Mayweather doing the business on Maidana
As he predicted repeatedly, Floyd Mayweather, 47-0, 26 knockouts, defeated Marcos Maidana, 35-5. 31 k.o.’s, Saturday, September 13, 2014 at the M.G.M. Grand Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada. Mayweather retained his W.B.A. Welterweight Title as well as his W.B.C. Junior Middleweight Crown. It was a 2-title defense.
Yes, he had to do it in a return match which is very rare for Mayweather, since his only other rematch was with Jose Luis Castillo, after a controversial win over him, on April 20, 2002.
It seems that all Mayweather has to do is study his controversial opponents to find out what went wrong, correct the mistake, and then beat them soundly. That was the only similarity with both Castillo and Maidana because he beat Maidana soundly.
The problem that I saw Saturday is that I suspect that the referees are there to “protect” Mayweather from the opponents; Mayweather could commit boxing rule infractions with impunity and not get scolded, nor, penalized, much less disqualified. I saw this action repeated.
I remembered during the Ricky Hatton fight, December 8, 2007, referee Joe Cortez, kept interfering with Hatton every time he got up close and was hitting Mayweather. He even deducted a point for hitting him behind the head. That “phantom” punch was never thrown.
In the first Maidana fight, May 3, 2014, referee Tony Weeks continuously broke up the clinches when Maidana was hitting Mayweather on the ropes repeatedly with both hands and sometimes with one hand as Mayweather held on to the other hand.
Weeks would scold Maidana for fouls while he never warned Mayweather for holding continuously and elbowing Maidana.
Saturday, September 13, 2014, Mayweather as he promised, fought brilliantly offensively and defensively, while staying off the ropes.
From the first round you saw Mayweather staying in the center of the ring, avoiding Maidana’s bull-like rushes, counter-punching accurately; and when Maidana would try to push him to the ropes he would move out of harm’s way and return to the center which was his plan.
Mayweather’s right hand punch, left hook, and jabs were like a sniper’s bullet never missing it’s target, keeping Maidana at bay.
Towards the end of the 3rd round, Maidana hit Mayweather with a hard right hand staggering him but, the bell rang saving him from further punishment. When the fight resumed in the 4th round Mayweather still hurt, very cautiously back-peddled to avoid further dangerous attacks by Maidana.
What marred this brilliant strategy on Mayweather’s part was the fact that I noticed that as soon as Maidana would start punching Mayweather on or close to the ropes, in any round, referee Kenny Bayless, would immediately yell, “break-break”, forcing Maidana to stop punching allowing Mayweather to return to the “safety” of the center of the ring.
At times they weren’t even touching although standing very close, and Bayless, would yell, “stop”. This would continue round after round as the fight progressed, and as the fans would begin to boo in disappointment after expecting a brutal attack by Maidana.
In an 8th round clinch as Maidana was bent low, Mayweather suddenly jumped up and down screaming, “he bit me, he bit me”. After the referee investigated while Maidana stood at a neutral corner, he indicated that he did not see any infraction and ordered the fight to continue, as Maidana denied the accusation.
Not even the instant replay from many angles showed Maidana biting Mayweather, but it did show Mayweather’s thumb in Maidana’s eye.
Round after round of this unprofessional and unfair, in my opinion, action by the referee and Mayweather’s accusations, plus Maidana’s inability to trap Mayweather on the ropes, apparently caused Maidana to get frustrated and somewhat confused.
After the 9th round bell sounded Maidana actually walked to the wrong corner and much to the delight of the celebrity full house, and the fans, Mayweather “guided” him to his corner.
The 10th round was the most controversial when in a wrestling type hold by both fighters, they fell to the canvas, and Referee Bayless then unfairly deducted a point from Maidana accusing him of rough housing and using his elbow to knock him down.
The reality is that Mayweather was the one who blatantly was using his elbow throughout the entire fight and holding Maidana, but Bayless warned him only once.
The 11th round was a repeat of the previous with Mayweather boxing brilliantly, as Maidana would rush forward throwing a volume of hard punches, landing some but missing with many.
The 12th and final round was a shock because Mayweather, well ahead on points, circled way from Maidana avoiding total contact, as if afraid of getting hit and trying to protect his already guaranteed victory.
Maidana would close the gap and hit Mayweather, but the champ would hold Maidana, killing the clock while waiting for the referee to break up the clinch causing the frustrated audience to boo even louder.
People apparently wanted to see a “big” offensive finish by Mayweather, but he never gave it to them.
The decision was as expected, with both judges Jim McKay and Dave Moretti awarding the fight to Mayweather , 116 / 111, while the other judge, Guido Cavallieri, voted 115 / 112 for Mayweather. Black Star News had it 117 / 110 for Mayweather.
At the post fight interview, Mayweather repeatedly claimed that he was bitten by Maidana and that his left hand fingers were numb. Maidana denied biting him but claimed that in that same round Mayweather poked his left thumb in his right eye and the referee did not penalized him.
Maidana further stated in his defense, “If I were a dog I would’ve bitten him, but I am not, I am a fighter”. Upon rating his performance Mayweather stated that he would give himself a C-minus. I would give Floyd Mayweather an “A” for “solving” Maidana, although he ran in the last round.
As per referee Bayless’ performance I would give him a “D”. Mayweather doesn’t have to be protected in the ring by any referee, he does alright by himself. Remember 47 tried and 47 failed, with 2 fights to go. I am sure he will retire, 49-0.
Through swollen bloody lips from a Maidana right hand punch, a resolute Mayweather stated that he would not rule out a fight with Manny Pacquiao in one of the 2 remaining fights of his 6 fight contract with Showtime Cable.
Many of us are hoping that it would be his 49th and last career fight on the way to retirement, win, lose, or draw.
