Mosley vs. Berto - Who Has the Hunger?

If everyone were to make their prediction on the big-time fight pitting Shane Mosley against Andre Berto in an HBO main event live from the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on January 30 based solely on their fights with common opponent Luis Collazo, then just about 100 percent of us would pick the older, wiser ring veteran 'Sugar' Shane to topple the younger, undefeated Berto in a landslide.

Mosley picked apart the gifted Collazo en route to a clear-cut unanimous decision when they met in February 2007. In January of 2009, Berto gained a unanimous nod over Collazo, but many felt he didn't even deserve to have his hand raised, let alone unanimously.

As we know, it can be very foolish to have an opinion on an upcoming encounter between two boxers judging only on what they did in a match-up vs. a single athlete they both fought.

So let's leave the past where it is and focus in on this intriguing battle between the 26-year-old Berto and the 38-year-old Mosley. As is obvious, the edge in age goes to Berto, who will carry a 25-0 (19 knockouts) record into the ring when he takes on the WBC welterweight champ Mosley (46-5, 39 KO's).

Of course, the term edge in favor of Berto when discussing the age discrepancy between the two combatants may be a mute point if you saw what Mosley did to Antonio Margarito last January. The ring master from Pomona, California pummeled the then extremely highly-regarded Margarito around until the contest was stopped in the ninth round. It was the second straight victory for Mosley who fought smartly against the dangerously wild swinging Ricardo Mayorga en route to a 12th-round stoppage in September of 2008. Miguel Cotto won a razor thin unanimous decision over 'Sugar' Shane in November 2007.

For his part, Berto, from Florida, redeemed himself to a certain extent after the struggle with Collazo when he dominated Juan Urango-who has fought a weight class lower at junior welterweight in recent years-on the way to a unanimous decision triumph in May of 2009.

It's somewhat difficult to say which athlete is hungrier heading into January 30 because Berto still has to prove that he can take down someone the caliber on Mosley and 'Sugar' Shane still wants a mega-fight against either Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather. One thing that isn't too difficult to envision is a sizzling good fight, with lots of speed, skill and power punching.

The nod in this corner goes to Mosley. Look for some eye-opening exchanges between the two combatants starting in the second round and lasting through the eighth round. At that point, Mosley's knowledge of how to preserve stamina will begin to take over in the ring. Berto will lose some discipline as he begins to tire and that will leave him open to the bone-jarring shots. It won't be a clean knockout, but a TKO in favor of 'Sugar' toward the end of the 10^th round.

This victory could set Mosley up nicely for a showdown with either Pacquiao or 'Money' Mayweather. Look for Berto to get a tune up fight or two if he loses then it is right back into main event status for the young man.