SONAHR: September 13, 2014 – Floyd ?Money? Mayweather Jr.?s ring record now stands at 47-0, with 26 of those wins coming inside the distance. As his career draws to a close, it is more likely than not that he will finish undefeated. However, it is still possible that someone might strip that ?0? from the loss side of his ledger.
But, as shown decisively on Saturday, that ?someone? is not Marcos ?El Chino? Maidana. In a rematch of their May encounter, Maidana again lost on points. This time, the decision was unanimous rather than majority. This time, there was no question of Mayweather?s having lost a step, or finding himself forced to fight his opponent?s fight, or simply having an ?off night.? This time, Floyd did what he was supposed to have done the first time, which was to thoroughly outclass his persistent-but-limited opponent.
Actually, Mayweather?s victory in May shouldn?t have been controversial at all. But Maidana hit him more often than almost anyone else has, and he kept the defensive wizard pinned on the ropes for long periods of time. This success, along with one judge?s 114-114 scorecard, was sufficient to earn the Argentine hardhead a second chance at Mayweather. And the strenuousness of the fight planted doubts in the minds of some observers as to whether or not Floyd?s grasp on boxing?s pound-for-pound crown ? never mind his world welterweight and junior-middleweight titles ? was slipping. Was ?Money? losing his value on the sock exchange?
Well, Mayweather proved emphatically on Saturday that any doubts about his fistic superiority are premature. He may, indeed, have had an ?off night? the first time he met Maidana. But not this time. Even though ?El Chino? did manage to land some punches, and was on occasion able to herd Mayweather onto the ropes or trap him in a corner, Mayweather countered well, and was able to return the action to his own territory, which is the center of the ring.
The only real excitement came in the eighth round, when Mayweather claimed that Maidana bit Floyd?s glove hard enough to hurt his fingers. This is unlikely. True, Mike Tyson infamously chomped on Evander Holyfield?s ears back in 1997. And other fighters have been bitten on the arms and shoulders. But on the glove? And hard enough to be felt through all the padding? That doesn?t make sense.
No harm, no foul, though. With the emphatic win over a previously troublesome foe, Mayweather retained his WBA/WBC/ Ring magazine welterweight title, as well as his Ring junior-middleweight crown. And now that the Maidana matter is settled, Mayweather can contemplate his next fight, which should come ? as is his custom ? in May.
The match that makes the most sense for him would be the winner of November?s showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Chris Algieri. If Pacquiao wins, the victory would prime the pump for what is still the one fight that just about all fans want to see. If Algieri wins, he will have scored two consecutive upsets, the first being his off-the-floor triumph over hard-hitting Ruslan Provodnikov. Who wouldn?t want to see whether or not the upstart Algieri could spring another surprise, this time against the best fighter in the game?
As for Maidana, if Mayweather and Pacquiao weren?t around, or even Timothy Bradley, the Argentine would be a major factor in his division, and most likely still a champion. As it is, though, it looks as though his career highlights will be his wins over Adrien Broner and Victor Ortiz ? which are not small accomplishments.
Still, there?s no doubt that ?El Chino? is, win or lose, one of the toughest welterweights to lace on the gloves since the days of Carmen Basilio.
