Interviewer (2:35)

Now, growing up in the shadow of the sport, was it something that you always wanted to do? Or sometimes when you're. Your parents have a. Are great at something, there's that nepotism feeling, or there's that feeling like, well, I have to fill those shoes or that shadow. You really don't carry yourself that way, and you have your completely different identity in the ring.

Shane Mosley Jr. (2:58)

Yeah, so I never. I didn't initially want to be a fighter, and maybe that was because my mom used to always say, oh, no, I don't want to be a fighter, all these things, but I. I never really wanted to do it. It was. It was my dad's thing. And it wasn't until one of my buddies, like, was just like, hey, man, you want to come to the gym and spar? And I remember, you know, that sparring session getting, you know, getting bloody and, And. And banged up and was like, I. Oh, yeah, I like that. I need to do that again. And so it just kind of like trial by error and just wanted to come back and wanted to be better and wanted to make myself better and just that constant pursuit. But it wasn't until I felt that blood and that pain that I was like, ooh, I'll be back tomorrow.

Interviewer (4:03)

Well, and, you know, your fighting style, especially Jacobs, I think was an incredible victory. But you, you, and I'm saying this with all respect, when I was sitting there, you know, with Golden Boy and some other big promotions, and they'd put you in situations where you were there to highlight their guy, and it was one fighter I think was on Dazzle, and I was like, it started off slow. The announcers were clearly going one way, and I'm sitting there going, he's picking this guy apart. Slowly, but sure. I think it was about the fifth round where things went downhill. I think it was like a sixth or seventh round knockout, but. And I could just tell by their. Their expressions that that was not the plan. Which even further was like, I love this kid. You know, he's just. He has all this pressure around him. Every time you have a fight, you're going to be under the microscope of how your dad did. But your personality is so different in your way of wearing guys down. Where. Where did that style come from? Because you and your dad have completely different styles, but you almost have a very, like, I would say a Mexican fighter way of breaking guys down. It's just a constant barrage of effort. You're one of those guys, you can go forward and backwards. But also, I like how you can also just plant your feet.

Shane Mosley Jr. (5:18)

Yeah, I would say that I've got it from, know, just being around great fighters, my dad, other fighters, and just in my life also growing up in California, you know, having that Mexican style, you know, always seeing it. So I, I think that just those combinations of things just has helped cultivate my style. And I also like to be very physical, you know what I mean? I think it's important, it's part of the, the fight, you know, because nobody likes being touched. Just like, just having your hands on like, it's like, yeah, get off me. And so if you're constantly putting that pressure and putting that, your presence on somebody, it's constantly breaking them down and taking their energy. And I think it's an important part of fighting.

Interviewer (6:08)

Now on Sunday, May 10, you're scheduling and I'm trying to get his name right. It was, is, yeah, I was like, I'm gonna call him Serge in, in a 10 round middle light main event. Now you're getting into the point now where you're five days out. What is your, what is your training like? Going into it For a lot of people who, this will be the first time they're, they're talking to somebody in a training camp. And again, thank you because you're taking time when this is, when you're your final days of preparation. So take us through what training Cam was like and how it winds down now.

Shane Mosley Jr. (6:43)

Oh, man, it was really, really great. You know, working my, my butt off, just trying to continue to just, you know, be ready for that fight. You know, he's the type of fighter that comes forward as well. He's, you know, an all action fighter. So I had to be ready for a very, very, very tough fight. And so I had. With that being said, you got to train really, really hard two times a day and just give it your all. So right now is, is the, the last part, which is the cut. This is the peak time. And so right now just cutting weight, cutting down the carbs, cutting down the calories, a lot of water and cutting that weight.

Interviewer (7:33)

Now how is making weight for you has. I've never ever heard a report it has ever been difficult. But you know, fighting that middleweight, I mean, that's not a, that's not an easy way to maintain as you get older, 100%.

Shane Mosley Jr. (7:49)

You know, I'm on a strict regimen with my nutritionist and we get it done. It's not easy like you said, but if you're eating the right things and doing the right stuff, it'll come off

Interviewer (8:05)

now in the classic sense. They always say women were bad for boxers legs and stuff. Do you get much time with the family during training camp, or is that something where you kind of got to go away for a little while?

