Super middleweight Shane Mosley Jr. recorded the biggest win of his career by defeating former titleholder Daniel Jacobs in the co-feature of the Nate Diaz-Jorge Masvidal pay-per-view card Saturday at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
Mosley won a 10-round unanimous decision with scores of 99-91, 99-91 and 100-90 in a tactical battle.
Mosley (22-4, 12 KOs), 33, of Las Vegas, chose to fight Jacobs (37-5, 30 KOs), 37, of Brooklyn, New York, at a higher weight than WBC middleweight titleholder Carlos Adames due to Jacobs' accomplishments in the sport. The gamble paid off. Mosley started fast and never let up, while Jacobs, who came in just over a pound overweight, fought very patiently. Mosley capitalized by maintaining a high work rate throughout the fight.
Jacobs showed flashes of his timing, looking to land big shots, but they were few and far between. Mosley consistently landed better shots early on, although the fight progressed slowly. Jacobs occasionally landed right hands at the end of rounds, but his overall volume was lacking. Mosley was often first to the punch, dictating the pace of the fight, while Jacobs struggled to let his hands go.
In the eighth round, Jacobs sustained a cut over his left eye from a head clash.
Despite a restless crowd, Mosley secured the biggest win of his career, extending his win streak to five, including victories over Jacobs and Gabriel Rosado. Meanwhile, Jacobs is now on a career-worst two-fight losing streak.
Chris Avila defeated former UFC champion Anthony Pettis via a six-round unanimous decision in a light heavyweight bout.
Avila's strategy centered on maintaining a high output, throwing numerous punches that forced Pettis (1-1), 37, of Milwaukee, to engage more than he might have preferred – though in a slow, plodding manner.
In the second round, Avila (6-0), 31, of Stockton, California, caught Pettis' attention with a left hook. The bout's pace was slow, owing to Avila's style. Despite both fighters' accolades in MMA, the match resembled a contest between boxing novices. The second half of the fight was a tedious slugfest, with Avila emerging as the fresher and younger fighter.
The judges scored it 58-56, 59-55, 59-55 for Avila.