Before this fight took place all the so called experts had written off Cruz as a "slow as molasses in January" fighter who had no chance against Shane and this fight was going to be quick. When asked what we could expect to see in his upcoming fight, Mosley told Boxing2005, and I quote, "You are all in for a treat!" Based on his performance Saturday night, we are all still waiting for our treat, and all you so called experts aren’t as smart as you think you are because even though "Chelin" is admittedly slow, he gave Shane everything he could handle and more, contrary to all my esteemed peers predictions.
 

The spin-doctors were out in rare form after the fight claiming that Shane has now proven that he is ready for the next step up the ladder in the 147-pound division. Really? Do you really think the boxing public is that blind? If Shane takes that performance into the ring against any of the top dogs at 147 he is in very big trouble.....PERIOD! Margarito and Judah would pose a real problem for Shane right now, let's face it, Mosley’s return to 147 is not very impressive. If Cruz is as bad as you all say,and said throughout the broadcast, then what the heck can be said for Shane now?
 

From the very first round it was apparent that Shane still was not the fighter he once was, and if this was the best he could do against a fighter every one said he was going to embarrass, then he was in for a long night!
 

The second round did not give any indication that the blinding hand speed and combos were going to appear and with a couple of uncalled for whacks to Mosley after the bell, Cruz showed he was not going to be intimidated by the ex Champion.
 

"Chelin" may not have been winning of these early rounds but he was certainly winning over the fans that were cheering for the underdog with loud chants of "Mexico!" After an unintentional head butt the cheers got louder fir Cruz and again, Mosley did not win this round on all 3 judges cards as one saw Cruz taking this one, this was in no way an overwhelming performance, much less a "treat".
 

Over the next couple of rounds Shane is in control but he appeared hesitant at times, almost afraid to trade during others. Chelin is doing everything he can to get after Shane and although he is having trouble catching him, he is throwing punches and making Shane work, this fight is at the midpoint and the tough Mexican is still here making a fight of it.
 

I want everyone who said Shane proved himself to be back in the thick of the welterweight picture to take a good hard look at the closing five rounds. If you can make an argument for Shane being one of the 147-pound elite, well frankly put, you would be dead wrong! Don't take my word for it, look at the official scorecards, (no, not Harold Ledermans, he has no idea what he is talking about). Two judges saw the last 5 rounds a slim 3 rounds to 2 in favor of Mosley. And hold on to your hats boxing fans, one judge saw Chelin winning 4 of the last 5 rounds and that is not as far fetched as the 3 stooges in the HBO booth want you to believe.
 

Shane looked flat out awful in the seventh round, to the point of being scared! Shane is tired and swollen and with "Chelins" bravado cry to Shane to "COMEON", no one is mistaking Cruz for a fighter who is in fear.
 

In the final couple of rounds it would be safe to say that "Chelin" needs a KO to win and he was doing his best to get one. Cruz wobbled Mosley as well as anyone has in the last rounds, but no one has mentioned that...until now.
 

Mosley lost the 10th and final round straight across the board, all judges gave it to Cruz! This was no way to close the show for someone trying to make an argument for his place on top.

Cruz deserved to raise in hands in victory at the end of this one, if for no other reason that he proved every single one of the media wrong, and in doing so has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. On the other hand, Shane does! It's not likely, but hopefully one of his clingers on will set Shane aside and tell him the truth about this fight and how he really performed.

I am not a big punchstats guy but.....Cruz threw 738 punches to Mosley’s 452. When do you remember Shane getting outworked in any fight? I'll tell you when, it was in the fights he lost!

As the fighters left the arena the fans were cheering Cruz and congratulating him on his gutty performance. As Shane left the joint most were badgering the fighter, telling him he is not the fighter he once was. ( That's paraphrased, you don't want to know what they were really saying!) 
 

The one chant that really got my attention was coming from someone in Shane’s personal entourage. As they were exiting the building the Mosley team member was yelling, "He's Back! He's Back," stealing a line from The Poltergeist Movies.
 

That was the perfect line to use, because the Shane I saw on Saturday night is merely a ghost of the great fighter he once was!