On May 3rd
the Boxing world focused it’s attention on the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada
when multi-division world champion Floyd Mayweather climbed into the ring to
unify his WBC Welterweight world championship against WBA champion Marcos
Maidana. For some this was simply
another fight in an illustrious career for Mayweather. After all, in forty-five previous fights few
fighters have been able to pose a threat to a fighter considered by many as the
best pound for pound fighter in the world.
Maidana
however, was not awed by the event and after defeating previously undefeated
three-division world champion and Mayweather protege Adrien Broner last
December was out to prove that his victory was not a fluke. What resulted when Mayweather and Maidana
squared off was frankly one of the closest fights in Mayweather’s career in
what was a fight of the year candidate.
Maidana’s
consistent pressure and his ability to throw punches at all angles while
forcing Mayweather back on the ropes and smother Mayweather’s counter punches made
the fight extremely close. In a fight where both fighters had their share of
moments it was Mayweather’s ability to turn the momentum in his favor in the
second half of the contest, using his lateral movement to partially avoid
Maidana’s pressure, but also as the fight progressed increasingly being able to
get his offense off first.
An extremely
close fight where there was a healthy difference of opinion as to who won the
fight. Although at the end of the twelve round unification bout, Mayweather
emerged victorious via majority decision to earn his forty-sixth victory in as
many fights, Maidana’s performance fueled demand for something that has only
happened once before in Mayweather’s career, a rematch.
Readers might
recall in my coverage following the first fight in May that I stated that it
appeared certain that a second encounter between the two might take place.
Maidana, who was able to land more punches on Mayweather than any previous
opponent Mayweather has faced was more than deserving of a second opportunity
after the performance he put forth, and to his credit Mayweather said after the
fight that if the fans wanted to see the fight that he was open to a rematch.
The rematch
between the two will be only the second rematch of Mayweather’s career. Many
will remember Mayweather’s encounters against former WBC Lightweight world
champion Jose Luis Castillo in 2002 when Mayweather was campaigning in the
135lb. Lightweight division.
Much like
Maidana, Castillo applied consistent pressure on Mayweather in their first
fight in April 2002 and his pressure along with a consistent attack to
Mayweather’s body created a difference of opinion as to who won the fight.
Although Mayweather earned a twelve round unanimous decision over Castillo in
their first fight there was demand for a rematch. When the two met in December
2002 Mayweather would score a second twelve round unanimous decision over
Castillo.
Unlike the
first encounter, Mayweather’s lateral movement and quick hands were the story
of the rematch as he kept Castillo off balance and unable to apply the pressure
that was successful for him in the first encounter. Now twelve years later
Mayweather will square off for the second time with Marcos Maidana on Saturday
night in Las Vegas at the site of the first encounter the MGM Grand Hotel and
Casino.
Although
there is no question of Mayweather’s dominance throughout his career, there
have only been four fighters who many fans and experts alike believe were able
to create an element of doubt when they faced Mayweather. Jose Luis Castillo,
Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, and now Marcos Maidana.
Maidana will
now join Castillo as the only fighters to get a second fight against Mayweather.
Will the Mayweather-Maidana rematch have a similar outcome as when Mayweather
fought Castillo for the second time? There is no doubt that Floyd Mayweather
possesses an extremely high Boxing IQ and has shown repeatedly throughout his
career his ability to make adjustments during the course of a fight.
One question
as this rematch approaches however, could be whether or not at thirty-seven
years of age Mayweather can still utilize the kind of lateral movement that he
was able to use to keep Castillo from being able to apply consistent pressure
in the rematch twelve years ago. As I said following the first fight whether or
not Maidana’s performance was an indication of age becoming a factor is a
subject for debate. It is a subject however, that will probably continue to be
a subject of discussion as long as Mayweather continues his career as a
fighter.
The other
question is whether or not Maidana will be able to make the adjustments
necessary to maintain the success he had in the first part of the first fight
in this rematch. Maidana was consistent in pressuring Mayweather throughout the
entire fight, but Mayweather was able to make adjustments in the middle rounds and
was able to get his punches off first throughout much of the second half the
fight and was also able to counter effectively.
Although
Maidana was consistent in his pressure of Mayweather in the first fight, he was
not able to completely nullify Mayweather’s offense and was unable to keep
Mayweather from using his lateral movement. It will be interesting to see if
Maidana approaches this fight in the same way he did in the first fight. Whether or not he will be able to maintain
his offensive output and keep Mayweather on the defensive for the entire fight
remains to be seen.
The first
fight between the two was highly competitive and fueled the kind of demand that
has resulted in an immediate rematch. Will the sequel be as close and
competitive? We will find out Saturday night.
“And That’s
The Boxing Truth.”
The Boxing
Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.
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Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison
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