Former WBA welterweight champion Marcos Maidana (35-5) is expected to return in the fall on a Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) card in the fall against an unnamed opponent.
Maidana wants to face junior welterweight champion Danny Garcia, but his manager Sebastian Contursi cast doubt on whether that fight will happen this year – if ever – after Garcia struggled in yet another controversial decision victory against Lamont Peterson earlier this month speaking with ESPN’s Dan Rafael.
“We mentioned to Al Haymon that Marcos wanted Danny Garcia for the second half of the year, but that was three months ago,” said Contursi. “After Peterson, we don’t think Danny would take it.”
That is a reasonable assumption given that Garcia admitted in the post-fight news conference following the Peterson fight that he would need a couple more fights at 147 before he challenged Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Manny Pacquiao.
“I would love to fight one of them [Pacquiao or Mayweather],” Garcia said. “But, I need a couple of fights at 147 first.”
That translates to tune-up fights to prepare for a big money showdown, and Marcos Maidana is no tune-up. He’ll gladly tune up a right hand and put Garcia on the canvas, but I don’t think that’s what Garcia has in mind.
Lamont Peterson and Mauricio Herrera have provided the blueprint to defeat Garcia – beat him at his own game – fight from the outside and make the man miss. It’s a brilliant strategy because Garcia has to employ that same strategy to win. When his opponent is doing the same thing he needs to do, it’s obviously hard to adjust to.
Mark my words: Danny Garcia doesn’t want to fight Marcos Maidana – he might be forced to fight him – and that could make or break his career. If he wants any chance at fighting Floyd Mayweather Jr. before the pound-for-pound superstar hangs up the gloves; which are pretty slim to none, he needs to take this fight and devote himself to putting on a spectacular show.
Marcos Maidana considered retirement after losing to Floyd Mayweather Jr. by majority decision in their first fight but was offered a rematch. However, Mayweather came in with a perfect game plan and outclassed the Argentinian slugger for a majority of the bout, albeit Maidana was able to rock Mayweather early with a huge right hand. He hasn’t fought since.
A fight between Garcia and Maidana would certainly be a hit on PBC and could be a fight of the year candidate. While I hate to admit this, I see this fight playing out in the same way as the fight with Lamont Peterson. Garcia is going to control a majority of the first half; fight from the outside, and frustrate Maidana. Knowing how quick Maidana can change a fight, Garcia is going to get caught at some point, and it’s going to be literal hell in the middle rounds for ‘Swift.’ As Maidana begins to tire a bit, Garcia will pick up the pace and it will become more of a back and forth fight, but it’s clear who is landing the bigger shots because Garcia’s face is going to tell the same story as it did in the Peterson fight, just worse.
Maidana has the power to put Garcia on the canvas – if not multiple times – but I still see the fight going down to a very controversial decision, perhaps another majority decision. However, I think Maidana will get the nod this time. One judge will have it very one-sided, another will have it slightly closer, and you’ll have that one judge that everyone wants to smack for being imperceptive.
Danny has to be swift; otherwise he will be forever known as ‘Gift.’
