Boxing Mad Magazine #10 MAYDAY FOR MAIDANA | Page 14
MAYDAY
FOR
MAIDANA
Long before he scored the biggest
victory of his career with last December’s upset of the unbeaten upstart
Adrien Broner – Ring Magazine’s
2013 Upset of the Year – Maidana
was winning fights against the odds
as a late starter at the age of fifteen,
comprehensively beating more experienced youngsters in his local gym in
Santa Fe. In his
debut on American soil in 2009, he
was also expected to lose against
heavy betting favourite Victor Ortiz.
Maidana rose from the canvas three
times to pummel the much-lauded
Ortiz to a sixth-round stoppage.
The victory over Ortiz made Maidana a
cult star, but a world title continued to
escape him. He was narrowly beaten
in 2010’s Fight of the Year with Amir
Khan and following a ten-round points
loss to Devon Alexander fourteen
months later, Maidana’s boxing future
lay on the ropes. That was when he
enlisted the services of Robert Garcia,
who, starting with a thrilling knockout
victory over Jesus Soto Karass,
transformed El Chino as a fighter.
That win began a four-fight winning
streak that culminated with the victory
over Broner and finally landed
Maidana a world crown.
Sandwiched between those bouts were
stoppages of Martin Ángel Martínez and
Josesito López and with each
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MAYDAY
FOR
JACK SUMNER
assignment, Maidana has shown
increased versatility and improved
boxing skills to compliment his heavy
hands and penchant for brawling. That
run of form is also the most impressive
of any potential Mayweather
adversary this side of the great
promotional divide. Fans may clamour
for the Pacquiao fight, or a meeting
between Floyd and Timothy Bradley,
but of the options at Mayweather’s
consideration for May 3rd, Top Rank
fighters were off limits. Of the choice
between Maidana and Amir Khan –
expected to be unveiled as the
opponent before Maidana’s name was
‘picked’ – Maidana is far more deserving of the fight.
Khan is 2-2 with a stoppage defeat in
his last four bouts and without a
convincing win over a ranked
contender. That Khan decisi ۙY