Let’s get ready to rumble! An exciting night of fisticuffs will be concluded with another showdown between arguably the best practitioner of the sweet science, Floyd Mayweather Jr., and Argentinian pugilist Marcos Maidana. It’s going to be a bumpy ride as these two meet at the center of the ring once again.
For more boxing picks and predictions, check out our preview of the Wladimir Klitschko vs. Kubrat Pulev heavyweight championship fight, otherwise, read on for everything you’ll need to know about Mayweather’s first rematch in a decade.
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Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Marcos Maidana 2 Betting Preview and Prediction
Floyd Mayweather Jr. is one of the best, if not the best boxer to grace the boxing ring. He has a stellar, undefeated record of 46-0 and has dominated most of his competition for almost two decades. Dazzling record aside, Mayweather may have met his match in Marcos Maidana after walking away with a controversial majority decision win in May.
[sc:Other240banner ]Mayweather spent most of the fight getting pinned on the ropes, taking shot-after-shot to the head or body. The fight also marked the first time the pound-for-pound kingpin was cut in his professional career. Still, Mayweather was able to come back later on in the fight to dazzle with his pinpoint accuracy and effortless movement.
Even when shaken, Mayweather remains a slick counter striker who likes to fight off the back foot. He rarely takes a beating due in large part to excellent head movement and his trademark shoulder roll almost to perfection.
However, Mayweather has also slowed down considerably over the last four years. He was tagged by Shane Mosley square on the chin in their 2010 matchup, and would have been knocked down if he were not able to fall into his opponents arms. Mayweather was also getting cornered during his match with Victor Ortiz, absorbing shot after shot while blocking the most devastating blows.
Mayweather made up for his little mistakes by putting up masterful performances against Miguel Cotto, Robert Guerrero and Canelo Alvarez. Those three fighters are no scrubs. They’re all current champions with stellar records, yet Mayweather outlanded them all a combined 609-335 punches.
Nevertheless, it’s not hard to imagine Mayweather getting hit by a crippling shot in this fight, especially if he has a performance like last the last time around.
Betting on Marcos Maidana
Argentinian slugger Marcos Maidana will have a second attempt at dethroning the reigning pound-for-pound fighter, Floyd Mayweather Jr. In their first meeting in May, the Argentinian landed the most punches ever on Mayweather in one fight.
Maidana had a spirited attempt to win the first fight, out-landing the pound-for-pound kingpin in six rounds of their fight. He also held the edge in power punches 185-178 through the grueling 12 rounds. Despite all the landed power punches and finishing 31 of his 34 wins by KO, Maidana could not significantly hurt Mayweather for a knockdown—something that causes some concern heading into this match.
Even though he walked out with the defeat, Maidana seems to have created the perfect strategy to deconstruct the master Mayweather. Primarily the aggressor in the fight, he repeatedly cut off the ring using pressure to pin his opponent to the ropes where he’d unload with punches in bunches. Maidana was also smart enough to not just aim for the head, but also to mix in body shots. Particularly effective was the jab as he repeatedly caught Mayweather with some well-timed shots.
However, Maidana believes he won the first encounter between the two, and even upped his trash talk heading into the fight. If the Argentinian truly believes that he’s the better man, then he may end up surprised if Mayweather comes in strong early. Nevertheless, Maidana may also be playing his own mind games in order to get the mental edge come fight time.
Writer’s Prediction
Floyd Mayweather Jr. will get hit hard and early, but manages to rally in the latter rounds. Mayweather (-880) defeats Marcos Maidana by a closely-contested split decision.
