Kahn takes a lickin? but keeps on tickin?
IB- December 12, 2010 ? Marcos Maidana made a lot of friends in the world of boxing with his performance against Amir Kahn, while stock in company Kahn plummets.
Not to say Kahn performed terrible because he did not, Kahn showed he had good hand speed, showed he can deliver shots with pin point accurate as evident in the first round when he downed Maidana with a pretty body shot to the rib cage.
Fighters like Maidana and Felix Trinidad that are known for going down early in a contest but are also known for getting up and ending the fight in an explosive dominating manor. Maidana, like Trinidad is known for the tough chin, what they also shared in common is they both possess(ed) the punching power to get them back in and win the fight.
A beard is a beard but seldom can a fighter get up from a devastating Liver shot to win a contest, more so, the fighter is doomed and it becomes only a matter of time before the contest ends. Not only did Maidana pick himself up from that body shot, but he proceeded to demand and command the respect of Kahn.
By picking himself up and continuing to fight, and fight to win, showed boxing fans what separates the strong from the weak.
Second half of the fight, Maidana took the hammer and rocked Kahn on several occasions. In the seventh round, Maidana had Kahn hurt and in trouble however, Kahn was able to run from rope to rope and avoid getting knocked out. The fight continued with Maidana landing the harder blows and Kahn throwing speed combos keeping the rounds close.
In the tenth round Kahn gets caught with a nasty overhand right that sends him into ?Lala? land, hurt and unable to get away from the onslaught of punches by Maidana, Kahn has referee Joe Cortez to thank for surviving.
?I?m fair but I?m firm? Cortez has become a major disappointment in the sport. I used to like this man and there was a time I would have voted for him as the best referee in the business. Cortez has become a promoter?s man, follows and favors the flow of money, Nuff said?
Did Maidana come back strong enough to win the fight? Absolutely, did Kahn do enough in the second half of the fight to cling on to victory? One can say so, it was this type of fight, so what it amounts to is the judge?s preferences and how they individually score fights.
Regardless, Maidana won and gained respect in the eyes of many boxing fans, his fan base has certainly grown. Khan lost admiration with his victory and regardless of the amount of publicity his promoter may bring forth, will find it hard to demand the million dollar paydays.
-Blackbull