Shane Mosley Jr. (8:16)

Oh, I never go away from my family. I'm with my family all the time. If I can't do my best with my family, I don't want to do it.

Interviewer (8:25)

You know what? I kind of thought that's the answer I was going to see, because I saw it. I've seen it every time I've seen you. I've seen you in a few fights and I was just so impressed because you just don't see that. And you use your family as fuel. And I think that's an amazing. And growing up and with a professional fighter who's a dad, you don't get a lot of time, you know, and it's, you know, and. And you have to learn from. And again, I not similar, but I grew up without a consistent father present in the home. As I become a young man, obviously you went through the not always being able to be there with your dad. How important was that to you to break that? Because you've breaking that. I'm gonna call it a curse because that's what it is. If you can't be with your kids, you can't be with your kids. I understand you're doing it to take care of them or whatever, but how hard was it to break that cycle?

Shane Mosley Jr. (9:19)

Very hard. You know, it's not easy. You know what I mean? Like having my kids with me all the time. Most days they're both my boys are coming with me to the gym, they're coming with me and everything that I do, you know, it's hard. It's part of my life, but it's a sacrifice that I'm willing to make because I know what it means to be present. Like you said, my dad was a professional fighter. He was a legend. And I knew when he was gone, I wasn't gonna talk to him, you know, I wasn't gonna see him. And all the things wasn't there when my dad was around. He was the best dad ever, you know what I mean? Like, he was always doing everything, but I just didn't want to have that, you know what I mean? Because it felt like, at least for me, that, you know, that's.

Interviewer (10:15)

It's almost like a different life.

Shane Mosley Jr. (10:17)

Yeah. Like what you're doing as a fighter is more important to you. That's why you have to go away. That's why you can't be here. You know what I mean? Like, and so I didn't want my kids to feel that way and I didn't want to do that. So I, I do everything with my family, man.

Interviewer (10:35)

No, you do. Hey, I'm telling you, it is an amazing. If you go to a fight, you go, you go to see the competition, you go to see the athletes, the thing, and then you. And then you see someone who is traditionally a family man and it is almost the unicorn in the room. And again, I'm not throwing shade at anybody else, but there are people that say, well, that hurts your endorsement opportunities, that hurts this, you know, and, and they're all. Maybe in some aspects it does, but you're looking at the long game because I also think when the time comes to hang up the, the gloves, you'll also be prepared for life after boxing, which, which is what we know more than anything else is so important. Obviously that's not the plan right now. You have championship aspirations. This is a big stepping stone to get yourself in that position. You don't look past the opponent. But what advantages do you have going into this fight based off what you've seen on tape and against your opponent?

Shane Mosley Jr. (11:34)

Yeah, well, I feel like, you know, speed. Yeah, a speed advantage, a technical advantage. I feel like I have just better skills in general. But overall, I just think that my mindset, you know, I mean, I will not be beat.

Interviewer (12:03)

Yeah, and you can feel that, you know, because it's very like you're naturally reserved guy, but you have a controlled aggression, which I think in boxing, knowing when to turn it on and turn it off and not getting sucked into the macho fight like, you know, the perfect example. This weekend I watched the Benavides Zara fight and at one point it was Zara, he never went, he's never went backwards before and he just didn't have a plan B. And I admired him because he just basically just went out on his shield. But you got to in some cases having that ability to change up mid fight, I think separates and again, great champion. Benavidas is just, he's just, he's just on a different level right now. He's level right now, which everyone aspires to be there, but you continue to grow when you see and your ability to change. Let's looking in this next year, are you looking to have a very busy fight schedule?

Shane Mosley Jr. (13:04)

Yes, I'm looking to fight two or three times this year. I would love that. That would be great for me.

Interviewer (13:12)

And Aspirations and when? Right now, in the current championship pitcher, who, who has the most attention? I know you'll take any, any opportunity, but who's kind of on your, on your radar, so to speak.

