Floyd Mayweather Jr. Proves Superior in Rematch with Maidana

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    floyd mayweather vs maidana

    In the main event of the latest edition of Showtime Pay-Per-View boxing, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (47-0, 26 knockouts) took on Marcos Maidana (35-5, 31 knockouts) in a rematch of their surprisingly competitive May 3rd fight. In that fight, many were convinced that Mayweather managed to sneak by with a win thanks to his status as the hometown favorite, but this rematch was set to erase any doubt as to who the better fighter was; an opportunity that, surprisingly enough, has never been granted to any of Mayweather’s previous opponents.

    From the opening bell it was clear that Maidana’s main concern was pacing himself. After all, according to him the only thing that really needed any improvement from his last bout was his gas tank. It was certainly a smart move early, but also one that took great confidence as it allowed Floyd to employ his trademark jab en-route to building an early points lead. Although much more patient in his approach at first, Maidana knew he needed to batter Floyd along the ropes in order to overcome him. It was a tactic that still managed to prove surprisingly effective even though nothing of significance was landed early.

    In fact, Maidana’s most significant punch of the night appeared to come in last moments of round three. As the ten second remaining signal sounded, both fighters went back and forth with blows, but in the final second Maidana managed to throw a straight right that caught Mayweather off-guard. The blow wasn’t a knockdown, but it certainly caught the champion’s attention as his legs briefly stiffened.

    From that point forward however, the fight became less about surprises, and more about whether Maidana can actually get this rather simple game plan to work. Time and time again, Maidana managed to back up Mayweather, but Mayweather proved too crafty with his defense and counter-punching which caused the hard-charging Argentinian fits.

    By round seven, Mayweather had built a healthy points lead, making it obvious that Maidana was more in need of a knockout with each passing minute. With frustration setting in, Maidana become more and more determined to do as much damage to his opponent as possible, even if it involved potentially biting his opponent.

    In the midst of round eight, referee Kenny Bayless split the two fighters and during this moment Floyd is suddenly seen wincing in pain, and shouts that Maidana had bit his hand. Whether it was true or not, Maidana’s desperation to win was clear. Unfortunately, Floyd recovered well and returned to his original game plan prompting Maidana’s frustration to rise rather than his chances. It was Maidana’s clear frustration with Mayweather’s clinching that prompted him to actually throw Mayweather to the ground after an attempt to clinch, forcing Kenny Bayless to deduct a point from the challenger in round ten.

    Things didn’t get any easier from there as the knockout proved elusive, and Floyd Mayweather was ultimately recognized as the victor.

    The three judges ring-side scored the bout (115-112), (116-111), and (116-111) all in favor of the champion. It wasn’t a surprising outcome, but one that proved more entertaining than decision victories of past opponents. With the series with Maidana done, there’s no telling where the Mayweather lottery may announce itself next. Until then, all fans can do is sit back and relax as they watch another Pacquiao rumor rise and potentially be shot down.