I won’t rub it in - I won’t say I told you so - I won’t laugh in my beer while you’re weeping in yours - but I’ll confess to not being taken by the PPV hucksters for a Mosley-Vargas laugher.

Yes, Mosley was once a dominant special one at lightweight, jr. welter, and quality entity at welter, until them Vernon Forrest double debits - and there was them losses to Winky at jr. middle and today at age 34 we are to believe the guy is still PPV material? I think not.

Vargas you say? Good old fraudulent Fernando of self branded Mexican warrior fame? Yeah, right.  Tell that one to Tito Trinidad and Golden Boy Hoya … and coming into this latest spanking Mosley had already attached Fernando lifer, as in "three time loser" infamy.

But no problem, you’ll get over it - and likely buy into next month’s Hasim Rahman - Oleg Maskaev heavyweight ’title" fight - and isn’t that a dandy.

But to the HBO replay of Mosley-Vargas that I witnessed as a throw-in to the Baldomir-Gatti thriller, I must admit it played out as reported by those watching the live show.

Was all Mosley from the opening bell up until Vargas found a comfortable spot on the canvas to fall on - he beats the count but is unsteady - still hapless hack third man in charge Ken Bayless tosses in a few "gimmes" to Shane before halting the fiasco.

Post fite talk with Larry Merchant brought up the Mayweather name as a possible - Shane slipped that one and suggested a vacation is in order - maybe year 2007.

But what about this win that easily topped the first Vargas mismatch -  well, Shane, more saccharine than sugar these days - understandable - come opening bell and a couple rounds after, the jab was more a flick than a stinger. A bit tight in demeanor - however, Vargas posed zero threat as he slowly followed Shane about the ring perimeter.

Was deeper into the affair that daddy Jack got through to Shane to relax, and snap that jab to set up other punches - and it all played out just fine come number nine and the pretty as can be left hook to the whiskers.

Didn’t see enough of the prime Shane and never expected to - not sure a Mayweather fight makes all that much sense - only positive is the dinero it would bring.

Mosley is tough - always showed a good chin and is physically strong - but Mayweather is not a Vargas - the today saccharine version will not have the boxer edge. Think a welter affair with, alphabetically, a Baldomir, Collazo, Cotto, Hatton, Judah, Margarito  makes better sense.

Vargas? The resumé speaks with forked tongue - 26-4, 22 whacks is fine as wine on paper - but most stoppages came at expense of inferior foes - exposed once stepping up.

Post Scripts: Referee in charge Ken Bayless ~ another of the overrated Sin City contingent of clowns - from opening bell this fool was in the fighters' face - repeated shouts of punch your way out filled the air. When pausing from the repetitive shouts to break he’d sometimes physically pull an arm loose. HBO voice Merchant picked up on it and offered a solution - "If they are tied up then break them." Amen to that bit of advice.

GEL