Professional Boxing: Theatre of the Unexpected

As this past Saturday nights “The Moment” boxing show SLOWLY fades into history, I couldn’t help but notice how ironic the outcomes turned out to be. Redemption for a couple of main event fighters, upward mobility and the highest accolades for another. For the main guy, even though he won the fight (I scored it 115-113 for Mayweather), a lot of questions are being asked.

Has Mayweather’s defensive code been broken, is father time finally catching up with the P4P Picasso, will Mayweather RETIRE or give Marcos Maidana the rightful rematch he deserves? Will Mayweather even complete the final 3-fights on his Showtime deal?

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Debate rages on over Mayweather-Maidana result; De La Hoya says Mayweather should be 43-3 now!

The arguments continue, two days on from the unexpectedly great action fight, over who actually won on Saturday night in Las Vegas: Floyd Mayweather or Marcos Maidana. Reading what people have had to say on this particular web site, it’s clear the majority of fans feel Maidana – who lost by scores of 117-111 and 116-112 and was given a drawn verdict of 114-114 on the third official card – deserved a narrow victory.

Watching the fight again (something the three judges do not have the benefit of doing of course) I was surprised to see a different fight from the one I watched, somewhat blurry eyed (at approx 5a.m UK time, having stayed up all night) as it unfolded live. Initially, I had Mayweather a clear 117-112 winner. Watching again, I had it much closer – with Mayweather prevailing by winning the following rounds: 2, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11, with the 3rd even. I gave Maidana the following rounds: 1, 4, 5, 8 and 12, with the 3rd even. Second time around I had it 6-5-1 for Mayweather.

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Floyd Mayweather Jr. wins controversial and tough win over Marcos Maidana

The judges have decided that Floyd Mayweather Jr. (46-0, 26 KOs) is the WBA and WBC welterweight … continue

Muhammad Ali wants Mayweather to fight Pacquiao

Much of boxing made a mistake underestimating the capability of the underdog champion to beat a pound-for-pound god. Floyd Mayweather Jr. must have realized he committed an equally big mistake handpicking the Argentine assault guru, Marcos Maidana.

Heavy favorite Mayweather lost yesterday many times over and in ways more than one even though the bias opinions didn’t reflect the judgment and cards didn’t read the way it should. However, Floyd’s poor performance in the fight didn’t cause him less a superb boxer in my estimation because I never was ever blinded by the facade and shows in the past like the jerks. I remain a fan and admirer of Floyd’s wizardry in the ring. Maidana was not underrated. It was Mayweather who was overrated by the normally jerk “experts.” And for them, it was well worth it as they all cry a bucket now and ask “bakit” (why).

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Mayweather Jr. vs. Maidana: Did Floyd really gift Maidana and the fans the toe-to-toe action?

It’s no secret that Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a virtuoso when it comes to moving, defending, and making his opponent look inadequate. Sure he fights word class champions, and many of them are truly deserving of that opportunity, but aside from Castillo way back in the day, there has not been a challenger that made Floyd work harder than a routine sparring session.

Yesterday, Marcos Maidana did just that. Forget the fact that he came out swinging and did not run of ouf gas until the last second of the last round, and forget his stunning ability to walk through and keep pressing no matter what he himself gets hit with, in his fight against Mayweather Jr. what surprised me, was just how indifferent he looked and performed when facing someone as elusive as Mayweather Jr.

Talking before the fight is one thing, and even trying to persuade the people watching the fight by showing off, sticking out one’s tongue, or even in some cases humping their opponent in the ring, but when it comes to making Mayweather look vulnerable, everyone failed without any glimpse of hope.

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Maidana’s Moment

photo by NAOKI FUKUDA – Let’s get one thing straight about last night’s main event at the MGM Grand. Burt Clements, who scored 117-111 in favor of Mayweather, should be expelled from the sport. As Paulie Malignaggi pointed out in his post-fight comments, Clements must have been watching the fight unspool from a seat in the rafters.

Or perhaps I’m being cruel and Clements is, in fact, legally blind.

Reality is as follows. Marcos Maidana was comically disregarded going into this bout and perhaps for good reason. Mayweather – on top of simply, at this point, being Floyd Mayweather Jr., all time great – was coming off an ultra-polished September win in which he made Canelo Alvarez look like a befuddled toddler. The always-exciting Maidana, sporting losses to Kotelnik, Khan, Alexander (and arguably a last-hurrah version of Erik Morales), won the Mayweather lottery on grounds of his beat-down of Mayweather-wannabe Adrien Broner who emulates all of Floyd’s stylistic tics and possesses not one iota of his supernatural intelligence.

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September 2014: Mayweather-Maidana II? Mayweather-Khan? Or a vacation for Floyd?

Make no mistake about two things -1: Floyd Mayweather Junior was given his toughest, roughest fight in years last night as a relentless Marcos Maidana ploughed ahead pretty much all night and made the unbeaten superstar work very, very hard. 2: Mayweather won the fight by a wide margin.

The fans in attendance at The MGM Grand, most of them vocal Maidana fans, felt the defending WBA welterweight champ was robbed, but the fact is, Mayweather – once he got control of the fight and began tattooing Maidana with shots, to the body most hurtfully – won the fight fair and square. This has done nothing to stop talk of a September rematch, though, and Mayweather, looking more tired than in recent times after a fight, said he would give Maidana one “if the fans want it.”

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Mayweather/Maidana: The ‘Mavinci’ Code

“Tonight is the night,” they said, “Maidana has the power,” they said. But once again, Floyd Mayweather showed in front of a full house in the MGM Grand Las Vegas, that he is miles ahead of any other boxer in the world. So far ahead in fact, even NASA cannot find him.

His majority point’s decision last night may not have been as clinical and clear cut as his previous wins, but he proved once again that he can adapt and beat any style that he comes across.

The fight was billed ‘The Moment’ and Marcus Maidana, the WBA champion, did indeed have his moments. He came out swinging from the opening bell intent on making a dent in the impregnable defence that the ‘Money Man’ applies.

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Amir Khan displays overall style improvements in his UD win against Luis Collazo

Amir Khan has had 15 title fights since 2007 and his welterweight debut against Luis Collazo at MGM Grand on Saturday was no exception. His opponent was strong and game but somewhat limited as a boxer and was expected to test Khan’s ability to deal with raw power and aggression.

Khan showed progress in the way he used his speed. His fast footwork did not appear to be chaotic like in previous outings and maneuvered him in proper range and correct angle towards the heavy handed southpaw Collazo. His hand speed was purposeful this time; he delivered sharp straight shots from comfortable range combined with good movement and defensive alert. The bulky and menacing Collazo was dazzled by the fast and accurate combos and constant motion of his opponent while he was looking for an opening and trying to walk Khan down to the corner.

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Mayweather Seizes “THE MOMENT” But Not Without A Fight From Maidana

For a moment, it seemed like Marcos “El Chino” Maidana could do the unthinkable – hand pound-for-pound champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather the first loss of his brilliant career. Only for a moment.

Mayweather, who is now the WBC and WBA Welterweight World Champion, prevailed with a hard-fought majority decision victory over Maidana in the main event on Saturday on SHOWTIME PPV in front of 16,268 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Judge Michael Pernick scored the fight a draw (114-114) while Burt Clemens scored 117-111 and Dave Moretti 116-112.

Mayweather vs. Maidana and Khan vs. Collazo will premiere on SHOWTIME next Saturday, May 10, at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT. In addition, ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Maidana will premiere “Epilogue” at 11:45 p.m. ET/PT following the special SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast of the pay-per-view bouts.

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