Shane Mosley Jr. (13:23)

So right now I'm with the Zufa Boxing and Zufa Boxing has their own Zufa championship and I think the guy to fight with that after beating Sergei Bochuk would be a guy by the name of Callum Walsh.

Interviewer (13:39)

Oh, I've heard of him. Yeah. Solid fighter.

Shane Mosley Jr. (13:41)

Yeah. And so that's the guy. If I want to fight for the championship, I'd want to fight him for the championship. He was on their first Zufa card and you know, he's at least with that being said, you're on the first, very first Zoo for card as a main event, they look at you as the guy. So I want the guy, man.

Interviewer (14:04)

You got to beat the man.

Shane Mosley Jr. (14:05)

Exactly.

Interviewer (14:07)

Now, and this, this is your first fight under Zoo for Boxing banner?

Shane Mosley Jr. (14:11)

Yep.

Interviewer (14:12)

And before the Ramos fight, which again, I sometimes scorecards drive me insane, but, you know, it is what it is. But you know, I thought you had a strong showing, even though you had won five, you had knocked five straight wins off going into that fight. And you never really struck me as a guy who dwells on things too much. I think you learn from your mistakes and you go forward. I also think sometimes in life, in defeats, we tend to learn more about ourselves and in victories. Would you agree with that?

Shane Mosley Jr. (14:44)

Absolutely, 100%.

Interviewer (14:47)

You know, and again, you got that, you got that game winning smile and you should be doing Sprite commercials. So when you, when was it a little nervous going with a lesser known promotion? Because obviously, you know, they have the big ones, the golden boys and the, and the, you know, the other managers and whatnot. Is it, is it kind of, is it nervous betting on yourself to, to, to look to be something that's growing opposed to the establishment?

Shane Mosley Jr. (15:19)

Not in my case. For me, I've been in the establishment for a very long time. I'm like 11 years a pro now. And for me it was like I had never gotten a main event fight ever, other than that when I was on the Contender series. But that wasn't the establishment either. That was outside of the establishment. And so I, the establishment has never looked at me as a headliner, a main event, anything like that. And I actually didn't know that when I signing with them that they were going to make me the main event, but I knew that they were going to shine light on me as a good fighter and stuff like that. So I Figured I was going to be like a co. Main or something like that coming, coming in. But my very first fight in, they've made me a main event fighter. I'm here, I currently.

Interviewer (16:15)

You have the resume?

Shane Mosley Jr. (16:17)

Yeah, well, I'm here currently at the UFC headquarters and you know, they, I get access to all of their amenities here. You know, I mean, the food, everything like that. We don't have anything of that, that nature with traditional boxing. So for me, it was kind of a no brainer. Like I get my food, my meals, my pt, all that stuff taken care of by Zufa. I get, you know, all of those amenities. I get headlining. I get to be able to just be with all of these

Interviewer (17:01)

like this because a lot of times I'll be like, nope, he's not talking to this guy. He's only talking to this guy.

Shane Mosley Jr. (17:05)

100, you know, 100. So all of these things were, I took into account and I felt like they were going to value me as a, as a fighter as they should. And so with that being said, I felt like it was a very, very easy transition. And I also have the opportunity to be the first Zufa middleweight champion, which

Interviewer (17:28)

is historic, you know, and something that you can carve for yourself and build off. Because then obviously once you again, you climb that mountain, then you have to measure your championship towards the other middleweight champ. And then I would imagine at that point, that's when you started looking to solidify that championship as a major title by going after the WBOS, WBC's, WBAs of the world. So you build it first and then they will come.

Shane Mosley Jr. (17:56)

But so I look at it this, like this too. This is kind of in addition to what I just previously said. So my sport, boxing is the only sport that people, when people talk about, oh, boxing is dying, oh, you know, is it going to be around in the next 10 years? Is UFC going to take it over things like that? You never hear that with any other sport. And that is because the traditional way of every, you know, the, all the other guys that have been doing it for years have been doing it and they're running it to the ground. So you go with somebody, they don't talk about the UFC being around in the next 10 years, you know, or like, you know, not being around in the next 10 years, they want to talk about any other sport in their wake. So why not go with the guy that is, has already built something substantial that is running and thriving and be able to be on his journey with making boxing right and creating that. So I'M I'm with that, that movement. I'm with making boxing great again.

