The $100,000 personal bet made between Shane Mosley and Fernando Vargas had specific stipulations: Whoever knocked out the other would win the wager.

Even though he never tasted the canvas, Vargas was stopped by Mosley Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The end came when referee Joe Cortez stopped the bout in the tenth round of a scheduled twelve round WBA elimination clash. Cortez called a halt to the proceedings after Vargas' left eye had swollen shut and he determined that Vargas was absorbing too much punishment to the eye.

Vargas announced in the postfight press conference that despite not actually going down, he will pay Mosley the money. "I am a man of my word," announced Vargas, who hid his grotesquely swollen eye behind sunglasses. "I will pay him the money."

Vargas felt the need to vent and he felt he had every right to. Up to the point of the stoppage, two judges had the bout scored 86-85 for Mosley, while the other judge had the bout 86-85 for Vargas. Although Mosley's punches connected numerous times to Vargas' left eye, Vargas still did what he wanted to from the opening round: To take the fight to Mosley.

"He was bigger and heavier than me," acknowledged Mosley, flanked on each side by Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins, his promoters. "I knew that my punches were landing, but he is a strong guy."

Such a good fight brought about an immediate call for a rematch. Vargas wanted the rematch and showed his bravado in claiming why Mosley is not quick to want a rematch with The Ferocious One. "He doesn't want a rematch because the outcome would be different the next time," said Vargas, who had Manin Events executives Carl Moretti and Kathy Duva by his side.

Mosley had a different reasoning for why a rematch against Vargas is not ideal for now.

"This is my last fight at 154 pounds. I want to fight again at 147 pounds. The number one fighter on my radar is Floyd Mayweather."

Asked if there was a possibility for a rematch against Vargas, Mosley did hold out hope that it could happen. "We'll see. We will have to meet with everybody to see if it would be the right move for me. It could happen, but I feel for now that 147 is the place for me."

At one point, the wives of Vargas and Mosley got into a shouting match, yelling obscenities at one another. Although they were separated, their tone and shouting did not subside. "Ha, ha, your man lost," jeered Jin Mosley, as Vargas' wife Marta was escorted away by two of Fernando's bodyguards.

De La Hoya gave both fighters compliments, commenting on the closeness of the fight. "These were two warriors that fought their hearts out," he said.

As for Vargas, he announced that he will continue his boxing career.

Vargas showed heart and toughness in this bout. Despite a closed eye, he was still able to be effective and land punches as he pressed the action. Even though he had a third loss added to his record, Vargas showed he is still a major player at 154 pounds. Meanwhile, Mosley did a commendable job, fighting someone physically bigger than him. Shane was able to withstand Vargas' hard shots and land plenty of his own.

This fight served as a testament that both their careers are far from over.

Although both could use a rest from the ten rounds of hard shots they dealt to each other, more big money and title fights are likely in their future.

Will Mosley-Vargas II ever take place? The bout was close and exciting, and enough questions were left unanswered to make a rematch intriguing.