Moments ago at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada, WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan successfully defended his title with a wild and raucous decision over iron-willed Marcos Maidana. It was a fine fight and each man will have many options coming into next year
The first round started off with instant intensity as Khan went to touch gloves with his Argentinean foe and in return was greeted with a sweeping left hand that just missed him. Take early message from Maidana let it be known that he didn?t come to play and Khan seemed to realize how serious the situation was.
What was apparent early on in the first round was just how much of a speed advantage Khan had, as his pinpoint combinations seemed to come from out of nowhere. Khan controlled the early going and put an exclamation point on the stanza with a beautiful left hand shot to the liver that had Maidana on the canvas writhing in pain. Maidana would beat the count and held on the final ten seconds to survive the round
Khan was in command in round two as well, boxing beautifully and tagging Maidana, who still seemed to be a bit in shock from what had transpired in the first.
The third was a wild round as Maidana finally began to open up and landed some serious leather on Khan. One more than one occasion Maidana connected with his vaunted right hand and Khan definitely seemed to feel the effects, although not enough to where he was in near the amount of trouble as his shocking September 2008 loss to Breidis Prescott. Khan would regroup and have a strong flurry to close the round but Maidana and definitely worked his way back into the fight.
Each fighter dished out brutal punishment in the fourth as Khan again stole the momentum. He began to work the body and head beautifully against a charging Maidana, who appeared to be gassing out despite showing serious heart. Maidana ripped Khan with some fine body shots late in the round but the punches didn?t see to be phasing the British star as much as one would expect.
The action was high-pitched in the fifth round as well as Khan?s speed again seemed to be the deciding factor. Maidana would lose a point towards the end of the round for what appeared to be roughhouse tactics and that only seemed to further bolster Khan?s confidence. Towards the end of the round Khan ripped Maidana with some stinging body shots against the ropes and you had to wonder just how much more Maidana could take.
In what was turning into a terrific fight, Khan and Maidana would take turns pounding one another again in the sixth. Khan?s punches were blindingly quick but Maidana made his presence felt by the sheer power in which he was delivering his thudding blows. With roughly a minute left Maidana began tagging Khan with hurtful shots downstairs and Amir began circling the ring just to escape any danger. Maidana repeated a similar sequence in the final twenty seconds and appeared to take the round.
In the seventh Khan attempted to go back to what gave him such success early on as he hacked away at Maidana?s ribcage. Maidana even backed up and dropped his hands as he baited Khan in an obvious attempt to mock his younger foe. Maidana landed some huge shots down the stretch and Khan withstood them all.
The eighth was a solid round for Khan as he dominated the action with basic boxing basic. Maidana appeared to be on weary legs in what as a slow round for him. The ninth was similar as Khan was simply the fresher and busier fighter between the two men, landing the more telling blows over the course of three minutes.
The tenth appeared to be a clear 10-8 round for Maidana as he staged Khan with a nearly epic right hand and proceeded to beat him pillar to post for the remaining seconds. Khan took some huge bombs, enough to where you couldn?t question his heart or courage after absorbing all of the blows and finding a way to still be on his feet.
Khan showed serious poise, professionalism, and heart in the 11th as he again seized the momentum and went back to beating Maidana with classic boxing. In this round it was Maidana who was absorbing the punishment, although he walked through everything that came his way.
The twelfth round captured the essence of boxing as each man, despite being bruised and exhausted, found a way to raise their spirits and offer up some serious incoming to the crowd?s delight. The final bell rang and one of the best fights of 2010 had come to a close.
Scores of 114-111 twice and 113-112 were read in Khan?s favor. Maidana?s trainer Miguel Diaz shook his head in disgust but the scores appeared to be fair, as Khan, despite taking more of an overall beating, appeared to win more individual rounds than his power-punching counterpart.
Khan will surely be eyeing the winner of the January 29th Timothy Bradley-Devon Alexander unification for his next fight. Both men were present ringside and they will likely offer up a fine bout of their own next month in Detroit.
The loss was obviously hard for Maidana to take, as he showed extreme displeasure with the decision but he will live to fight another day and only raises his stock after showing so much heart and will with tonight?s effort.