Interviewer (19:08)

No, and not just that. Nice. Nicely done, young man. Not just with that. You're also showing other fighters there's another way, there's another opportunity. One of the things I like when I hear, you know, people like Jake Paul and you know, that is what it is and they go after him. But I'm like, he's giving opportunities to individuals now. I'm not for guys way past their prime fighting. I'm not for that, but I am, I am for guys getting on undercars, getting opportunities in front of the camera without the promoter being the most famous guy in the room, you know, And I think, or if there is a promoter, you never see him unless, you know, until the fight's over, he's not the story. And you're giving other fighters a chance who are maybe in those situations when it's been determined, yeah, he's a good fighter, but I don't want to market him, you know, like, he's just a good fighter. I'm going to market, this is the guy I want to market. And those politics stuff. Here you're in a situation where you're showing guys like you don't always have to be with the, the establishment to, to make, to take a place in this sport. Because I think the reason why they, they say those things a lot about boxing and I've been a boxing fan my, my entire life. I think the reason why is because it's like almost like a control mindset on the fighters, you know, because boxing is, is, Boxing is part of American history, you know, it is, is a fabric like baseball, Baseball and boxing are the two sports that I would say that are the very, very fabric of America. And obviously there's so many more opportunities in America, sports wise. That's why I think other countries have kind of have a little more advantage just because we have some, like young guys don't always go into boxing. They go in the NFL, the NBA or Bay, you know, there's so many opportunities. So when you do have a, a chance to grow something, it's, it just shows that how much you believe in yourself. And I think that's, that's an important thing to wear. And you don't always get to see that with fighters because they always want that facade of being angry. And an angry man is, is, yes, he's dangerous, but he's also uncontrollable and makes a lot of mistakes. It's the calm, cool guy in the room under pressure that is able to elevate.

Shane Mosley Jr. (21:15)

Yeah. Another thing about traditional boxing that I. I despise is that they tell you that you can't lose, or if you. If you lose, you're. You're. You're not valuable anymore. And that's trash, man. And that. That. That mentality is trash. And I don't want even, like, just people in general, like, not even other boxers, like, people in general to think that you can't lose. Why would I watch something where, like, oh, if this guy loses, he's. He's nothing now. You know, forget about him. Like, that's a bad mentality to have. And even to think, like, because we're not trash and we're not, you know, disposable. We're still. We're still powerful after we lose. And, you know, to be able to have an opportunity to do that. And you've seen that even with the ufc, guys that have a lot of losses.

Interviewer (22:04)

Yeah.

Shane Mosley Jr. (22:05)

That are great. You know what I mean? And they value just good fights. They value guys that just put on great fights. And so that's what I wanted to be a part of. Being. Being not afraid to lose and not to be being undefeated.

Interviewer (22:21)

That also, I think, makes for better fights, because if. I'm not sure if I think I'm up a couple points, you know, and I'm not going to take the risk, you know, if I. Let's say if you're. It's the eighth round and my corner is confident that I've got. I've got six of the rounds in the bag with two to go, then the guy's going to. You're going to run because you don't want to take the chance of the l trying to get a. A bigger victory or like, well, hey, I don't want to. You know, if I. If I lose, and then you'll see the fight change, and you see guys panic or they're so worried about the. So I think that is a tremendous point. And boxing's the only sport where I never understood that, where a guy, you know, it's the only sport that you are one punch away. I mean, it's. You are one punch. The difference between being a champ and. And not a champ is one shot. So. So it makes. It's almost an oxymoron to say, like, well, he lost one also. I think people don't understand the amount of physical abuse you guys go through. Like, no one ever sees you guys the day after the fight, you know, the preparation that goes into that and to save all of that, all that sacrifice, want a loss. Like I said, we've all took L's in life. If I, if we all had win loss records up by our names, I think a lot of us would be under 500. But that doesn't mean you stop. You stop giving. So you have your young sons with you and they see you training and stuff. Do you have. If they're like, hey, Dad, I want a box. You're good with it.

