After the clowns paved the way Mayweather found Maidana wasn’t there to laugh
[BoxingGlove Notes]
Floyd “Money” Mayweather stepped out of his dressing room in the M.G.M Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada preceded by a contingent of a circus — Ring Master, Clowns, Juggler, little cars, Circus Girls — but after chasing good leather from Marcos “El Chino” Maidana, there was nothing to laugh at except the fight’s outcome.
Mayweather last night defended his W.B.C. Welterweight Title in a unification championship fight against Maidana who entered the ring 35-3, 31 knockouts and as W.B.A. Champion.
The fight was part of Mayweather’s 6-fight lucrative contract with Showtime cable before retirement from the ring wars.
The decision giving Mayweather the victory was robbery worse than the first Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley fight of 2012; it compares to decades ago when the great Cuban Welterweight Champion, Geraldo “Kid Gavilan” Gonzalez was awarded a 15 round decision over “Irish” Billy Graham which everyone knew Graham had won by a landslide.
With all of the self-serving comments of how he was going to win by his cunning, ring knowledge, experience, and confidence, despite the fistic arsenals, strength, punching power, and experience his opponent might bring to the “table”-ring, Mayweather stated he will remain undefeated because he was the ring master. But, he was not the Master last night, he actually became a gym punching bag for 12 rounds.
Mayweather seemed to age right in front of the ring world, as a relentless, sometimes savage Marcos Maidana true to his statements, charged at Mayweather from the 1st round bell, backed him up against the ring ropes, and just viciously pounded him like no other opponent had ever done to Floyd.
You could hear the screams of the shocked audience mixed with the cheers of the Maidana fans as this onslaught continued for the first 4 rounds although Mayweather bravely fought back. It actually started to resemble the early rounds of the Maidana vs. Broner fight.
Mayweather would fight his way off the ropes, using his strong jab, speed, his right hand punch, but then he would be rushed back as Maidana continued to punish Mayweather, again on the ropes.
This was really the battle that Robert Garcia, Maidana’s astute trainer had devised to off-set, Mayweather and take him out of his game plan, and surprisingly, it was working.
What was a mystery to me, was the judge’s scoring that gave Mayweather the 2nd to the 4th round –these critical 3 rounds– when that was when he received his most severe pounding from Maidana. They did however, award Maidana the first round. The way I scored it, Maidana , won the first 5 rounds, easily.
It wasn’t until the 6th round and by the desperate urging of his father, Floyd, Sr., that Mayweather started to stay in the center of the ring, after he sustained a cut on his right eye, and was bruised on the left side of his face. That only lasted for 2 rounds, 6 and 7, when in the 8th round Maidana at the urging of his trainer rushed Mayweather back to the ropes resuming his savage punishment.
True to his mastery of the ring and fighting back valiantly Mayweather hurt and slowed down Maidana with head and body punches which gave the semblance that he was finally getting the best of Maidana on his way to pulling victory out of defeat.
Maidana fought back although losing ground, but in the 10th the fight went “phone booth” both hurting each other which prompt me to call that round even, and then in the 11th., with added energy, Maidana punished a tiring Mayweather, who then fought back, and won the 12th round but, too late.
The fight was an exciting, keep you on the edge, type of combat which indeed, Marcos Maidana won cleanly, but close. Yet his moment of glory was taken away from him, by a home town decision.
Judge Michael Pernick called the fight a draw, 114-114-ridiculous, the other Judges, Burt Clements scored, 117-111, and Dave Moretti scored 116-112 both, for Mayweather. This Black Star News reporter scored the fight, 117/113 for Maidana.
What bothered me the most throughout the fight was that, Tony Weeks a veteran referee kept scolding Maidana for rough tactics, broke up the clinches too soon when Maidana was punishing Floyd even with one hand as Mayweather held the other. Referee Weeks never admonished Mayweather for his holding tactics, and illegal elbow use, which could’ve caused him point deductions.
At the post fight ring interview Mayweather declared that despite the boos he knew he had won, and Maidana who is “not as tough as, Miguel Cotto nor hits harder than Canelo Alvarez, knows he lost. If he wants a re-match he can have it, but the result will be the same, I’ll win again”.
Diplomatic Marcos Maidana stated very quietly with a smile, that “I know I won and Mayweather knows that also. If Floyd wants a rematch, then I’ll give him one, and this time my ‘victory’ will not be close, I’ll knock him out, but I will not fight him at home”.
What is next for Floyd Mayweather, now 46-0, 26 k.o.’s, who collected a purse of $32 million dollars, plus pay-per-view, is to go back to the drawing board and study what went wrong, but kudos to the Judges, he is still undefeated, and could continue on the selection process of his next opponent scheduled for September/2014.
Of course, everyone is hoping that one of the “selectees” is none other than Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao. Hopefully that one should be his 49th, and last, and then retirement.
As for “Chino” Maidana, his boxing appointment book is wide open. Although this was a loss, he has won the hearts of the boxing world and captured the attention of the boxing promoters, so despite his “paltry” $1.5 million dollar purse for fighting Mayweather, he will see the lucrative light at the end of the boxing tunnel for larger championship fights and still being young-30 years old- more world title fights. Keith Thurman, Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia, maybe even that “magic” name of Manny Pacquiao.
The under card perhaps produced one future opponent for Floyd Mayweather when Amir Khan severely battered through multiple clinches and holds as per his fighting style, journeyman Luis Collazo, knocking him down 3 times on his way to winning a unanimous decision. 2 Judges both voted 119/104 while the other judge voted, 117/106 all for Khan, who won the 147 Pound Silver Belt World Title.
Collazo has seen better days in boxing, so I would suggest that he takes his $350,000 dollar purse invest it in a trust fund and retire.
Of course we cannot forget the comeback of “The Problem”, Adrien Broner, who in between his clowning and dancing Rap defeated tough but, perhaps over matched Carlos Molina, by a unanimous score of 100/90, 99/91, and 98/92, according to all 3 judges. Broner, now fighting as a 140 pounder has a long way to go before he is considered a serious contender for a world title fight in the future.
In the first fight, J’ Leon Love, 18-0, 10 knockouts, defeated Marcos Antonio Periban, 20-1-1, 13 k.o.’s, and won the W.B.A. International Super Middleweight Title after suffering a knockdown and pulling victory out of defeat by a unanimous decision of 97/92, 96/92,95/93 on all 3 judge’s score cards.
Columnist’s Editorial Comment: I strongly feel that fight judges should be sent to evaluation classes to avoid these atrocious fight results.
Mayweather is the home town hero, but you cannot “rob” the visitor because it destroys the integrity of the sport. Will Mayweather rebound from this “almost” disaster or has he lost fan credibility?
My Black Star readers, what do you think? Did you watch the fight, do you agree or disagree with me? Let me know your comments.
Thank You.
