Twenty years in the past as we speak, Marcos Maidana – for loads of battle followers, one of the vital go-to warriors of the 2000s by way of seeing assured motion – punched out his professional debut. After having a very good novice profession, Maidana, throughout which period he fought at 64kg, with him going a reported 86-4, turned professional in his native Argentina. Preventing in Corrientes, Argentina, “El Chino” would battle at house till his 18th battle, all wins, with all however one win coming by way of KO or stoppage.
In June 2007, Maidana started boxing often in Germany, and he acquired his first shot at a world title there. A 25-year-old Maidana got here up brief, dropping a cut up determination to Andreas Kotelnik. A setback? Perhaps, however Maidana was quickly to burst onto the world stage in an exhilarating, scintillating vogue.
After going house offended after the Kotelnik loss – the choice agreed upon as a controversial one – Maidana boxed his US debut. And what a debut it proved to be. Going through perceived future star and betting favourite Victor Ortiz in Los Angeles in June of 2009, Maidana performed his half in one of many best slugfests ever seen at 140 kilos. Each males hit the mat in a battle that continues to be loved and celebrated on YouTube, with Ortiz finally quitting, the loser famously stating within the ring how he “can’t hold getting his like this,” or phrases to that impact.
Maidana, the proprietor of a TKO win, had not even began inflicting mayhem in America!
Having received the vacant WBA interim belt at 140 with the attention-grabbing win over Ortiz, Maidana confronted Victor Cayo in Vegas, with him getting one other win on the midway stage of a battle. Then got here a detailed factors win over the savvy DeMarcus Corley, who acquired up from a knockdown to push Maidana arduous. Quickly, battle followers worldwide can be watching Maidana go to work.
Maidana boxed British hero Amir Khan in what turned out to be a modern-day basic (chalk this one up as Maidana’s second modern-day basic), with Khan scoring a hurtful early knockdown after which someway surviving hellish punishment late on to take the choice victory and maintain onto his WBA belt. Maidana by no means actually stopped asking for a rematch.
As an alternative, Maidana confronted Mexican legend Erik Morales, and yet one more nice battle was witnessed. Morales, who arguably placed on his final nice battle, fought with a swollen eye, this as he stunned many by taking Maidana all the way in which. It was a majority determination win for Maidana.
Then got here a win over Petr Petrov, earlier than Maidans misplaced on factors to Devon Alexander. Now 31-3, Maidana may need peaked. Or so the pondering was. No likelihood.
Maidana bounced again by scoring fan-friendly stoppage wins over Jesus Soto Karras and Josesito Lopez – earlier than Maidana took care of a “Downside.” The large win Maidana scored in shutting up (for some time at the least) large mouth Adrien Broner, actually modified “El Chino’s” life.
Dropping the cocksure, he had no concept what he was in for Broner early, Maidana landed loads of harm in hammering out a choice win. Broner, on the time shut buddies with Floyd Mayweather, reduce a tragic and lonely determine as he walked/stumbled again to his dressing room after the beating/life lesson he had taken.
In stepped Floyd to place Maidana again in his place. Maidana had hit the jackpot, the battle with “Cash” incomes him a pile of the stuff. And it could possibly be argued – in truth it’s by some followers to at the present time – that Maidana gave Mayweather his hardest ever battle after they slugged it out in Might of 2014.
Leaping proper on Mayweather, Maidana loved success, whereas he pressured Floyd to battle. This was no typical Mayweather battle/efficiency and, other than Jose Luis Castillo in April of 2002, no man ever got here so near ruining Mayweather’s good file.
It was so shut, Mayweather’s satisfaction was jarred. To his credit score, Mayweather took the instant rematch, and this time, exhibiting once more how he might make the mandatory changes in a fight-two, Floyd boxed his method to a clear-cut determination win over the fierce Argentine terror. However Maidana didn’t appear to essentially care; he had made his cash, and now he was going to take pleasure in it!
Retiring with a hard-earned 35-5(31) file in late 2014, Maidana, who was by no means stopped in any battle, went out feeling good, feeling wealthy, and feeling content material. He had, in brief, performed far more than anybody might have anticipated, himself included.
To at the present time, Marcos Maidana ranks as one of the vital common, one of the vital revered, and one of the vital enjoyable fighters to look at. Ever.