Shane Mosley Jr. (23:58)

Yeah. My oldest on boxes, I tell them all the time that I don't want him to box and I want him to prove me wrong. You know, if he, if he goes against me, that's the mentality that he needs.

Interviewer (24:15)

Right.

Shane Mosley Jr. (24:15)

He needs to go against me because the world of boxing will go against him. You know, I mean, maybe even the world will go against him. So he needs to be defiant to his dad first.

Interviewer (24:30)

Kind of like you did.

Shane Mosley Jr. (24:32)

Yes.

Interviewer (24:33)

And that's.

Shane Mosley Jr. (24:34)

Yes.

Interviewer (24:35)

And how do you like when you look at. Because I, my son, my son's grandfather wrestled, his uncles wrestled, I wrestled. And you know, his uncles are all in the WWE right now. And, you know, and every time I. He talks about wrestling, I always say, you know, I look at him like, if all you do is become a wrestler, then I have failed you as a father. Like, you should, you should want more. Like, yes, you can follow it. I get it. But please have something else in the bag, you know, like with me, I push education. I don't care. I don't necessarily push the college thing. Although he's kind of a little bit of a bookworm at six, four and a half at 14. But he A trade something to be able to fall. If you give me that, I will not stand in your way. You know, and I think that's. As a father, you. I think that's what you want most of all is your kids to be better than you were.

Shane Mosley Jr. (25:31)

Yep. The only thing that I'll say about that point is, is let that be plan A.

Interviewer (25:39)

Yes.

Shane Mosley Jr. (25:40)

Right. Not the education or the trade or all of these things. Be A if I fall. Because you're not going to fall. Right. It's plan A and it's plan A only so a part of plan A is this and this. Right. And not, oh, I'm doing this because if this falls. Right. Because then you're already setting yourself up to fail. You're setting yourself up to fall. So that's the only thing I'll say about that mindset is just if, if it is two things they're Attached to one another.

Interviewer (26:12)

Okay. They got to walk. Has to have it on there. Yep.

Shane Mosley Jr. (26:16)

Yeah, right. Because. Because then you go, ah, well, I'm not going to do good on this, so maybe I'll do this. That mindset is. That train of thought is. Is. Is There's a crack in it already, right? Yeah, so. So no crack. Just.

Interviewer (26:31)

Just save the cracks for. For Sunday.

Shane Mosley Jr. (26:35)

Exactly, Exactly.

Interviewer (26:37)

Well, hey, man, I appreciate so much of your time, man. I'm. I will be watching from the comfort of my home this Sunday and best of luck. You look like you're ready. You leaned out your mentality and again, this is about as evil as you get. Like I said. Anyone? Like I said, I was so impressed. My wife and I. And I was like, I'm ready to adopt this young man and look at an actual gentleman. I know there's a million ring names, but I really feel that gentleman Sugar Ray should be in there somewhere. Sugar Shay, the gentleman. I'm telling you, man, because. And that's. But it's refreshing. It is refreshing. And before I let you go, my. I have a B team and I like to ask like a couple fun questions. He's into the. The. He's a huge UFC guy and he did. He's a little. He does some jiu jitsu and some stuff like that, so. And he's also a millennial or. Millennial, right? Yeah, millennial or what? Which one is it? Whatever the Z's are. So, you know, going to ask some hopefully not vegan related questions. But, man, I appreciate you, Kent. Look forward to you this Sunday and have you come back on. Anytime you want to promote or talk about anything, our platform is your platform. So keep you young brother. All right, here you go, Harry.

Podcast Host (27:59)

Hey, Shane, can you hear me all right?

Shane Mosley Jr. (28:01)

Yes.

Podcast Host (28:02)

Thanks so much for joining the show. We appreciate it.

Shane Mosley Jr. (28:04)

Oh, man, thank you for having me stoked.

Podcast Host (28:07)

I have to ask, are you in the courtyard at the UFC PI?

Shane Mosley Jr. (28:11)

Yes, I am.

Podcast Host (28:12)

I recognize it. So I was an intern with the UFC last year.

Shane Mosley Jr. (28:15)

Okay. Really cool.

