*** For the latest Floyd Mayweather vs. Marcos Maidana 2 fight updates, including up-to-the-minute main event coverage, click here. ***
The first fight was a tense and relatively action-packed affair. This time? Not so much.
Using superior footwork and excessive clinching, Welterweight titlist Floyd Mayweather retained his belt and his undefeated record (47-0) last night, stifling the aggression of Marcos Maidana and taking home a unanimous decision win inside MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
From the beginning, Maidana struggled to move Mayweather to the ropes the way he had in the first fight. When Mayweather couldn't circle free, he held, consistently denying Maidana the opportunity to rough him up inside. Aside from a heavy 1-2 at the end of the third round that seemed to momentarily stun Mayweather and a solid fourth round, "El Chino's" attack seemed entirely ineffective.
Things stayed in cruise control -- Mayweather scoring in center ring and holding when Marcos advanced -- until the eighth round. During a clinch, Mayweather stuck his glove into Maidana's face. As they separated, Mayweather yelled out, claiming Maidana bit him (see pic here). He made the same accusation in the first bout. Referee Kenny Bayless saw no indication of a bit on Mayweather's glove and action continued.
Maidanas' aggression increased and Mayweather's output waned in the last few rounds. The only real highlight, however, came in the tenth, when a frustrated Maidana seemed to push Mayweather in the clinch. Mayweather fell to his back and referee Kenny Bayless took a point.
In the end, Mayweather took home the unanimous decision on reasonable scores of 115-112, 116-111, and 116-111. MMAmania,com (see live results here) had the same score as the latter two judges.
It was troubling, however, to see Mayweather hold so freely. While clinching can be inevitable in close quarters, he actively stuck his hands out to grab hold of Maidana whenever he got close, for which he was never warned by the referee.
The rest of the evening was a nice microcosm of boxing as a whole. In the co-main event, Leo Santa Cruz demolished Manuel Roman in 2 rounds. The matchmaking here was criminal; Santa Cruz is one of the top-5 fighters in the Super Bantamweight division ... and Roman isn't even in the Top 100.
Prior to that farce, Miguel Vazquez and Mickey Bey engaged in the most boring bout I have had the displeasure of seeing this year. To cap it off, Vazquez lost his IBF belt on terrible scores of 115-113 either way and, completely indefensibly, 119-109 in Bey's favor.
The fact that Bey is a member of Team Mayweather has absolutely nothing to do with this.
The night opened with Alfredo Angulo proving definitely that he is done as a top fighter, losing a wide decision to unheralded James De La Rosa. In short, De La Rosa ran circles around Angulo, whose punches seemed to lack anything of the thunder they once packed. Aside from some trouble late when he attempted to coast, De La Rosa controlled the whole fight, even dropping the usually iron-chinned Angulo in the second round.
Considering the thrashings Angulo took from James Kirkland and Canelo Alvarez, it might be time for him to retire, a sentiment that trainer Virgil Hunter seemed to agree with, telling his fighter that his career was over if he couldn't score the knockout.
So, in sum, we got questionable refereeing, horrific matchmaking, terrible judging and a fighter on his way out ... all in one night. Sure was worth those $75!
For quick results and round-by-round coverage of the night's proceedings click here.