By Tim Smith

LAS VEGAS – When he was just turning pro Luis Collazo used to watch Shane Mosley work his magic on television. Mosley had been a lightweight world champion and had moved up to welterweight, which is where Collazo began his career.

 “When I was a kid coming up I always watched Shane,’’ Collazo said. “I liked what he did in the sport. Me and my trainer always said, “I’d like to fight this guy one day.’’

Collazo’s “one day’’ has arrived. He will fight Mosley in a 12-round match for the World Boxing Council welterweight title at the Mandalay Bay Event Center on Saturday night on HBO.

This is Collazo’s second opportunity to make a big name for himself in the sport. He lost a close decision to Ricky Hatton in a match that most people thought he should have won in Boston last June. Collazo’s southpaw style confounded Hatton and Collazo actually rocked Hatton in the 12th round. But the judge’s didn’t see it Collazo’s way.

“I believed going into the fight I was the world champion,’’ said Collazo, who was indeed the World Boxing Association champ. “I outboxed him when I needed to. I pushed him back when I wanted to and I just controlled the whole fight. He was the favorite going into the fight. That’s the type of sport we’re in. So, I just have to keep going forward and make the best out of it.’’

In Mosley, Collazo will face the best he’s ever fought. Mosley has won titles at 135, 147 and 154 pounds, but he hasn’t fought at welterweight in five years. 

“I’ll be just as strong, even stronger more disciplined, smarter,’’ Mosley said. “I’m going to be very fast. I’m going to be at my fastest.’’

Collazo uses speed and quickness as well and it is coming from the southpaw stance, which could give Mosley problems. Mosley hasn’t fought a southpaw in over a decade. Collazo doesn’t believe he’s facing a young version of Mosley.

“He’s probably about 80% of his prime,’’ Collazo said.

Collazo believes that he will be able to impose his will upon Mosley the same way that he was able to dictate the terms to Hatton. He said both boxers are aggressive and that will work to his advantage.

Mosley doesn’t see it that way.

“Ricky Hatton was going straight at him, and throwing wide, wild punches and he was nowhere near as fast as I am,’’ Mosley said. “Ricky Hatton is pretty tough, but he’s just nowhere near on my level as far as speed and power and my movement.’’

Collazo also doesn’t believe that Mosley is a natural welterweight, though he hasn’t fought at lightweight in over seven years. Mosley is a very strong fighter and the punches that Collazo absorbed from Hatton he probably won’t be able to tolerate from Mosley.

Collazo did not spar with any welterweights. He sparred with lighter weight boxers to concentrate on his speed. No one knows whether that strategy will work until fight night.

If the intangibles count for anything, Collazo believes he has quite a few on his side.

“I’m young, hungry. I’ve got great hand speed. I’m a southpaw and I’m determined,’’ Collazo said. “This is why God put me here. He gave me an opportunity against Ricky Hatton and I didn’t get a fair shake. But he gave me another opportunity and this is what is meant to be.’’

Mosley said the southpaw issue is the only thing that concerns him about Collazo. Mosley said he still feels young and he has experience on his side.

“The advantage is the speed, the power, the ability to adapt in the ring over any other fighter, experience,’’ Mosley said.

Mosley’s prediction for the fight: “I think I’m going to knock him out. I think I’m going to knock everybody out when I get in the ring with them. He’s a good boxer, so we’ll see. If I hit anybody right then he’ll go.’’