Podcast Host (28:16)

And I have to ask you, what is your favorite part about the PI?

Shane Mosley Jr. (28:22)

Oh, man. I would probably say the food court or the. What is it? The. The pt. Like just the fact that I can get et and get hooked up that way because it was dope. Yeah.

Podcast Host (28:42)

And they have some world class nutritionists there and trainers and that kind of thing. Has that helped with the weight cut, having that team?

Shane Mosley Jr. (28:48)

Very much so.

Podcast Host (28:49)

That's awesome. So I have to ask, I know you've done some training at Syndicate is That right?

Shane Mosley Jr. (28:56)

Yeah. I used to be the coach of wrestling, if you ever met.

Podcast Host (28:59)

That's awesome. So what have you learned from training with MMA guys and coaching MMA guys?

Shane Mosley Jr. (29:06)

Their camaraderie is very, very commendable. It's not something that we have in boxing, so I love just that camaraderie, that just togetherness that they have. That's different from boxing. Boxing is very individual. It's mine. It's, you know, like, that type of thing, that mentality. And MMA is, at least from my experience, was much different.

Podcast Host (29:37)

That's really cool. Is there. Is there a favorite martial art outside of boxing that you enjoy watching or participating in?

Shane Mosley Jr. (29:45)

Just MMA as a whole? Yeah, I mean, yeah, I mean, I'm. I'm a huge UFC fan, so, yeah, I just like MMA altogether, but if there was one discipline that I like, probably Jiu Jitsu.

Podcast Host (30:06)

Is there a single guy that has boxing that stands out to you who's in the UFC right now?

Shane Mosley Jr. (30:12)

Yeah, idiot. Boyer Ilya. Yeah.

Podcast Host (30:17)

I mean, he's just starching everybody.

Shane Mosley Jr. (30:19)

Yeah. I mean, the guy is amazing.

Podcast Host (30:22)

Have you trained with Sean Strickland at all? He's based in Vegas.

Shane Mosley Jr. (30:26)

No, I haven't. I haven't trained well. I've been on the mat at the same time as him. He's fun to watch over at Extreme. I do my SSC over a stream. Extreme.

Podcast Host (30:39)

Oh, nice. How's that. How's that experience been, bro?

Shane Mosley Jr. (30:43)

I've been here there for years. I love it over Extreme.

Interviewer (30:46)

Hmm.

Podcast Host (30:48)

If there's, like, what did. In terms of your approach when you're actually, like, walking out there, stepping into the ring, where do you try and sit in terms of, like, your. Your mindset? Are you, you know, trying to get super amped up? Are you trying to be, like, completely calm? Are you trying to think about him? Are you trying to be like, I'm just coming to get this to you? Like, what is your. Like, where on that spectrum do you sit in terms of your mentality walking into the ring?

Shane Mosley Jr. (31:14)

I think. I think it all. All depends on. On the. On the day, because I need to be where I am at all times. It's a feeling. So I just have to feel our best. And so wherever that. Wherever I feel that day, that I have to do whatever, I feel like when I'm in the ring, I just. I feel into that, and then I do that, and so that's where you find kind of that comfort zone. I don't have to be anything. I don't have to be. To be upset. I don't have to be happy. I don't have to be none of those things. Whatever I'm feeling that day, you just kind of have to fill into that and always be yourself. And true to that, hopefully that answers the question. Absolutely.

Podcast Host (32:04)

So you're just being completely present in that.

Shane Mosley Jr. (32:06)

Yeah, you have to be. You have to be. You're fighting. So, you know, I mean, like, if, if I'm feeling a little bit mellow and I go in there, I try to amp myself up, I'm gonna, you know, get my adrenals up. I'm gonna get all, you know, it's just, it's. You have to be right where you are.

Podcast Host (32:24)

Awesome. Well, Shane, we really appreciate you joining Planet Tyrus. Everyone, please tune in this Sunday. Mosley, Boho, Chuck, it's going to be an awesome fight. We'll definitely be watching and supporting. So thank you very much, Shane. Appreciate it.

Shane Mosley Jr. (32:35)

Thank you so much. I appreciate you guys. Let's go. It.