Shane Mosley says he cannot wait to go to 'war' with champion Miguel Cotto in Saturday's World Boxing Association welterweight title showdown.

Cotto, an aggressive body puncher from Puerto Rico armed with a thunderous left hook, carries a 30-0 record into the Madison Square Garden contest with four-times world champion Mosley (44-4).

"Three more days before the war starts. I can't wait," said Mosley, who has held titles in three different weight classes.

"It's going to be electrifying," he told reporters.

Cotto was quietly confident about defeating the American.

"I have prepared pretty hard for two and a half months to retain my title," said the southpaw. "I'm coming here as a champion and I'll go back to Puerto Rico as a champion."

Cotto, who turned 27 last week, is nine years younger than Mosley, who has twice beaten Oscar de la Hoya and twice stopped Fernando Vargas.

Mosley said he respected his opponent.

"He is a young, strong, hungry world champion," Mosley said. "He's a real person, not somebody I'm going to get in the ring with and play pat-a-cake.

"We're going to do some business in there and see who's the best fighter. I definitely respect Miguel Cotto for stepping forward and wanting to fight, to put his skills and talent on the line."

The highly-anticipated bout has put the spotlight back on the sport in the wake of the dwindling interest in the fractured heavyweight division.

"This is good for boxing," said former long-time middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins, an official with co-promoters Golden Boy Promotions.

Hopkins said competition with martial arts had pushed boxing into delivering more attractive world title bouts recently.

"I will say thanks to the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) that boxing now has to step up and make the matches that interest people," he said.

"Boxing is back like the 1980s, with the (Marvin) Haglers and the (Sugar) Ray Leonards," Hopkins said. "Now the talent is going head to head with other champions."

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