Welterweight titlist Marcos Maidana enters the biggest fight of his career when he faces pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Saturday’s title unification bout.
Maidana (35-3, 31 KOs), of Argentina, squares off with Mayweather (45-0, 26 KOs) in his own backyard at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Facing an elusive opponent who surpasses him in terms of speed and experience, the Argentine will need to rely on the power of his fists. But will it be enough?
Let’s take a look at our five keys to success for Maidana:
Keep your promisesMaidana has maintained his attack will feature a volume of power punches. Clearly this is the obvious recipe. However, most of Mayweather’s previous opponents also promised a lot before their fights and then fell short. We should remind Maidana that it’s not enough to anticipate; he needs to deliver in the ring. Only by landing a series of powerful punches will he be able change the expected ending of this fight.
Go to the bodySlowing down an elusive fighter like Mayweather is achieved by going hard to the body. Maidana has a powerful punch in both hands. If he manages to land several sharp hooks below the rib cage, Mayweather could start crumbling, allowing Maidana to find his way toward a knockout.
Hunger and motivationA good part of the press claims that, win or lose, Maidana won the lottery because of the size of his purse. It’s true that when the pocket is full the mind relaxes and doesn’t care as much about winning or losing. Maidana should forget about his financial reward and fight to make history. He should show up with hunger and motivation, because any victory begins with that attitude.
Finish each roundThis seems to be an inevitable key. When a puncher like Maidana faces a point scorer like Mayweather, all indications are that if he doesn’t get a knockout, he won’t win. Maidana should keep that in mind, but he also should bring a calculator, just in case. Closing out each round with activity is important to entice the consideration of the judges.
Trust your cornerNever before has the work of Maidana’s corner been so crucial. It will need to review video of Mayweather’s previous fights to uncover his flaws and the few successes of his opponents. It needs to exploit Mayweather’s weaknesses, and for these to surface, it will need more than one plan. In this regard, renowned trainer Robert Garcia will be instrumental in terms of strategy.
