOs).
Mosley’s event will go head-to-head with Leo Santa Cruz’s 12-round PBC featherweight bout against Abner Mares, also at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN, from L.A.’s Staples Center. Santa Cruz is undefeated and both fighters are former champions and in their prime.
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