By Francisco Salazar

Sergio Mora has written many chapters in his life.

Growing up on the mean streets in East Los Angeles was something else, but he persevered while others he grew up with were not so lucky.

Then there was the stretch when he began his professional career as an unknown prospect, toiling on small club shows before making his big break on “The Contender” reality series.

That right there may have been enough for Mora to call it a career, considering he won a million dollar ($1,000,000) cash prize, not the type of money people from East L.A. make.

But he continued on, eventually winning a world title at 154 pounds.

After achieving the peak of his career (so far), Mora eventually lost his world title (to the late Vernon Forrest), had a disappointing draw against Shane Mosley, and lost two Bryan Vera.

While some fans and media seem to kick Mora while he was down and out after those losses, Mora is undeterred. He wants to have the last laugh, but more importantly, he is working hard to achieve championship gold.

Mora will fight Abraham “Abie” Han tonight in a 10 round bout at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. The bout will headline an ESPN2 “Friday Night Fights” telecast that will begin at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT.

Since his second loss to Vera in August of 2012, Mora has won his last four bouts in a row. He is coming off a December 11 unanimous decision win over Dashon Johnson.

Mora is now being advised by Al Haymon and is being promoted by Lou DiBella.

Mora was originally scheduled to fight Jermain Taylor for the IBF middleweight title, but the fight was scrapped when Taylor was arrested for discharging a weapon on January 19. The IBF stripped Taylor of the title.

So the concession tonight is to face Han, a fringe contender who has only lost once and is coming off an October 18 win over Marco Reyes.

While Mora has been around this fight game since turning pro at the age of 20, he is not overlooking Han. However, he wants to make a statement at the expense of the fighter from El Paso, Texas and prove he is  one of the best middleweights in boxing.

“I’m going to go in there and do what I need to do,” Mora told krikya360.com in a recent interview. “I’m going to hurt this kid (Han).”

“I feel when I’m not inspired, and I’m not hungry, or have no will to fight, then I’m an average fighter putting in a subpar performance. The losses I’ve had were because the hunger wasn’t there. That fear that I carried with me is no longer there as well. I have Lou DiBella and Al Haymon backing me up. I’m not going to stop until I win a world title.”

That seems like a realistic goal, even though Mora is 34 years of age. Some have written off Mora from contender status because of those recent losses.

But Mora believes he is hitting his prime in stride, not to mention he has seen the top of the mountain and the bottom of the valley, something seasoned veterans do not take for granted like some younger fighters.

“I started late with my career. I started in the amateurs when I was 16, made my pro debut when I was 21. I feel that everything is coming together for me at 34. Not only have I improved with my talent, but I’m stronger now. When I was younger, my strength wasn’t there. That’s why I had to box more. Now that I’m older, I take bigger risks. My team agreed the style we had doesn’t work anymore, which is why we’re more aggressive in the ring and if I see an opening, I go for the knockout.”

A win over Han could move Mora into a position where he could fight for a world title bout or be rewarded with a big money fight against one of the elite fighters in the division.

Names like Gennady Golovkin and Miguel Cotto are possibilities for Mora later in 2015. That may be a far cry for some member of the media or hardcore boxing fans to believe, but it is something Mora is adamant could become a reality than a dream.

“Gennady Golovkin is the best middleweight in the world. He’s number one. But not everyone wants to fight him. There are those who would want to fight Miguel Cotto. But if there’s an opportunity to fight Golovkin, and my team is behind it, I would fight him. I’m physically bigger than him. I have angles and a sense of style to get to him. I’m a fighter who is not scared.”

Despite critics or those that dog him, Mora is content with where his career is and where it has taken him. He has been able to provide for his family (Mora was able to make enough that his mother is now retired) and go to places where few people in that East Los Angeles neighborhood where he grew up in have been able to go.

He has never been shy to express his views on himself and politics in the sport, whether in person or on his Twitter account. While he has accomplished more than a lot of boxers would dream of in their career, he wants to continue to make his mark in the sport.

While he has written a book full of memories that include a living comfortably, becoming a world champion, and traveling the world, there are still more chapters that need to be written.

“My goal is to win a world championship at 160 pounds. But my other main focus is to shut these critics up. I’m proud of myself for what I have done in boxing and I’m still the same exact guy.”

“I’m truly blessed.”

Francisco A. Salazar has written for krikya360.com since September of 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Salazar also covers boxing for the Ventura County (CA) Star newspaper, RingTV, and Knockout Nation. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing