Shane Mosley vs. Liam Smith Fight Called Off over Rematch Clause

Shane Mosley has pulled out of a fight with WBO light middleweight champion Liam Smith in Manchester, citing the Brit's rematch demands as the reason for the deal's collapse.

According to Jeff Powell of the Daily Mail, the fight had been scheduled in principle for Dec. 19 as a co-feature to the WBO middleweight bout between Andy Lee and Billy Joe Saunders. It would have been Smith’s first defence of his WBO title since winning the vacant belt with a knockout victory over John Thompson earlier this month.

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However, Mosley told World Boxing News: "It's all good and I'm passing on the fight. They don't want to ink it without an immediate rematch and I don't have time [to] lose focus on training negotiating a deal that won't happen. These guys are scared and they made a bad decision."

For Smith, it would have been an intriguing test. At 44, Mosley is a long way past his best, but he possesses razor-sharp ring smarts, a wealth of experience that has been accrued over 58 professional fights and a desire to take on new challenges. If he had fought in Manchester, it would have been his first appearance on British soil.

The veteran proved he still possesses devastating power with a knockout win over Ricardo Mayorga in his last outing. He’s also beaten Oscar De La Hoya and Antonio Margarito in the past as well as being ranked as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

So even in the twilight of his career, Mosley is a tough man to beat.

Smith is one of the brightest emerging fighters in British boxing, and a win for the Liverpudlian over a name such as Mosley would have opened up a lot of new opportunities for him.

Unfortunately, it appears both men will have to seek fresh opponents after negotiations fell flat.