It’s been almost 12 years since an opponent has forced Floyd Mayweather Jr. into a rematch.
It was Dec. 7, 2002, and the then-WBC lightweight champ was coming off his most controversial outing ? a decision over Jose Luis Castillo. Many experts believed Mayweather deserved to lose. So, eight months later, Castillo got another crack, and a prime Mayweather won comfortably.
But “Money” was 25 years old back then. The legs that he used to thwart Castillo’s advances in the rematch aren’t as limber at 37. And the rigors of training and participating in another 17 fights against his generation’s best competition are starting to show. That’s why some believe Mayweather may be ready to be taken as he prepares to battle the younger, fresher Marcos Maidana for the second time in four months at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (6 p.m. today, Showtime pay-per-view). On the money
Mayweather, 46-0 (26 knockouts), stood and traded with Maidana in their May 3 original. Afterwards, he said he wanted to give the fans their money’s worth. But, more than likely, it was because his legs can’t carry him effortlessly around the ring for 12 rounds anymore. He rumbled on the inside because he had to.
But even a limited Mayweather is a great fighter. Early on, he took everything Maidana could muster. And, as the fight wore on, he began beating the Argentine power puncher at his own game. Mayweather didn’t achieve his greatness by solely boxing and moving. As he showed against Diego Corrales, Arturo Gatti and Ricky Hatton ? when it’s time to fight, Mayweather can get down and dirty. Advertisement
Maidana, 35-4 (31 KOs), surprised some people last time out by taking the fight to Mayweather and landing more frequently than anybody since Miguel Cotto in 2012. He is a bruising, strong, aggressive slugger who comes to fight and is willing to absorb any amount of return fire to get his man.
He can also punch. And anybody who saw Manny Pacquiao get flattened by Juan Manuel Marquez in their fourth fight knows that even all-time great fighters can get caught. In Pacquiao’s case, it happened against a fighter who was familiar with him. That could spell trouble for Mayweather.
To win, Maidana must do something different. A brilliant tactician like Mayweather isn’t going to be troubled by the same style twice. But what can the Argentine do different? He’ll lose a boxing match fought at a distance. He can’t outjab Mayweather. He’s too slow to counter him. His only chance is to do what he does best ? move forward, be rough, smother him, throw bunches of punches and hope one of his home run punches connects.
But Floyd has already proven he can beat that style, even if he’s lost a step.
Look for another exciting fight. Maidana will have his moments, again. But he’s too one-dimensional to overcome an all-time great like “Money.”
Mayweather by unanimous decision. Also
WBC junior featherweight champion Leo Santa Cruz, 27-0-1 (15 KOs), of Rosemead, Calif., defends against Manuel Roman, 17-2-3 (6 KOs); Paramount, Calif.; Mexico’s Miguel Vazquez, 34-3 (13 KOs), defends his IBF lightweight title against Cleveland’s Mickey Bey. 20-1-1 (10 KOs); and Mexico’s Alfredo Angulo, 22-4 (18 KOs), returns against Mexico’s James De La Rosa, 22-2 (13 KOs). And John Molina, 27-4 (22 KOs), of Covina, Calif., takes on Mexico’s Humberto Soto, 64-8-2 (35 KOs) at 5 p.m. on Showtime Extreme.
Matthew Aguilar may be reached at [email protected]; Follow him on Twitter @MatthewAguilar5.
