By James Slater: Marcos Maidana, one of the most exciting fighters in boxing today, will return to action on July 21st in Cincinnati. The Argentine banger will seek a win at welterweight following his wide points loss to Devon Alexander back in February.
That near shut-out loss was Maidana’s first fight up at welterweight since way back in 2006, and the poor showing “El Chino” put on was immediately put down to the extra weight he was carrying. However, Maidana, 31-3(28) will apparently stick around at 147 from now on. Next month, on the Adrien Broner-Vicente Escobedo card set for HBO, Maidana will face unbeaten former amateur standout Keith Thurman.
Set for ten rounds, the non-title fight will give 23-year-old Thurman, 17-0(16) a chance to gatecrash the big time. A pro since November of 2007, Thurman has not faced any obviously notable names. Known as “One Time,” the Clearwater man has beaten a number of unbeaten fighters (Omar Bell, then 6-0, Stalinn Lopez, 7-0 and, last time out, on the May 5th Mayweather-Cotto card in Las Vegas, Brandon Hoskins, 16-0-1), yet he has never faced anyone as powerful and as experienced as Maidana.
This upcoming fight will see Thurman match his good boxing skills with Maidana’s withering punching power. The real acid test for Thurman (and some people are saying this big fight has come too soon for him), the Maidana fight could bring him glory or, conversely, it could bring him pain. Could this fight even ruin Thurman if he is indeed not yet ready for someone as dangerous as Maidana? Then again, maybe Thurman will rise to the occasion.
Maidana can be, and has been, outboxed. Alexander was way too fast and classy for the plodding slugger and Thurman will no doubt have watched a tape of that fight and gained much confidence from it. We’ll know a lot more when (or if) Maidana lands a big shot on Thurman’s chin. If the fight doesn’t end right there, we could have a good contest on our hands.
Either way, it’s always fun watching Maidana. Always aggressive, always looking for the KO, the 28-year-old has ambitions of winning more titles and of thrilling his fans with further big victories. Maidana cannot afford to slip up against Thurman and lose for a fourth time. For his part, Thurman is young enough to be able to come again if he does lose. As long as he’d not too badly beaten up, that is.
Maidana has to be the pick to win, probably by stoppage.