Los Angeles – Southern California was bracing itself for a potentially exciting boxing bout between emerging junior welterweight figures Timothy Bradley and Marcos Maidana.
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The pair was scheduled to face off at Agua Caliente Casino Resort in Rancho Mirage on July 17 with the action carried on America’s premiere boxing network HBO.
Today, on the eve of a press conference to announce the event, Marcos Maidana pulled out of the fight due to medical issues with his back. This is the second time Maidana has delayed the fight with Bradley.
“He is having really bad back spasms due to his posture,” reported Maidana’s international agent Mario Margossian from Argentina. “He has not been able to go full strength in his training and last night he had some very serious spasms.”
Margossian made it clear that Maidana still wants the opportunity to clash with Bradley, but not until his back is at one hundred percent.
Left with no opponent for July 17, Gary Shaw – Bradley’s co-promoter – has been left scrambling to find a fighter to match Bradley with on the HBO date and in a conversation with this writer, Shaw made it clear he is not close to finding a replacement.
Bradley and Devon Alexander, two of America’s most promising boxing talents, have traded barbs on Internet websites for the last several weeks and a clash between the pair is becoming highly anticipated by hardcore boxing fans.
Yet Shaw made it clear that a bout with Alexander is highly doubtful.
“First of all, I respect Alexander and Kevin Cunningham (trainer/manager),” said Shaw. “But I doubt they want to come fight and the desert and I am not too sure if anyone knows who Alexander is.”
[Click this link for my thoughts on Shaw’s comments regarding Alexander’s popularity.]
Alexander’s promoter Don King was not available for comment.
