By Lance Pugmire

NEW YORK -- Miguel Cotto's building process is complete. He's 27, unbeaten and ready to cash in on his stature as the World Boxing Assn. welterweight champion.

Orchestrated by his veteran promoter Bob Arum, Cotto has knocked out 25 of 30 opponents on a steady career path that parallels the one perfected by Oscar De La Hoya -- a slow and steady series of challenges that accounts for a learning curve but aims for a legendary night.

Saturday is that evening for Cotto, who will fight Pomona's Sugar Shane Mosley at Madison Square Garden in New York. Mosley has won world championship belts as a lightweight, welterweight and light middleweight.

He's also 36 years old, hasn't knocked out anyone except Fernando Vargas since 2001, and now finds himself in his 50th fight, counting a no-decision.

"Throughout boxing history, there's always been battles between the young lion and the old lion," Arum said. "If the young lion is well-schooled, he wins. That's the law of nature and boxing."

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