By Jason Kim: Throughout all the massive amount of attention that has been centered around the Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. bout recently, World Boxing Association welterweight champion Shane Mosley (46-5, 39 KO’s) has been ignored by boxing fans and the media. Mosley, 38, will be facing unbeaten WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto in a unification bout on January 30th, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Mosley sees himself as the best fighter in the welterweight division, remarking to the Press Telegram “I’m the world champion. I’m the best welterweight in the world. I can’t chase anybody around. If they don’t want to fight, retire, get out of my division and go somewhere else.”

Mosley has good reason for sounding a bit upset, because he’s been ignored by the other top fighters in boxing, such as Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto and Mayweather since Mosley’s impressive 9th round stoppage win over then WBA welterweight champion Antonio Margarito on January 24th. The win, instead of opening doors to big mega fights with the stars in boxing, did more to keep Mosley inactive. Mosley may have looked too good, and in boxing that’s not something you want to do.

Since the win over Margarito in January, Mosley has spent the better part of 2009 trying to line up a fight with other big stars. However, Mosley’s efforts have been futile, as he’s had no takers. Mosley even went so far as to show up ringside for Mayweather’s bout against Juan Manuel Marquez in September and call Mayweather out. It didn’t work. Mayweather showed no interest in fighting Mosley, instead turning his attention to a fight against the smaller Pacquiao.

Nevertheless, Mosley is hoping that an impressive win over Berto will open some doors for him. It may be, but then again, Mosley, if he looks too good, could be right where he’s been the last year trying to dig up a big money fight with one of the stars. Things aren’t easy for Mosley now that his old nemesis Oscar De La Hoya has retired. Mosley fought De La Hoya twice, beating him both times by narrow decisions. Mosley has had problems against bigger welterweights like Vernon Forrest, losing twice to him. Mosley tried moving up in weight to light middleweight, but was too small for that class, and was beaten twice by Winky Wright by decision in 2004.

If Mosley looks as good as he did against Margarito, he should have enough to beat Berto. Andre is a good fighter, but he’s faced much lesser opponents during his five year pro career. Berto hasn’t looked good in his last two fights against Luis Collazo and Juan Urango. Berto’s style of fighting has evolved from throwing fast flurries into a punch and grabs style, which is quite boring to watch from a boxing fan’s perspective.

It’s worked for Berto, because he’s stayed unbeaten, but he’s not nearly interesting to watch nowadays compared to before. Whichever style Berto uses in this fight, he’s going to have problems against Mosley. Berto is going to have to be able to fight on the inside, because Mosley will likely take the fight there after seeing how well Collazo did against Berto while fighting him on the inside.